It all started with a dream or two

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Bs"d

It all started with a dream or two

First was Yosef. He had two dreams and shared them with his brothers, which got them very angry, so they sold him as a slave. Later he was thrown into prison, only to wake up one fine morning finding two of King Pharaoh's servants, the butler and baker, agonizing over their dreams of the prior night, so he interprets the dreams to their satisfaction.

Two years later, Pharaoh has his own duo of odd dreams. Thanks to his earlier precise interpretation of the butler's dream, Yosef is brought before Pharaoh to interpret. He does well and is appointed vice president of Egypt and minister of Agriculture.

So with their big connections, his entire family i.e. the Jewish nation, eventually moves to Egypt.  A few years later, these royal guests were transformed into mere slaves, exiled for 210 years! Until the Passover miracles occurred.

In short: Our ancestors' slavery and exiles, including our very own exile these days, have their roots in "dreams".

Dreams, exile. What's the connection?

Dreams are non practical, there is no order to the events occurring, and things don't have to make sense. As the Talmud states, it is possible to dream of an elephant fitting through a needle hole… Dreams don't have to makes sense to be true dreams!

The same is with exile.

One second we find ourselves being tempted by evil and sometimes even falling for the nonsense which is the mundane world and its imaginary pleasures.  

And then we have those lucid moments such as Yom Kippur or everyday during prayer, when we are in a normal state and can think objectively and 'normally', and knock our head in the wall and shout, "Hey! Yoo-hoo! Is everything alright with me? Have I totally lost my mind? What was I thinking when I acted so improper? Am I an animal that can't control its instincts?"

Just like in a dream where opposites seem to match, so too in our day-to-day we can have one second where we can feel high and inspired, and a millisecond later so dull and uninspired. No, this is not schizophrenia… this is a dream. A 2000 year long dream… dreams, exile – same thing.    

Sounds like dreams are all cons, not pros. Eh?

No! Just like in a dream nothing is impossible, so too in our lives, if we put ourselves to a goal, no matter how farfetched or impossible it seems to achieve, we can do it. No need for order, 'oh, I'll learn Torah when I'm religious'… just jump up, even if it doesn't make sense.

So keep on dreaming big! Very soon we will enter the sweetest dream of all: the reality of redemption.

***

One night my brother woke up with a loud "Hello!" to someone in his dream. As the next day came and went, my bro thought the outburst was his alone to remember. But that night, as we were getting ready for bed, I told him dryly, "If you see anyone you know tonight, just wave."

 

Moshiach Now!

Shabbat Shalom & Happy Chanukah!

(Rabbi) Levi Avtzon

 

Hakhel:

 We all share one soul

 

When was the last time you cleaned your Glasses?

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Bs"d

 

When was the last time you cleaned your Glasses?

"Don't even look at me the wrong way, snapped Mr. Cohen to his colleagues and fellow office workers. I didn't get an ounce of sleep in three nights. First my baby, then my wife, now my other kids… I have an entire house of sick people, I can't take it anymore.

Finally I get on the train to come to work thinking I'll get some rest, and there is some Jewish man kvetching nonstop, "OY, am I thirsty", "OY am I thirsty". I asked him to please quiet down, to no avail. He simply would not stop. Hoping to get some much needed rest, I finally got up and brought him a cup of water. "Here, I said, drink this cup and quiet down already, I need to rest".

Lo and behold, he starts again, "Man, was I ever thirsty…"

Oy!"

*

The world is black. Read the news: "this is the worst crisis in recent history", hear the lectures in houses of worship: "the crisis is a sign of G-d", and meet your neighbor: "Oy, did ya hear? David lost a hundred million dollars!" (I wish I had so much money to lose…)

Black, black and black is the only color we seem to be seeing recently.

Hello!

Can anyone tell me of a relative of theirs who has not tasted a morsel of food in days? Are any of us homeless? Compare that to the world of merely a half a century ago.

Is there any Jew on the face of the earth, who cannot practice his Judaism due to religious persecution? Can you find me even one Jew! Tell me, who would have imagined this a mere 20 years ago!

60 years ago, six million Jews perished and the world barely blinked; Three weeks ago six Jews lost their lives, and the entire world wept.  

Chanukah is here. At that time, there was no religious freedom on the face of the earth, so a few men had to stand up and fight for it. Today it's the other way around… with a majority of the world living in a free society, whereas the dictators and enemies of religious freedom are on the run.

Obviously our glasses have become tinted recently…

So here is an idea, friend:

In honor of Chanukah, why not take a resolution to clean your glasses and kvetch a bit less! And instead, thank the Creator for a life which our grandparents couldn't even imagine.

And then ask Him for one last favor, to send us the redemption now.

Moshiach Now!

