Jewish People and Teach Freedom to the World

In a world where nations like Venezuela, Iran, Ukraine, Nigeria, Syria, Turkey, China, and Russia each champion their governmental systems as the ultimate model for humanity, one truth stands out—they often overlook the profound lessons from the Bible and the role of Hashem’s people, Israel. These countries, amid their pursuits of power and ideology, ignore the divine narrative that ties the Jewish people inextricably to the Land of Israel. Drawing from Rabbi David Fohrman’s insightful teachings on Shavuot and the Covenant, this blog post explores how the Land of Israel is not just soil but a maternal embrace waiting for all her children. As part of our series, “Hashem Told Us the End from the Beginning,” we’ll see how ancient prophecies reveal modern battles, where enemies of Israel—like the resurrected “five kings” symbolized by Britain, Denmark, France, Canada, and Sweden—rise for a final confrontation. Israel, through its biblical freedoms, offers the world a blueprint for true liberation, free from subjugation to earthly powers.

The Jubilee’s Call: Returning to Where We Belong

At the heart of Rabbi Fohrman’s Shavuot lesson lies the Jubilee (Yovel) year, described in Leviticus 25:10: “You shall return every man to his possession, and you shall return every man to his family.” This isn’t mere legal jargon; it’s a profound restoration. Slaves return to their families, and sold lands revert to the original owners. But why? Fohrman explains that people and land “belong” together in a familial bond that transcends economics.

Imagine the land as a parent—nourishing, sheltering, and protecting. As the Ramban notes, when God created Adam from adamah (earth), He partnered with the land: “I’ll contribute the soul, and you, land, contribute the body.” This makes the land our existential mother, providing home and sustenance. In times of debt, one might sell land to avoid personal slavery, but this act is tragic, like selling a family member. The land, “enslaved” to a stranger, yearns for reunion.

Fohrman draws from John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, where Tom Joad clutches soil and declares, “We were born on it, worked on it, died on it. That’s what makes it ours.” This echoes the biblical view: ownership isn’t paper-deep; it’s life-deep. The Land of Israel, then, isn’t a commodity—it’s family, waiting for her Jewish children to return.

Shmittah and Yovel: Reprieves from Bondage

Every seven years, Shmittah offers a taste of freedom. Fields lie fallow, becoming “no man’s land.” Debts are canceled, providing respite for the landless and indebted. Yet, it’s temporary—true freedom arrives with Yovel every 50 years, proclaiming “liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants” (Leviticus 25:10).

In Yovel, slaves reunite with families, and lands with owners. It’s a “great homecoming,” mirroring Sinai’s revelation. At Sinai, amid thunderous shofar blasts, God declared, “For the earth is Mine” (Exodus 19:5, echoed in Leviticus 25:23). Israel, fresh from Egyptian slavery, experienced no-man’s-land in the desert but found security in God’s embrace—manna from heaven, water from rocks.

Fohrman connects this to Jericho’s conquest: after seven-times-seven circuits, shofar blasts topple walls, reclaiming ancestral land. Yet, Jericho remains off-limits, symbolizing, “The land is Mine.” Humans are mere “sojourners” (gerim v’toshavim), not owners. This teaches the world: true freedom isn’t domination but stewardship under Hashem.

Shavuot: Celebrating Revelation as Homecoming

Shavuot fuses biblical agriculture with rabbinic revelation. Biblically, it’s a harvest festival (Chag HaKatzir), but through Yovel’s lens, it’s a commemoration of Sinai. Count seven weeks after Pesach—echoing seven-times-seven to Yovel—and rejoice in God’s presence.

On Shavuot, bring first fruits (bikkurim) to the Temple, acknowledging the land’s sanctity. Then, feast with family—but expand it: include servants, Levites, strangers, orphans, and widows. Why? They’re landless, yet family under God. Share bounty “as God has blessed you” (Deuteronomy 16:10)—not charity, but equality. This emulates Sinai, where God gathered slaves into His family, feeding them from “heavenly fields.”

For modern Jews, Fohrman suggests: Dedicate talents—art, business—to God. Gift a housekeeper, recognize shared humanity. Shavuot reminds Us That People and land are sacred, not assets. Israel’s model? Freedom through divine connection, not earthly kings.

The Covenant: Chiastic Clues to Eternal Ties

In the Covenant transcript, Fohrman unveils a chiastic structure in Genesis 17—the Brit Milah covenant. This “Atbash” pattern mirrors sections, converging on a center: the covenant’s primacy.

• Outer: Abraham falls on his face (twice).
• Next: Father/mother of nations.
• Name changes: Avram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah.
• Multiplication vs. nullification: Children form nations, but covenant-breakers are cut off.
• Everlasting covenant in flesh.
• Mini-chiasms: God for you/children, land gift; circumcision as a sign.

Centers reveal: Nationhood and land depend on the covenant. Without brit, no people, no land. Joshua circumcises before entering Canaan—land ties to obedience.

This mirrors Yovel: God claims His children (people) and His land. Abraham fought five kings (Genesis 14) for freedom; today, symbolic “five kings” (Britain, Denmark, France, Canada, Sweden) resurrect as foes, pressuring Israel. Yet, prophecy foretells: Enemies gather for the last battle, but Hashem prevails, proving Israel’s God is supreme.

Israel Teaches Freedom: A Message for Nations

Nations crave freedom but chase ideologies, ignoring biblical truths. Israel exemplifies: Not subjugated to five kings, but to Hashem. The Land calls her children home, as a mother awaits. In exile, Jews yearned; today, ingathering fulfills prophecy.

Hashem told the end from the beginning: Sinai’s shofar echoes in Yovel, Shavuot, and Jericho. The world watches—Venezuela’s socialism, Iran’s theocracy, Russia’s authoritarianism—failing without a divine foundation. Israel, tied to land and covenant, demonstrates: True freedom is returning to the source, under God.

As Isaiah prophesies, nations will say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:3). Israel’s bond teaches: Land isn’t conquered; it’s inherited through faithfulness. Our motherland waits, arms open.

Conclusion: The Last Battle and Eternal Homecoming

Next: Deeper into prophecies. Share thoughts below—how does this resonate? For more, explore Aleph Beta’s resources on Rabbi Fohrman.