I brought a mini art set with me on my recent trip to Israel. It was incredible to sit in Safed, facing the mountains, painting a mini canvas of each of the four cities. I brought the series back home with me to hang on my wall, and each time I glance at them I feel a tug in my heart and a yearning to return to the Holy Land. That desire to return is a holy one. It is a tenet of our faith and an inseparable part of us to pine for the days when we will all live in peace, serving G-d in our Home.
So, what’s a Jew living in the Diaspora to do with that feeling, if they are currently not in a position to pick up and move there? A chassid of the Tzemach Tzedek once asked his Rebbe if he should make the move to Eretz Yisrael. The answer was “Mach Da Eretz Yisrael” – “Make this place Eretz Yisrael.”
What did the Rebbe mean? Eretz Yisrael is a place of revealed G-dliness. “Make this place Eretz Yisrael” means revealing G-dliness wherever we may live. It means tuning into our purpose, elevating our everyday life to be part of that purpose. It means revealing G-d in the food we eat, the relationships we have, and the things we accomplish. At the same time, we never forget that it is only temporary. For our ultimate desire is to once again serve Hashem in His holiest place.
