In Tribute to Chalutzim

In Parshat Devarim Moshe recalls the agreement he made with the Tribes of Gad and Reuven. These two tribes wanted to settle on the land west of the Jordan. Moshe agreed, with some conditions. One condition was that a part of the tribe of Menashe must also settle there. This was to ensure that there would be ongoing communication and connection between the tribes on both sides of the Jordan (as I discussed in my Dvar Torah last week). Another condition is expressed in 3:18:

ה אֱ-לֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם נָתַ֨ן לָכֶ֜ם אֶת־הָאָ֤רֶץ הַזֹּאת֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ חֲלוּצִ֣ים תַּֽעַבְר֗וּ לִפְנֵ֛י אֲחֵיכֶ֥ם בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כָּל־בְּנֵי־חָֽיִל

“The Lord, your God, has given you this land to possess it; pass over, armed, before your brothers, the children of Israel, all who are warriors.”

        Moshe is teaching two important lessons in this verse. First, Moshe makes clear that Hashem is the one that has given the land to the Jewish People. This was the Divine plan, already promised to Avraham. Whether the tribes of Gad and Reuven participate in the battles will not determine whether the conquest is successful. Second, Moshe teaches that even though the outcome is ultimately up to God, the tribes are not exempt from putting in the effort and doing their utmost to be successful in battle. Furthermore, it was important for the tribes of Gad and Reuven to show their enthusiasm by leading the charge in these battles. On one level, Moshe is teaching the need to balance Divine assistance with our own efforts, a lesson that is relevant in all areas of life. At the same time this lesson is especially poignant and relevant as it relates to the Jewish presence in the Land of Israel. Our initial, and ongoing, presence in Eretz Yisrael, requires both Divine assistance and self-sufficiency, while never considering this paradox to be a contradiction.

        Moshe refers to those who will engage in battle for the Land of Israel as “Chalutzim”. Here in the pasuk the word is understood to mean “to take up arms”, ie to make the necessary preparations to enter the land. In the 19^th century the term was used to refer to different types of preparations necessary for the return of Jews to Israel. After the Russian pogroms of 1881, a movement arose encouraging young people to move to what was then Palestine to cultivate the land and prepare the way for the less robust populations to make aliyah later on. This movement was called Hechalutz, the pioneer.

        Prof. Nechama Leibowitz explains that a Chalutz is someone who acts out of idealism, and not for personal gain. Moshe calls Bnei Gad and Reuven Chalutzim because they were being called upon to help conquer land east of the Jordan that they would ultimately not settle.

        The modern State of Israel has been developed by multiple waves of pioneers. First Chalutzim drained the swamps. Other Chalutzim made the desert bloom. During my recent trip to Israel we went to Lod and met a number of idealistic Israelis who want to enhance the Jewish presence in the city while improving it for all of its citizens. Even in the aftermath of the recent riots in Lod, these people remain committed to their vision. They too are Chalutzim, engaging in a form of 21^st century pioneering through rehabilitating cities in Israel that have existed for a long time (Lod has been inhabited for over 5,000 years).

        The Nine Days leading up to Tisha B’Av is a time to recognize that Israel needs to be rebuilt. Let us take a moment to appreciate the role of the Chalutzim that have idealistically worked to develop Israel in the past and those who continue to do so today.