At the conclusion to the presentation of the laws pertaining to forbidden relationships in the portion of Acharei Mos, the Torah seemingly utilizes very graphic terms to describe the fate of those who violate these laws.
You shall not defile yourselves by any of these things, for the nations, whom I am, משלח מפניכם — sending away from before you, have defiled themselves with all these things.
And the land became defiled, and I visited its sin upon it, and the land תקיא — "vomited" out its inhabitants.
But as for you, you shall observe My statutes and My ordinances, and you shall not do like any of these abominations neither the native, nor the stranger who sojourns among you.
For the people of the land who preceded you, did all of these abominations, and the land became defiled.
And the land will not vomit you out for having defiled it, as it vomited out the nation that preceded you.
For anyone who commits any of these abominations, the persons doing so shall be cut off from the midst of their people.
And you shall observe My charge, not to commit any of the abominable practices that were done before you, and you shall not become defiled by them. I am the Lord your G-d. (ויקרא יח כב-כט)
In the simple reading of these verses, it might seem that the land cannot tolerate those who engage in immorality and will spew them out instinctively.
Yet, upon a more careful reading of the text, it first depicts G-d stating "I am sending away" the inhabitants in the present tense but then goes on to state how, in the past tense, the land already 'vomited' them out.
Additionally, the Torah apparently conveys how 'the land will not vomit you out for having defiled it, as it vomited out the nation that preceded you', and will deal with us more harshly, by being 'cut off from the midst' of our people, with a spiritual
Truth be told, Rashi in his commentary on this verse directs us to the Targum Unkelos who translates the term תקיא as תרוקן — to empty. Evidently the focus is not on the gross material being disgorged, but more on the land 'emptying' itself from the repulsive item. This word is then related more to the term for the process of נקי — cleansing.
Rav Shlomo Esulin, a great sage from Bnei Brak, who a few years ago passed away in his prime, suggests a marvelous idea.
The very 'soul' of the land must permeate those who inhabit the land. Only those who have space in their hearts and minds to cherish the land will cleave to it.
One who is defiled through his indulgence in immorality is incapable of any sense of belonging, because his 'soul' is expelled from the holiness of this land.
Although they may physically inhabit the land for centuries, but as Rashi eloquently states: [הארץ] מריקה עצמה מהם — [the land] empties itself from them. They are detached from any connection to the land. Their souls cannot tune in to its spiritual calling and thus expunged from any possibility of being inspired by the land.
The Holy Izhbitzer says that a Jewish soul, though, will never be cut off from the magnetic pull of our treasured land. G-d will deal with his resistance in other methods of מדת הדין — measures of judgment, that will lure him back to his senses.
We also read the portion of Kedoshim this week where it repeats the laws of prohibited relationships.
It concludes there as well this sentiment of being spewed from the land.
And you shall observe all My statutes and all My ordinances, and fulfill them, then the Land, to which I am bringing you to dwell therein, will not vomit you out. (שם כ כב)
This verse seems to contradict the intimation of the previous one.
Here the observance of the statutes and ordinances are prerequisites for not being 'vomited' out.
There is one critical difference in these two opposing verses.
The earlier quote speaks of לא תקיא הארץ — the land not expelling, אתכם — you.
This latter one reverses the order. לא תקיא אתכם — you will not be expelled, מהארץ — from the land.
Perhaps I might boldly suggest that this second verse encourages us to adhere to the laws of morality, lest 'You', in your defiled indulgences, will expel the aspiration of ever connecting wholeheartedly to its holiness.
When we lose consciousness of its elevated calling, then we are the ones who vomited it out of our very souls.
The legendary leader of the Old Yishuv, Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, would awaken each morning and look out his window toward the Temple Mount to see if perhaps the Temple was restored the previous night. When he realized it wasn't, he turned to Mount Olives eyeing the cemetery there, reminding himself of the transience of man on earth and the mission to infuse each day with hope. He would then gaze on the Jewish homes surrounding Jerusalem and express, "Thank G-d that we haven't been expunged from our land as it says, 'The land will not disgorge you'!
We too, keep Yerushalayim within our scopes, longing for the return of the Bais HaMikdash.
We never forget those who have sacrificed their lives for this land, inspiring us in their deaths to uphold this dream of Hashem restoring His presence and peace to the land.
We thank Hashem for all the miracles He continues to display, never allowing us to be spewed out.
It is up to us to cleanse our souls so that our longing for our return to the Holy Land will never leave our consciousness, as we await that desired day of return very soon.
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
