In this week's Parsha (in the US) we read Bechukosai, which enumerates the blessings for listening to Hashem's commandments and the punishment that will befall the people if G-d Forbid they do not. One of the punishments stated is that the people will be exiled from the Land of Israel if they do not abide by the laws of Sabbatical year. Our sages explain that the duration of Babylonian exile corresponded to the number of sabbatical years that the Jewish People did not properly guard. During the Sabbatical year it is forbidden to work the Land of Israel and it is left barren. This commandment would ingrain into the Jewish People that the Land which was given to us is in fact the Land of G-d, so to speak a Holy Land which we are given to dwell upon. But if we don't properly observe the sabbatical year it is a lack of recognition that this is really G-d's Land. The natural repercussion of this lack of recognition is to banish the Jewish People by sending them into exile until they repent and understand that it is G-d's Land.

Although not every Jew has merited to live in the Holy Land, we are all given blessings from G-d. It is incumbent upon us to realize that these gifts are in fact from G-d and we are not the "real owners". If a person doesn't realize this and doesn't use these gifts properly then they may G-d Forbid lose these gifts until they properly recognize their source. May we all give thanks and gratitude to the blessings G-d has bestowed upon us and use them properly to fulfill His Will.

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath