The law of cause and effect is well known. Yet there are times when we wonder why things happen the way they do.
The Torah addresses this idea many times when it teaches that if we follow G-d’s commandments, we will be blessed. If we do not, then we should not expect that blessing to come our way.
In this week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim, the Torah makes a bold statement: If we follow G-d’s laws in the Land of Israel, then no woman will experience a stillborn child or even be barren. This is not merely a blessing but a promise.
There is a difference between a blessing and a promise. A promise cannot be broken, while a blessing may ultimately not materialize.
One way to understand this particular promise is by paying close attention to the nuanced wording of the verse. It is only if we keep the laws in the Land of Israel that this promise takes effect. There are two important details that should not be glossed over:
1. This promise applies when all the Jews follow G-d’s laws.
2. It applies specifically in the Land of Israel.
In general, when the Torah tells us that there will be a reward for our behavior, it speaks to us as individuals. Good cause, good effect. However, when it comes to the Land of Israel, the conversation shifts, and new terms apply. We are no longer viewed as individuals but as one nation. When we are united as one, great miracles occur. No woman will be barren, and no infant will die while its mother is alive.
Wow—the power of the sanctity of the Land. Israel is not just a safe place for Jews to live; it is a unifier. It brings all of us together as one people. And when we all follow G-d’s laws, we merit collective results that uplift us all.
Shabbat Shalom