When the Israelites escaped Egypt, their destination was the Promised Land. Yet, nearing it, they hesitated, fearing the hard work it demanded. Today, we Jews yearn to return home and fix the sin of the spies with our daily prayer:
“Blast the great shofar for our freedom, lift up a banner and gather in our exiles. Gather us from the four corners of the earth. Blessed be You, G-d, who gathers in the dispersed of His nation Israel.
After thousands of years in exile, we long for our homecoming with pride and celebration. In exile, we are a religion, but not the priestly nation we were meant to be. Only in Israel can we fulfill our national destiny. Just as an individual cannot exist without a body, a nation cannot exist without its own land. The Land of Israel is to the collective national soul of the Jewish people as the body is to the soul.
The Dream Early Zionists had different views: some saw the return to Zion as a chance to actualize our national identity; others saw it as an asylum in times of danger. But according to the Torah, Israel is our metaphysical home, not just a refuge or a place for unique culture.
When Britain offered Theodore Herzl land in Uganda as a Jewish homeland, he considered it, but many rejected the proposal, fearing it would become permanent. The Jewish dream and destiny can only be fulfilled in the Land of Israel because it is our true home.
Returning to our land is a celebration of self-actualization for the Jewish people. We pray to return not because other nations dislike us, but because living in Israel benefits the entire world, as the verse states, “From Zion will go out Torah and the word of G-d from Jerusalem.”
BLAST THE GREAT SHOFAR FOR OUR FREEDOM; awaken us to our national identity and purpose. As long as we are in exile, we are a religion, but not the priestly nation we were meant to be. Only in Israel are we free to fulfill our national destiny.
LIFT UP A BANNER AND GATHER IN OUR EXILES; not as fugitives but as proud Jews in joyous celebration; returning to our home to actualize our national dream.
AND GATHER US FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH to become a light unto the nations; a model state inspiring global change.
BLESSED BE YOU, G-D, WHO GATHERS IN THE DISPERSED OF HIS NATION ISRAEL.