Trees are growing in the desert

In this week’s Haftara from Yishayahu 60:1-22, the children of Israel are returning from afar and the nations of the world are recognizing God. Israel will have material goods, the deserts will bloom and the Beit HaMikdash will be rebuilt. As well, there will be peace and righteousness in the land.

Just as Hiram sent King Solomon the best trees from the Lebanon forest to build the Temple, so too will we have those trees. As we read in 60:13:

The glory of the Lebanon forest shall come to you- brosh (boxwood), tidhar (fir) and tashur (cypress).

Yishayahu 41:19, made famous by the song “Eten BaMidbar” lists the trees that will make the desert bloom at the time of the Ingathering of the Exiles:

I will fill the desert with erez (cedars), shita (pine), hadas (myrtle) and etz shemen (balsam). I will plant the arid plain with brosh (boxwood), tidhar (fir) and tashur (cypress) together.

When the desert is irrigated these strong trees will grow there.

With the return of the Jews to the Land of Israel, we have seen trees and plants growing in places that we never would have thought possible as well as settlements in places that we would have never imagined.

In 1953, three yishuvim (settlements) were set up in the Negev: Brosh, Tidhar and Tashur, named after the trees mentioned above.

Now we are ready for the prophecy in Yishayahu 16:18 to come true speedily in our days:

No longer shall Hamas (violence) be heard in your land, nor plunder and breakage in your borders; but you shall call God’s salvation your protective walls, and his praise your gateways.

May we hear good news!