Were You Also Born in Zion? REPOSTING

Ketubot 75A

But (54) of Zion it shall be said: “This man and that (55) was born in her; and the Most High Himself doth establish her (56); R. Meyasha, grandson of R. Joshua b. Levi, explained: Both (57) he who was born therein and he who looks forward to seeing it.(58)

54. The following paragraph, though irrelevant to the subject under discussion, is inserted here because of its author, R. Meyasha, who is also the author of the previous statement.

55. [H], lit., 'man and man'

56. Tehillim 87:5.

57. The inference is derived from the repetition of man (v. supra n.3)

58. Will be acclaimed as a son of Zion

Tehillim 87:5. And to Zion it will be said, "Man after man was born in her," and He will establish it on high.	ה. וּלְצִיּוֹן יֵאָמַר אִישׁ וְאִישׁ יֻלַּד בָּהּ וְהוּא יְכוֹנְנֶהָ עֶלְיוֹן:
6. [When] the Lord counts in the script of the peoples forever, [He will say,] "This one was born there."	ו. יְהֹוָה יִסְפֹּר בִּכְתוֹב עַמִּים זֶה יֻלַּד שָׁם סֶלָה:

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A Right to Repent? - Part 2 Volume 25, No. 50

Our parashah opens: “V’hayah / It will be when you enter the Land that Hashem, your Elokim, is giving you as an inheritance, and you will possess it and dwell in it.” R’ Chaim Palagi z”l (1788-1868; Chief Rabbi of Izmir, Turkey) writes:

Our Sages teach that any verse that begins with the word, “V’hayah,” is an expression of joy. Thus, our verse is teaching that one who makes aliyah to Eretz Yisrael should do so with joy. It is wrong for a person to say, “I have to leave my home for health or financial reasons, so I may as well move to Eretz Yisrael,” R’ Palagi writes. Rather, aliyah should be motivated solely by the joy of living in such a holy place as Eretz Yisrael.

R’ Palagi continues: If, for whatever reason, a person is unable to move to Eretz Yisrael, he still must yearn for the Land, as we read (Tehilim 87:5), “But of Zion it can be said, ‘Man and man who was born there.” Why the redundancy (“man and man”)? The Gemara (Ketubot 75a) explains: “One who was born there and one who yearns to see it [is as if he was born there].” R’ Palagi notes: The gematria of Eretz Yisrael (832) equals the gematria of “tet lev” / “pay attention.” Then, Hashem will view one’s desire to perform this mitzvah as if the person had actually performed the mitzvah. However, if one refrains from moving to Eretz Yisrael simply because he is happy where he is, then he will be punished, concludes R’ Palagi. (Tochachat Chaim: Parashat Chayei Sarah)

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Now that we have absorbed all that is written above. I ask to you, dear reader, can you say that you, too, were also born in Zion? And if not, WHY can’t you say that!

Everyday we daven in our prayers 3 times a day for the galus to end – for the beis hamikdash and for moshiach to be here now. Do we visualize the beis hamikdash when we daven? Do we have Zion in our thoughts 24/7? When we are driving or walking to work or taking our children to school – are we crying out to the Ribbono Shel Olam to help us make a way to go home where we belong? Are you davening by rote or do the petitions of your prayers truly come alive for you? Are you visualizing exactly what you are davening? Are you yearning to go home to ZION?!!

Lump it or like it, as the saying goes in the South, the truth is – if one does not have this constant, non- stop yearning for this last galus to end – for the yearning to go home where we belong – the heart to heart talk to HaShem throughout the day while we are busy with our day to day responsibilities - then the question has been answered: You are not born in Zion. And this is saddens HaShem. So today – this very moment – cry out to the Ribbono Shel Olam to circumcise your heart so that you too can say with a pure heart that you are born in Zion. It only take one more neshama to tip the scale for this galus to end. WILL YOU BE THE ONE TO TIP IT?!?

Sources: http://www.come-and-hear.com/kethuboth/kethuboth_75.html

http://www.torah.org/learning/hamaayan/5771/kisavo.html