Journeying Towards the Irreplaceable

Reflections on Eretz Yisrael and Life's Transitions

I saw an intriguing advertisement this week. It featured Rav Chaim Kanievsky's minibus, which was being offered for tourists to explore Eretz Yisrael. While that is somewhat perplexing, it is slightly less disturbing than the recent auction for a pair of Rav Chaim’s trousers. Interestingly, people tend to collect or utilize various items associated with Torah leaders as a segulah, including Gartels, Kiddush cups, and even sukkah boards.

In Parashas Masei, the Torah meticulously records each of the 42 stops the Jewish people made on their journey to Eretz Yisrael. The Meforshim explain that this signifies the 42 distinct phases of life, spanning from conception to death. Alternatively, it represents the 42 phases of exile our people will endure before our eventual return to Eretz Yisroel with the arrival of Mashiach. Indeed, each of the 42 places is named for the specific event that took place there, the event with which they had made their impact.

Ultimately, we will return to Eretz Yisrael. When we left, we ran with the clothes on our back, with nothing to take with us, but it was all replaceable — from the Kiddush cup to the sukkah board. The only thing that was not replaceable was the place, the actual land of Israel which we had settled in. By detailing each place where we encamped on our way to Eretz Yisrael, the Torah perhaps imparts a simple message: keep your focus on the destination, remember where you are, and never lose sight of where you are heading.

The book of Bamidbar recounts the relentless struggles and challenges faced by the Jewish people in the desert. Initially, they sought food, then water, and ultimately, authority. But were they seeking that which is truly irreplaceable—the land itself? That is why the Torah emphasizes the locations where we encamped. We left an impact in each of these places before moving on. This is what holds the greatest significance and cannot be substituted. We left our greatest impact on Eretz Yisrael.

According to the teachings of the Bat Ayin, based on the Zohar, all prophets who received their prophecies did so with the assistance of the land of Eretz Yisrael. It is a place where the Shechina rests, making prophecy more accessible. Outside of Eretz Yisrael, prophecy is less accessible.

Eretz Yisrael is indeed irreplaceable.

In both our individual lives and as a collective, we go through stages, make our mark, and then move on. Sometimes, the signs indicating the need to transition to the next stage are clear, while other times they are not. We leave our imprint and impact behind, shining the light of God in one way or another, and then we must gather our belongings and proceed to another place that requires our illumination.

This does not necessarily imply that the new place will be harder or easier, just as the encampments in the desert varied in length and the availability of resources. However, when it was time to move on, the Jewish people appreciated the impact they had made and continued their journey.

While we may spend fortunes on sentimental artifacts, the true value lies not in that which is replaceable, rather it is in being fully present and appreciating what we have in each moment, to be grounded and feel ever present, as it is these moments in their specific locations which are truly irreplaceable.