What was the historic role of the Kohanic family, and what is it today? The answer, I believe, is found in the episode of Pinchas. The essence of the Kohanic personality is to be responsible for the nation, overriding his personal interests.
I believe that it is not a matter for psychologists or psychiatrists why men so steeped in Judaism choose to be alienated from our historic and religious source of Eretz Yisrael. The answer lies in our parasha of Chukat.
As always, I say to my brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisrael: offer thanks to the Creator for giving us a holy soul of Eretz Yisrael and permitting us to see and feel that which others do not.
How history repeats itself!
Many Jews in the galut turn to what is now occurring in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, and soon to spread to Jordan Turkey and Egypt, and conclude that the region is “ochelet yoshveha,” too dangerous to even contemplate aliya to the Holy land.
But what these modern-day miraglim do not want to see is that HaShem is doing battle for the Jewish people as He had done in the time of Yehoshua and Calev.
Indeed Torah study and Eretz Yisrael are the twin pillars which support and sustain the relationship between HaShem and the Jewish nation; however there is a fundamental difference between them. Torah study is available to all, with success dependent upon the quality and quantity of grey matter one is born with, combined with 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. Eretz Yisrael is another story altogether. Residence in Eretz Yisrael is an exquisite, unique mitzva reserved only for those who Hashem desires to host in His land.
Mishlai 22:6 “Educate the young in accordance (in harmony) to his way (disposition, inclination and temperament).”
A child who has aggressive tendencies or shows an aptitude for creativeness, the educator must fashion the methods and goals pursuant to the individual child’s inclination.
