{"id":75181,"date":"2020-05-25T15:41:20","date_gmt":"2020-05-25T12:41:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=75181"},"modified":"2020-05-25T15:41:20","modified_gmt":"2020-05-25T12:41:20","slug":"water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/water\/","title":{"rendered":"Water"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[],"acf":{"old_id":"75181","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":33877,"related_cahpter":"488","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"The ultimate purification\r\n\r\n","content":"

At the beginning of our chapter, Ezekiel is told by God \u201cto prophecy to the mountains of Israel\u201d. Previously, when Ezekiel was told by God \u201cturn your face toward the mountains of Israel\u201d it was to prophecy the destruction of the Land (6:2 and following). But our chapter continues with God\u2019s blessing of salvation to the Land of Israel and its inhabitants. In contrast to the current scene of \u201cdesolate wastes and deserted cities\u201d (36:4), and despite God\u2019s \u201cblazing wrath\u201d (verse 6), the Lord promises future redemption: \u201cBut you, O mountains of Israel, shall yield your produce and bear your fruit for My people Israel, for their return is near\u2026The towns shall be resettled, and the ruined sites rebuilt\u201d (8-10). Despite the defilement of the Land by both its Israelite inhabitants and their enemies, God will purify the Land and those who will return to dwell in it: \u201cI will bring you back to your own land. And I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be purified. From all your impurities and from all your idols, I will purify you\u201d (verses 24-25).<\/span><\/p>\n

The discussion of Yom Kippur in the Mishnah (Yoma 8:9) concludes with a memorable midrashic tradition: This was expounded by Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah: \u201cFor on this day atonement shall be made for you to purify you of all your sins; you shall be purified before the Lord\u201d (Leviticus 16:30)\u2026Yom HaKippurim itself effects atonement!…Rabbi Akiva said: Happy are you, Israel! Before whom are you purified? And who is it that purifies you? Your Father who is in heaven! As it is said: \u201cAnd I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be purified\u201d (Ezekiel 36:25). And it further says: \u201cThe Lord is the hope (mikveh) of Israel\u2026[The Lord is the Font of Living Waters]\u201d (Jeremiah 17:13). Just as a mikveh purifies the impure, so too the Holy One, blessed be He, purifies Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tanna Debei Eliyahu Rabbah 18:10 states that just as the water in a mikveh purifies Israel, so too words of Torah purify Israel in all their places of habitation. Come and see how great is the power of Torah! Torah can purify the transgressors of Israel when they repent, even with their idols still in their hands, as it says: \u201cAnd I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be purified. From all your impurities and from all your idols, I will purify you\u201d (Ezekiel 36:24-25).<\/span><\/p>\n

Tanhuma Metzora 9 relates that the Holy One, blessed be He, says to Israel: In this World you were purified but then you again became defiled. But in the future, it is I who will purify you forever so that you will never again become defiled, as it says: \u201cAnd I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be purified\u2026\u201d (ibid).<\/span><\/p>\n

Image: Water Drop, by Jos\u00e9 Manuel Su\u00e1rez<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":75182,"id":75182,"title":"ez36-water","filename":"ez36-water.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/ez36-water.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/water\/ez36-water\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"ez36-water","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":75181,"date":"2020-05-25 12:40:58","modified":"2020-05-25 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