Soon we will read the Torah portion Shelach, recalling the sin of the spies. These were the 12 men that Moshe sent to scout out the Land of Israel before entering. When they returned, their distorted and negative reports caused the b’nai Yisrael to despair. As a result of speaking and believing this slander about the land, Hashem decreed a 40 year delay before they could enter the Land.
Our first year here, Nefesh B'Nefesh initiated a "12 to 12" project. They requested that, because olim are witness to all that is good and special about living here, we tell our family, friends and neighbors abroad what those things are. In 2007 hundreds of us composed lists of 12 things we appreciate and love about living in Israel and emailed the lists to at least 12 friends in the “Old County.” In this way, we hoped to help rectify the Sin of the Spies.
David and I sent out a letter we called “12+1.” The next year, the project went on quietly and we sent you our “12 to 120.” Last year, I continued with “12 Invitations”
This year I am doing it differently: I’d like YOU to be the spies.
Please write to me here with anything you believe to be positive about living in this wonderful, holy Land. I’ll put them together and send it out to the list (with or without your name, let me know) before Shabbat Parsha Shelach. It’ll be our “Achdus” list. In the merit of your Loshen Tov about Eretz Yisrael, may all our efforts help to bring about the miracle we are anticipating-when you all come home soon.
Send your email to me here soon!
Spies Like Us
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1 comment:
I love what you wrote here. I found your blog looking for material backing up my choice not to speak out about domestic Israeli issues that tend to make Israel or Israelis look bad in the public eye. This is what I chose to write about in my own blog today. Chazki V'emtzi Libech!
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