three questions

We have in our parsha the mitzvah d'oraysa of conquering and settling Eretz Yisrael.  The gemara (Shabbos 108) relates that when Shmuel became aware that a "gavra rabba" was coming from Eretz Yisrael to Bavel he sent Karna to check out whether he was a talmid chacham or not.  The gavra rabba was the great sage Rav.  Karna asked him three questions to test him:

1) How do we know that tefillin must be written only on the hide of a tahor animal?
2) How do we know that only red colored blood (dam nidah) is tamei?
3) How do we know that the mitzvah of milah is to cut the foreskin?  (Maybe the orlah referred to is just metaphorical?)

The gemara quotes derashos that Rav gave to answer all three of the questions.

Why did Karna ask these questions in particular?  Did he just pull three random issues in halacha out of a hat, or was there some deeper meaning to the queries?

Rav Kook explains that Karna was in fact trying to take the measure of Rav's attitude toward Eretz Yisrael.  What was the hashkafa of this person who was making yerida to Bavel?  Each question had a message behind it:

Karna's first question was meant to convey that the letters of tefillin may be holy, but they do not float in a vacuum -- you can't put a davar she'b'kedusha on that which is tamei.  So too, Torah ultimately cannot take root in an environment of tumah.  Ain Torah k'toras Eretz Yisrael.  As great as the yeshivos in Bavel might be, they are not a permanent substitute for our homeland.

The second question was meant to hint to Rav that Eretz Yisrael was acquired through heroic red blood spilled by our people.  That alone makes it worthy of being cherished even were it not for its kedusha.

The third and final question was meant to convey that our love of Eretz Yisrael needs to translate itself into concrete action.  It's not enough to celebrate an "idea" of Israel.  We have to aspire to take on the physical work of building a tangible, real country.

Karna was in effect saying, "Dear Rav, Welcome to Bavel.  But don't forget from where you came, as that is the real home of Am Yisrael."

Everyone these days is getting "woke," but sadly we are the last to wake up.  Eight years of Obama y'mach shemo should have been enough evidence that our idyllic stay here in the US is coming to an end, but we are slow to get the message.  Hashem prodded up a little harder and onto the stage stepped AOC, Rhashida Tlaib, Linda Sarsour, Ilhan Omar.  And still we sleep.  The Jewish News out west reports, "The Aug. 4 primary offers a path to oust the outspoken, pro-BDS congresswoman, but Jews are staying out — or backing her."  What hope is there if you support your own enemies?  And what of our brothers and sisters who think they can engage with BLM advocates though "dialogue" and "education?"  


Hashem gave us such a chessed -- our own country.  Every yeshiva, every day school, should be drumming one message into kids: make aliya, make aliya, make aliya.  Do it while you are young and have few responsibilities.  Take advantage of the opportunity to get out of this galus on your own terms.  Fulfill a mitzvah d'oraysa.  Instead, we continue to sleep, thinking the Five Towns are safe, Teaneck is safe, heilege Lakewood is safe.  Build your beautiful home there, where you are comfortable, drive a big SUV, work in some profession where you can keep your hands clean, and what could be bad?  What indeed?

This is not what Hashem wants from us.  Period.