Happy Chanukah and Shabbat Shalom

(Rabbi) Levi Avtzon

(This article does not attempt in any way to make light of the crisis's and of the tragedies which have befallen us, rather it was intended to give a bit of perspective on the greater picture through the lens of Chanukah and Jewish history. Yes, we must beg for a stop to all pain, but at the same time we cannot afford to think black and negative… it's just not the Jewish way.)

Two Lives - So Similar in Origin, Concluding as Total Opposites

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Bs"d

The other day, I was arguing with my kids (ok, not my kids, but you get the point…) doing my best to convince them that they need to go to school and get an education if they ever hope to lead meaningful lives...

For everything I said, they had an answer, until....

They read this.

An important lesson for every aspiring "human" being.

 

Two Lives - So Similar in Origin, Concluding as Total Opposites

 

Alias Abu Omar was 28 years old. Gavriel Holzberg was 29 years old. Both of them were kids of the eighties, who 'did' their teen years during the nineties and then started their adult lives and dreams in the 21^st century.

One turned out to be a sadistic killer, while one turned out to be a selfless missionary of goodness. One wanted to die and kill in the name of Allah, whereas the other wanted to live and give life to others in the name of G-d.

Now for argument sake let's go back 27 years, when Omar and Gabi were still cute little babies. Gabi I'm sure was a doll, and (forgive me for saying this,) my guess is that Omar was cute baby, and had I been alive then and seen him, I might have even pinched his cheek (had his parents not been around).

[Of course there was something extra special about Gabi thanks to his Yiddishe soul, but we're focusing on the human aspect.] These two babies were both cute little innocent kids, and had they met then they might have even hit it off and become crib buddies.

Now, somewhere in the span of 25 years, these two cutie-pies suddenly found themselves at the two extremes of good and evil. One gave away the luxuries of life to spread a message of goodness, the other committed homicide to spread the message of evil.  

How did this happen? Why? Where did things go wrong? How did such an innocent (yes, innocent) baby become a baby killer?

Ok, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to answer the question.

Education. It's all about the education.

 Hitler educated three million to kill; the Torah educated six million to cry out Shema Yisroel as they were butchered and burned in the gas chambers, and continues to dictate the peaceful and harmonious lives of millions. Healthy societies raise healthy children, while those who grew up in an unhealthy society have a great struggle to overcome the impulse to continue the destructive cycle. Many don't and our prisons are evidence to that.

Traditional Judaism has a single digit percent of intermarriages, whereas secular Judaism is at 50 percent.  Facts cannot be argued with, and the statistics show for themselves: EDUCATION, EDUCATION AND EDUCATION. You educate with morals you get moral people. Educate with hate and you have ten year olds shooting and killing.

It's all about what you teach. Hitler knew it and Bin Laden knows it. Isn't it about time that we got the message? Give your kids (and yourselves) a Jewish, a.k.a. moral, ethical and G-dly education.

Let the disastrous meeting between Gabi and Omar ring in our ears for as long as we live. Unfortunately it is too late for millions in the Arab world who have already been brainwashed and have to be removed, but for the sake of humanity we must do all we can to educate the rest with the message of goodness. We can't afford to have a sixth of the world on a Jihad mission.

Terror is the biggest threat to the world. Education is our only solution.

*

1940. Berlin. A gang of Nazis surround an elderly Jew. "All right Jewboy, who caused the war?"

He might be scared, but he isn't stupid. "The Jews", and after a brief pause, "and the motorcyclists."

They don't get it. "Why the motorcyclists?"

"Why the Jews?"

 

 

Moshiach Now!

Shabbat Shalom

(Rabbi) Levi Avtzon

 

Oops, I forgot that I’m supposed to hate you!

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Bs"d

Oops, I forgot that I'm supposed to hate you!

 

I once asked a wise man for a blessing, he replied, you should be blessed with many problems throughout your life.

Yes, you read it correctly; he blessed/cursed me to have "many problems".

You could imagine the shock on my face upon hearing these 'kind words'. He saw the look on my face and explained:

"Levi, when a great tragedy befalls someone, be it death, sickness or a failed relationship, the affected persons' mind is centered on that one painful issue, he/she can think of nothing else but the deep pain and hurt of this one humongous problem.

"When one however has the 'freedom' of thinking about many problems, it is obvious that these issues are trivial and small, which gives him/her the 'liberty' to think about his many 'problems' like 'where did I leave my tooth brush'. Had there been a big issue; all the small ones would disappear."

Since the India incident took center stage, a phenomenon has been taken place. All of a sudden fights lasting decades have been rendered mute, former rivals were seen crying over each other's shoulder, and big organizations who were unable to acknowledge each other's existence, let alone work together, are bonding together to find comfort and do good things for the world.

