THE BLESSINGS OF ISRAEL
This Shabbat we read the Torah portion about Abraham and the Promised Land. (Genesis 12:1-3)
וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה׃
וַאֲבָֽרְכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃
1. And God said to Avram, Go for your own sake from your land, your birthplace and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
2. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great and you shall be a blessing.
3. And I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you, and all the families of the earth will be blessed through (because of) you.
When the Torah uses the term “blessing” it usually refers to material blessings; – food, wealth, physical health and peace.
So when it says, “those who bless you, I will bless” it means those who provide material support to the Nation of Israel (the great Nation God promises to make from Avram) will be blessed themselves with material blessings of wealth, health and peace. These blessings can be achieved by an individual in his or her own life when they choose to “bless Israel” as an individual.
The Radak explains what is added by “and all the families of the earth will be blessed because of you.”
When the Nation of Israel is exiled and it is forced to dwell among the “families of the earth,” and they provide a safe haven for us and support the Nation of Israel, then those “families” (non-Jewish nations” will be blessed with material blessings of wealth and security.
Did you notice that when Spain was good to the Jews, it experienced a Golden Age, and when Ferdinand and Isabella expelled the Jews it was the beginning of the ruin of Spain?
Did you notice when the USA provided a safe haven for the Jews beginning in the 20th Century that America became a superpower? By the way, when the USA recognized Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel and moved the Embassy, broke the agreement with Iran which is the arch-enemy of Israel, the result was America achieving the greatest economy in world history?
It is spiritual physics that has proven itself throughout history. Whenever Nations turned on the Nation of Israel or exiled Jews from their lands, it led to their ultimate demise… including Greece, Rome, Spain, Portugal, England and Germany.
Pray that your countries support your local Jewish communities and the State of Israel.
And as individuals, we welcome your material blessings and support… may they be returned to you ten-fold!