בס”ד
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
This parsha contains a passage that discusses the period of the Counting of the Omer of which we are now in the midst. The Counting of the Omer ties between the harvest of barley and the harvest of wheat. Just as harvest involves “cutting” the Kabbalists discuss how this period is an auspicious time to “cut” and destroy evil in a gradual process. In this painting we see seven flying candles that may hint to the seven weeks of the Omer. At their top we see greenery which may hint to the harvest, above which is the city of Zion hinting to the Temple, where the offerings of the Omer, made of barley, and the Two Loaves, made of wheat, signifying the two harvests, barley and wheat, respectively. The candles are flying like birds, hinting to the ascent of the spiritual work made during this period. The candle represents light, often associated with spiritual “light.”
Hebron is said to be built “seven years before Zoan of Egypt.” The verb root associated with “Zoan” is also used in context of walking/travelling. Egypt is called “Mitzraim” which may hint to warring against evil called in Hebrew through the same verb root “litzror.” Therefore, this verse may hint to the seven weeks in which we “travel,” i.e enter a gradual process, of “warring” against evil, thereby destroying it. Thus, this verse may hint to the idea that Hebron is key in this warring process, being built “seven years before,” “before” meaning that it is a cause, just like a cause precedes the desired result, that brings victory in this warring process. Indeed, Hebron is a source of courage and devotion to our Holy Land, just as Kaleb drew courage and devotion to the Holy Land from it to confront the scheme of the spies. May we as well draw courage and devotion to the Holy Land from it, thereby defeating our enemies entirely and conquering our whole Holy Land – today!