June 23, 2025|כ"ז סיון ה' אלפים תשפ"ה Eretz Yisrael is Acquired through Yissurim By Rabbi Jonathan Muskat

It is amazing when you speak with some of our brothers and sisters in Israel. You might think they are panicking, full of fear about where the next Iranian missile will land. Yet, from the overwhelming majority of Israelis that I speak with, there is either a messianic fervor or, at the very least, a sense of living in a time of nissim v’niflaot—absolute miracles. Miracles in what Israel has been able to achieve militarily against the Iranians. Yes, Israel has the best intelligence and maybe the best air force in the world, but so many things can go wrong in an operation that simultaneously aims to decapitate Iranian military leadership and nuclear scientists while destroying Iranian air defenses to enable Israel to strike Iranian targets at will.

It is nothing short of miraculous that the surgical wing of Soroka Hospital in Beersheva was evacuated a day before it was hit. Every loss of life among the 24 casualties from Iranian missiles is tragic. Yet, in the grand scheme, could anyone have imagined, just a few years ago, with thousands of Hezbollah rockets in the north, the Syrian army poised against us, and the looming threat of thousands of Iranian ballistic missiles, that casualties would be so low? Rav Rimon even made a striking observation: Russia, a major supporter of Iran, cannot divert resources to help Iran now because it is entrenched in its own war with Ukraine, now for over three years. Is this the hand of God? I don’t know - but we are witnessing nissim v’niflaot. Yet, as inspiring as the miracles are, there is something even more inspiring.

We cannot ignore the suffering. People are in pain, there are casualties, and there is fear and anxiety. How should we react to this on a spiritual level? A little over two years ago, Hillel and Yaakov Yaniv, two brothers from Har Bracha, were tragically killed in a terrorist attack. When Prime Minister Netanyahu visited their family during shiva, he quoted the Gemara in Masechet Brachot: “Eretz Yisrael nikneit b’yissurim,” the Land of Israel is acquired through suffering, adding, “Ain yissurim gedolim mizeh,” there is no greater suffering than this. The prime minister likely interpreted yissurim as “suffering,” implying that the price of living in Eretz Yisrael is to endure hardship.

But why? Why does God give us such a great gift, Eretz Yisrael, only with strings attached? Why must we endure suffering to receive it? Either give it to us or don’t give it to us. Or maybe give us all of Eretz Yisrael except for Negev if it won’t be with suffering. Why does He give us the great gift of Eretz Yisrael but only if it comes with yissurim, with suffering?

Perhaps we need to rethink what “Eretz Yisrael nikneit b’yissurim” really means. Much discussion surrounds the sin of the spies, where ten were fearful of entering Eretz Yisrael, while Yehoshua and Kalev believed in God’s promise. The Sfat Emet, possibly drawing from the Zohar, suggests that the ten spies preferred life in the desert, where everything was provided for them supernaturally, without effort. They didn’t want to work hard to conquer Eretz Yisrael. Yehoshua and Kalev, however, were willing to be moser nefesh - to sacrifice - for the extraordinary gift of Eretz Yisrael.

This is what “Eretz Yisrael nikneit b’yissurim” truly means: Eretz Yisrael is acquired not simply through suffering but through mesirut nefesh - through sacrifice, pushing ourselves beyond our limits, and choosing commitment over comfort in daily life. Struggling for something makes it more precious and meaningful. Without mesirut nefesh, we would not truly value Eretz Yisrael.

Mesirut nefesh manifests in serving in the IDF, staying in Eretz Yisrael and returning to Eretz Yisrael during wartime. In the aftermath of October 7th, 300,000 Jews did not flee from Israel - they raced to Israel. And now, following these missile attacks, hundreds of thousands of Jews are desperately trying to return to this dangerous country. Mesirut nefesh even manifests itself in patience – having faith in God and our people while waiting anxiously to see if America will join Israel or if Israel will have to act alone against Iran. This is yissurim, this is mesirut nefesh, and the root of mesirut nefesh is love.

After all, the Alshich notes that God told Moshe that the generation of the desert would die out, and only their children would enter the land: “V’yad’u et ha’aretz asher m’astem bah” - “and they will know the land that you despised.” The Alshich explains: God says, כי אתם מאסתם הארץ ואלו הבנים ידעתי כי ידעו ערכה ויאהבוה - “You, this generation, despised the land, but the children will know its value and love it.” The next generation would have the mesirut nefesh to sacrifice for Eretz Yisrael because they will love it, just as Kalev and Yehoshua did. Mesirut nefesh is an expression of love.

So yes, the nissim v’niflaot inspire me. But what truly moves me is the yissurim and mesirut nefesh of our brothers and sisters – their sacrifices for the land and the people they love. Not only do they have faith in God and refuse to flee, but they are also performing extraordinary acts of chesed for those in need, for displaced families, and for those whose loved ones are serving in the IDF. This mesirut nefesh is so inspiring especially because it leads directly to kedusha.

A recording surfaced this week of a drasha that Rav Soloveitchik delivered on Yom Ha’atzmaut 1958, ten years after the founding of the fledgling State of Israel. Rav Soloveitchik addressed the anxiety and apprehension of Israelis in the state’s early years. He said:

“Kedusha has one source - sacrifice. Kedusha and sacrifice are one concept. Whatever is not a sacrifice cannot become sanctified. Kedusha can only be created through suffering, through self-sacrifice, through effort. If one does not exert himself, suffer, wait, yearn, and fight, there is no kedusha.”

This is why the second set of luchot had kedusha. Moshe Rabbeinu waited for forty days for God’s forgiveness, longer than the two weeks that we must wait for Trump to decide whether America will attack Iran. Even though Shlomo Ha’melech built the Beit HaMikdash,  mizmor shir chanukat ha-bayit l’David – the Beit Hamikdash – the bayit, is attributed to David HaMelech. Why? Tehillim perek 132 tells us of the anuto of David Ha-melech, the suffering, the sleepless nights, the yearning of David Ha-melech for the Beit Hamikdash. Moshe Rabbenu sanctified the second set of luchot and David Ha-melech sanctified the Beit Hamikdash. On Yom Haatzmaut 1958, Rav Soloveitchik stated:

“This is what we are experiencing. It is a sign that the Ribono Shel Olam desires the Land of Israel because if He did not, everything would go smoothly.”

Our uncertainty and concern sanctify Eretz Yisrael. It’s all about the yissurim and mesirut nefesh.

We continue to daven for Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, our chayalim, our hostages, the neshamot of those killed, the wounded, and their families. We are inspired by the nissim v’niflaot, but even more so by the mesirut nefesh of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael. It is this love and sacrifice that attest to the unfolding kedusha of Eretz Yisrael before our very eyes.