In Parshat Ekev, Devarim 9:5-6 we read the following words: “Not because of your righteousness and the uprightness of your heart are you coming to inherit their land. Rather, because of the wickedness of these nations is God expelling them before you, and in order to fulfill the matter that God swore to your forefathers- to Avraham, to Yitzchak and to Yaakov. Know that not because of your righteousness is God giving you this good land to inherit, for you are a stubborn people.”

Chidushei HaRim explains that Moshe wanted to emphasize in these two psukim that the gift of the Land of Israel was not given to B’nai Yisrael because of the good deeds of a specific generation. Rather, it is an eternal gift to the Jewish people, for all generations. Moshe wanted to strengthen the generations that did not have a lot of good deeds to help them understand that even if they haven’t performed a tremendous amount of mitzvot, they still have the power to merit inheriting the Land of Israel.

If all of the Jews in the world waited until they were perfect in their mitzvah observance before making Aliyah (moving to the Land of Israel) then there would be no Jewish people living in Israel at all as only God is perfect.

In fact, you can only observe the majority of the mitzvoth once you move to Israel!

When B’nai Yisrael entered Israel with Joshua they were not perfect as Moshe reminds them. They were a stubborn people that defied God. They worshipped the golden calf and “forgot” that God took them out of Egypt with an outstretched arm.

When the State of Israel was founded, it was mostly the Jews who were not brought up observing the Torah and Mitzvot who built up the Land. The pioneers knew that Israel is the home for all Jews.

I read a disturbing article today by a woman who lives in the United States who said that she will never make Aliyah because she doesn’t like the way that Israel’s politicians are running the country. The author doesn’t seem to understand that Israel is for everyone and she shouldn’t let the politicians ruin it for her. If she moves to Israel, maybe in her own small way she will be able to make an impact and improve society here.

Although B’nai Yisrael were not perfect, they were able to inherit the Land of Israel. We too are entitled to the Land and we should proudly exercise our right to enjoy God’s gift to us.