Author: David Mark

David Mark is the founder and editor of Israel Rising. Besides Israel Rising, he heads up outreach for Ateret Cohanim in Jerusalem's Old City and acts as the Managing Director for Pulse of Israel. On the side he teaches classes that blend minimalism, mindfulness, and ecology with the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.
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The Land and Nation Are One

Deep inside the Nation of Israel there is a yearning to be home. Home is not just a piece of real estate or a space for a national enterprise, but rather forms an intrinsic component of the Nation’s being. This profound realization that the Land of Israel is not only a place to live, but one which is interwoven within the Children of Israel’s psyche is foundational to who we are and why as a Nation we cannot simply let go of pieces of our homeland.

Each member of the Nation of Israel, each Yid, each Jew has the potential to find himself, his or her complete self only within the boundaries of the Land of Israel.

This unshakeable bond, this inner calling, and pull home are all really about being drawn in the most organic way back to a state of self authenticity. This state, this inner geulah, redemption was lost or hidden away during the exile and now in an evolution of national spiritual awareness is being uncovered in the Land of Israel.

But why is this process taking so long? After all the Yidden, the Jewish people have been returning back to the Land of Israel, their home at increasing numbers for over two centuries. If this process is taking this long then one may think that we are not natural here, but that is not the case.

The return of the Jewish people, the Nation of Israel, to their home unlocked an immediate burst of light, not felt since we held sovereignty here nearly two thousand years ago, yet this light had no kelim, no vessels able to hold it and so they shattered and broke.

Being unable to contain this light, the inspiration, the development of an integrated national consciousness has taken time only to be felt now.

Why now?

The national enterprise rushed home, drawn to fulfilling the yearning of their innermost desires to be once again one with themselves and their land. However, a process of such magnitude needed the direction of the Tzaddikim, the spiritual leaders of the Jewish people. This light, this direction carved out of the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and his followers was the missing link that could smooth the Yidden’s return.

So now that the thirst for an inner redemption which was activated by coming home is finally reaching its peak, the Baal Shem Tov’s light has become the central force behind the awakening and the completion of the inner return of the Nation of Israel to their Land and ultimately the realization that the Nation of Israel and the Land of Israel are one indivisible whole.

(Based on Orot Eretz Yisrael 1, Olat Rehiyah Part 1:203, Likutey Moharan, Keter Shem Tov)

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Why Did Adam Sin?

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Our exile from the Garden of Eden may have been thousands of years ago, but it’s after effects are still being felt today.  Why did Adam sin, after all he was completely integrated to the Creator’s will and should have known what to expect?

Adam knew what he was doing and understood that in order to truly fulfill G-D’s will he and his progeny would have to go into exile. All of us are responsible for bringing the world back to its original state.

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The Sacrifice at the End of Days

The prophet Zechariah tells us famously that the Messiah will be “Poor and Riding on a Donkey.”

We are at the precipice of a new world as we witness the confusion and chaos of the world we live in now seemingly overtake us, but this is part of the End Times where the norm must be washed away to make way for a different world. The world that is coming will not be filled with baseless yearnings or pathways that lead nowhere, but rather a world where humanity desires to reconnect with its Creator.

Why does the prophet tell us the Messiah will be “poor?”  What does poor have to do with leadership?

The End of Days is not some sort of Hollywood thriller or apocalyptic movie, but rather it is the bridge between two worlds and the Messiah is a necessary part of this transition.

There are many sacrificial offerings listed when someone brings a personal sacrifice to the Temple in Jerusalem. Despite all that are listed only one rises above them all as the most preferred by the Creator.  This is the Mincha offering.  Consisting of flour, water, and oil, the Mincha is the most simple offering and yet Rashi, the famous medieval commentator quotes the Talmud indicating that the one who brings this offering is poor. The Almighty cherishes this offering the most, because he is poor, yet still willing to bring the most minimal sacrifice. His humility is cherished above all.

Our generation has nothing left.  The world is filled  with endless noise, distractions, and base desires pulling all of us in every direction.  The Almighty is hidden from us, seemingly far away.

Reb Noson, Rebbe Nachman’s chief student teaches that the Mincha offering is connected to the Messiah because both involve an intense level of humility.  This humility is the underlying point of connection to the poor person.  All of us can reach this level and ultimately as Reb Noson teaches, this level of humility is the necessary ingredient to be fully connected to the Creator.

At the End of Days, we have nothing left, but our yearning for the truth.  It is this pure and simple faith in the Almighty and the truth that he is right here with us that will usher in the Messiah and the world we have been striving for. If we achieve this level, there is no other sacrifice we need to bring, except for the words that we are meant to offer to the one true source of all of Creation.

When all is revealed at the end and the Holy Temple is rebuilt, Rebbe Nachman teaches that the only sacrifice we are meant to offer if one of thanks.  The Mincha offering is prepares us for an age of simplicity, humility, and gratefulness.