Longing For Israel

Parshat Va’etchanan begins with Moshe Rabbeinu recounting his plea to Hashem to be able to enter Eretz Yisrael. It was clear that this was his one great desire.
His request was denied and he was buried just outside of Israel on Mount Nevo. He understood that there was something special about this land. His final wish was to travel the length and breadth of the country just as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did. He wanted to breathe the holy air of the holy land. This was a deep yearning of his soul.
Rabbi Berel Wein once said that the Jews of Europe would have crawled across the continent for the ability to get to Israel for even one moment.
We are to recognize that this same yearning is embedded in the soul of every Jew. This yearning is revealed according to the level of one’s spirituality.
It is also important to note that it is not natural for G-d’s chosen people to be living outside of His chosen land. The Galut, the Exile, is a curse we received for forsaking the Torah. All of our suffering as a people came about while we were in exile.
We are to pay close attention to the longings of our great leaders. If Moshe Rabbeinu’s final desire was to enter Israel, this should be our desire as well. We are to trust that incredible benefits and joy will come to those that do the right thing and come to Israel.
Recently, I spoke to a woman who was well into her eighties about her Aliya seven years ago. She said that she felt she was on an extended vacation. Moshe Rabbeinu did not merit being able to enjoy his extended vacation. But an extended vacation awaits all who will only hop on a plane and partake of the beauty and specialness of our very special homeland.