Note: Click here for a fascinating story regarding this ma'amar told over by the Tolener Rebbe.
“...
וַתֹּאמֶר לְבִלְעָם מֶה־עָשִׂיתִי לְךָ כִּי הִכִּיתַנִי זֶה שָׁלֹש רְגָלִים/(The
donkey) said to Bil’am, ‘What did I do to you that you hit me three times?” (Bamidbar
22:28) The word “time” is found many
times in the Torah as “פַּעַם.” This is the only place in Tanach where the
word regel is used to mean “time.”
Why? The Midrash answers that the
Torah is alluding to the shalosh regalim, Pesach, Shavuos and Succos, the
three holidays that we celebrate each year.[1] God is berating Bil’am for wanting to destroy
a nation that celebrates these three holidays.
The nation keeps many mitzvos. Why did God hint specifically at the shalosh
regalim? The allusion to the three
holidays specifically, is a response to Balak’s complaint. Balak’s stated purpose was to prevent the
nation from entering the land
of Israel
How do the shalosh regalim indicate a special
relationship between the nation of Israel and the land of Israel? A primary element of the shalosh regalim
celebrations is the aliya laregel, the requirement for every male to go
up to the Beis HaMikdash on the holiday.
The Sfas Emes explains that aliya laregel is a testimony that the
land of Israel was set aside specifically for the nation of Israel as David
HaMelech wrote in Tehillim (122:4), “שֶׁשָּׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים ... עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל
.../For there the tribes ascended … a testimony for Israel …” Bil’am himself prophesied this, “כִּי־מֵרֹאשׁ צֻרִים אֶרְאֶנּוּ
וּמִגְּבָעוֹת אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ .../For I will see him (the nation) from the
top of mountain peaks and will view him from hills.” (Bamidbar 23:9) The plain
meaning of this prophecy is that every mountain peak and hilltop was designated
for the nation of Israel . He saw the nation filling the entire land.
Chazal also mention this relationship.[2] Chazal teach us that God acquired, as it
were, five things in this world. Three
of the five are the heavens and the earth, the nation of Israel and the Beis HaMikdash. That these are mentioned together in this
mishna indicates that there is a strong relationship between them.
What is the nature of this relationship? The Sfas Emes
explains that the children of Israel
have qualities which exactly match the qualities inherent in the land of Israel
The land of Israel needs the nation for its tikun/rectification. Chazal teach us that Bil’am’s blessing, “מִי מָנָה עֲפַר יַעֲקֹב .../Who
can count the dirt of Ya’akov …” (Bamidbar 23:10) is referring to the
many mitzvos which are fulfilled only in the dirt of the land of Israel land of Israel Israel
are able to perform these mitzvos. This
is why God blessed Ya’akov by comparing his descendents to the dirt of the
land, “וְהָיָה זַרְעֲךָ
כַּעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ .../Your progeny shall be like the dirt of the
land.” (Breishis 28:14) The
Creator prepared the dirt of the land
of Israel
Just as He measured the land, “מִי־מָדַד ... וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִשׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ
.../Who measured with a measure the dirt of the land …,” (Yeshaya
40:12) He also measured the dirt of Ya’akov, “מִי מָנָה עֲפַר יַעֲקֹב .../Who
can count the dirt of Ya’akov …” The
Sfas Emes teaches us that that each grain of dirt in the land of Israel is
associated with a Jewish soul. May we
merit appreciating the integral connection between us and our land and to
fulfilling the mitzvos needed to rectify it!
[1]
Bamidbar R. 20:14
[2]
Avos 6:10
[3]
Zohar 2:222a-b
[4]
The Creation is structured as a hierarchy leading from most to least
spiritual. Life giving energy flows from
the Creator through the spiritual realms and finally to the physical world,
giving existence to all. The souls of
the nation of Israel are an
integral part of this hierarchy. (see
Nefesh HaChaim 1:17 and 2:17)
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