Some three thousand seven hundred years ago, a unique covenant was made on the soil of this land – between the Creator of the world and the first Jew, our forefather Abraham.
In that covenant, which this week's Torah portion tells about, God said to Abraham: "To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates." At this point, the connection between the people of Israel and the Land of Israel was created, a connection that even a two-thousand-year exile could not sever.
The Jewish people's ownership of the Land of Israel is a thousand times stronger than the ownership of any other people over their own land. Other peoples reside in their lands by virtue of some arbitrary agreement, or by virtue of a right purchased by their ancestors.
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These are things that can change, and indeed have changed, just as the peoples themselves have changed.
But the Jewish people's ownership of the Land of Israel draws its strength from the divine promise, and it is eternal and unshakable. God, the Almighty, is the true owner of the entire world, and He gave the Land of Israel to the people of Israel as an eternal inheritance.
Ignore and build
Throughout Jewish history, clinging to the land has involved struggle. The Jewish people were required to have determination, endurance, firm faith, and a great love for the land.
There were always defeatist voices of the weak-hearted, who feared any confrontation or struggle. We already know this from the story of the spies, who claimed "we will not be able to ascend.".
The most outrageous claim is the one that speaks of 'timing.' Those people, who tremble at the sound of a rustling leaf, are ashamed to admit that their soft souls cannot withstand the pressures of the world, and so they hide behind the statement: "It is our right to build, but why now?"'
Would those people please point to some point in time when they think it should have been built. There is no such thing, because there is always pressure or talks or a diplomatic visit or some event. If we had accepted their position, no house would have been built, just because of the 'timing' of course.
But if we still have to choose a time, now is the best time to start a major construction boom. There are currently no negotiations. There is no option for any agreement with the 'authority' that has made an alliance with Hamas. The world is busy with the war on ISIS and other global issues. The haters of Israel are inciting against us anyway. At least we will build and open our country.
We can see with our own eyes that the hypocritical condemnations from the world do not distinguish between isolated settlements and settlement blocs, between Ariel, Efrat and Beitar Illit and Jerusalem. The automatic protests are issued even when not a single stone has actually been laid.
Any move by any planning committee immediately sparks a wave of condemnation. It's time to simply ignore the condemnation and act like a sovereign state.
Actions, not words
Giving in to world pressure has not benefited Israel in any way. Quite the contrary, it has taught the world that we can be pressured even on the most basic things, such as building in Jerusalem as our capital. The one and only way to repel world criticism is to reject it outright and prove with actions – not words and declarations – that we are acting as a sovereign, building and developing the country, and are not willing to accept dictates from anyone.
Now is the time and 'timing' to approve the construction plans that have been waiting for approval for years, and to open with a large construction boom, and beautifully one hour earlier.
