Rebbe Nachman of Breslov warns us that the very essence of Eretz Yisrael is a spiritual concept. The Land of Israel is more than a geographical point on a map. It transcends materialism! The Land of Israel is unique! What is the essence of this spiritual concept? It is in a word: Emunah, active, motivating faith manifested by and through prayer.

When a person prays with accurate knowledge his or her words convey Power. Potentially the Power of Mashiach! This is because there exists within each Jewish neshama a spark, a fragment, of Mashiach! This spark which we all have was one of the first things created by HaShem as Ben Sira and others discuss. But this Holy Spark of anointing is hidden, concealed. Why? Because we, just as assuredly as Adam and Chavah, have chosen to embrace the Yetzer HaRa rather than the Way of the Yetzer HaTov.

When we choose the Path of Negativity over the Way of Light our consciousness' become darken and seeing the Truth becomes every more difficult. As one follows this negative path one is dishonoring the Holy Land of Israel. How so? It is because that Land is the essence of all life, both physically and spiritually. When we abuse Eretz Yisrael we go down into exile! The Scripture is quite clear on this. One can be in the Land of Israel and still be exile! Many are today. How can we be redeemed and restored from this condition of exile? Teshuvah. We must change course or continue in exile until everything we had is lost. We must purify our consciousness through hitbodedut, secluded prayer and meditation on HaShem. When active prayer returns a person naturally embraces ever greater levels of teshuvah. As teshuvah increases so does our connection with the Land and all the majesty it offers.

But you may be thinking, 'I am in the diaspora! I can not even visit the Land today, let alone move there, without violating halacha because of the government's policies' -- If you are unclear on why this is contact me privately after Shabbat (due to the censorship on social media truth sometimes can not be spoken any more). But in any case, the point is true. Observant Jews outside of the Land can not go to our Home Land without violating Torah today. However for most of our history we have been blocked from going the Land for one reason or another, granted not usually because of Jewish politicians like now, but the principle remains. When we are in the exile HaShem is in exile with us! When the Temple is not standing our heart felt prayers replace the required sacrifices and unlike the sacrifices prayer can be offered up from anywhere. When we can not get to the Kotel to pray for whatever reason we look in its direction and in Mind, in our Consciousness, we ARE there. I am standing before the Kotel at this moment! How about you? Stand!

My Dvar Torah for Behar-Bechukotai is based on Likutey Moharan Book 1 Lesson 7. In the three volume translation by Saba Odeser this is in Volume 1, on page 60. Let's turn there now.