Sponsored in Honor of Sharona and Josh Halickman's15th Wedding Anniversary

In Parshat Pinchas we read about a few different personalities who are rewarded for caring about the Land of Israel.

Two of the personalities were Yehoshua Bin Nin and Calev Ben Yefuneh who did not spread gossip about the Land of Israel as the other spies did. In fact, they spoke up to defend the land! Therefore, Yehoshua and Calev were allowed to enter the Land of Israel even though the rest of their generation died off.

A modern day reward that Yehoshua and Calev received was that there are streets in Jerusalem named in their honor. It is a privilege for me to pass both Yehoshua Bin Nun street and Ben Yefuneh streets almost every day in the Katamon and Baka neigh borhoods. Some street names we start to take for granted but for some reason (maybe because their names are so long) every time I hear those names it reminds me of the courage that Yehoshua and Calev had to stand up for the Land of Israel.

Another group of people who stood up for the Land of Israel and were later rewarded were the daughters of Tzelophchad: Machla, Noa, Chogla, Milka and Tirtza who asked God for the right to inherit land (even though they were women) since their father died and they did not have any brothers. God told Moshe that women should be allowed to inherit land if their father dies and they don’t have any brothers. Their reward was that they were able to inherit the land as well as help clarify that women in the future would be able to inherit the land as well.

During these three weeks between the 17^th of Tamuz and the 9^th of Av we are pushed to think more about the Land of Israel as we spiritually mourn for the Beit HaMikdash. During this time we should also physically push ourselves to do more for Israel through giving Tzedaka, planning a trip to Israel, sending a child to study in Israel or speaking out against anti-Semitism.

Through acts of kindness and care for the Land of Israel we can work together to bring the Geula, the Final Redemption.