Hello! One second! Am I not your enemy? Isn't the cold war between us bullet proof? Weren't we on opposite sides of the Berlin wall just one week ago? Didn't I always disown you and everything you do? Where has the hate and 'I can't stand him' gone?

A few Jews were tortured and killed in India and walls of hate are crumbling all around us. The sharp pain in that one horrific incident has put all our 'problems' into perspective. Ah, that's the word: Perspective.

The perspective that if someone chooses to follow a different lifestyle, or interpret things in a way unlike yours and leads his life and teaches others in a way that you think is downright off track, it is ok, or better yet, it's beautiful!

The perspective that even though 'she said this' and 'he did that' and 'he started up the fight!' there is a bigger picture out there.

The perspective on what true pain really means – not just a hurt from a wink taken the wrong way.

The perspective that there are people just like us dedicating their lives for something so much greater than themselves, not looking for billboards and dinner diplomas.

Boom! The light bulb turned on, our vision has cleared and we see that we all truly love each other. A few tears cleared up our eyes and we remember that we are all one family and that our destinies are intertwined in every way.

I can just hope that as time will go by and the light bulb will fade out, that the lessons we learned when the light of truth shined so brightly be not forgotten.

And by the way, I'm sorry for crying over your shoulder, I just missed your warmth and friendship. The stains of my tears will come out in the wash, but at least our friendship in back, intact and stronger than ever.

And in case you have been too busy mourning caught up in yourself, its still not to late to pick up the phone and call your brother, your neighbor or last friend you haven't spoken to in so many years. Honestly speaking, don't sweat the small stuff!  

 

Moshiach Now!

Shabbat Shalom

(Rabbi) Levi Avtzon

 

 

Who Has the Final laugh? A thought on the current crisis in India and on anti-Semitism in general.

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Bs"d

Who Has the Final laugh?

A thought on the current crisis in India and on anti-Semitism in general.   

This Torah thought in dedicated in the merit of the Chabad Shluchim in Mumbai India. As of the present moment we do not know their wellbeing, but we have trust in Hashem that everything will turn out to be ok, Amen.

 

Big bad Og was having a good time teasing the crowd.

Isaac, the miraculous baby born to his parents in their old age after years of infertility, was growing up, and his father decided to throw a party. From far and wide, people came to witness the miracle and pay their respects to a most prestigious leader.

Amongst the guests sat Og, a mighty giant and powerful king – and a vicious anti-Semite who was jealous of all the honor bestowed upon Abraham.

"Ha!" he turned to the crowd and roared, "What are all of you gushing about? If I wish, I can smother this kid with my finger; he's a nothing!"

At that moment, On High, G-d laughed and declared: "We'll see who smothers whom! In a few years, you will fall in the hands of the descendants of this frail child."

And so it was. Hundreds of years later, as the Jews crossed the desert towards the Holy Land, the mighty giant fell into the hands of Moses, grandchild of Isaac.

This tale of old is the story of our history.

"Ha!" cried Pharaoh.

"Ha!" screamed Nebuchadnezzar as he tore down the walls of Jerusalem.

"Ha!" declared Titus, as he put an idol in the Holy Temple.

"Ha!" announced Torquemada, as yet another Morrano was burned at the auto-de-fe.

"Ha!" bellowed Stalin, as another Shul was closed, another Rabbi sent to the firing squad.

"Ha!" yelled Hitler.

"Ha!" jeers Ahmadinejd and the terrorists all over the world.  

"Ha!" called the enemies of Israel for thousands of years.

"Ha!" cries secularism, "you devotees don't stand a chance in a sophisticated materialistic society!"

All along, we have heard the laughs, as the gas was poured into the gas chambers, and as another bus blew up.

But in the Heavens a greater laugh is heard, its echo reverberating throughout the darkness – for only G-d can know and see the truth and future. Ha! Whose name is remembered only through the textbooks, and who has managed to survive all the 'Ha's, and live on forever? WHO? WHO? WHO?

And here on earth laughs the Jew, as he devotedly keeps the tradition alive, never swayed by the jeers and teases. Ha! Just look how society crumbles without religion and morals.

In india, Israel, USA, Europe and all over the world, the Jew cries with a great sense of pride the historically proven phenomenon:

Am Yisroel Chai! HA!

Moshiach Now!

Shabbat Shalom

(Rabbi) Levi Avtzon

 

You gotta just Keep on Drivin’!

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Bs"d

This year is the year of Hakhel – year of unity, so each week we will share a short 'vort' on unity.

"A person may live for seventy or eighty years just to do a favor for another!"

You gotta just Keep on Drivin'!

A great portion of our lives is spent on preparation. We spend two decades in school to prepare for adulthood and a livelihood. Hours are spent on cooking and baking food which will be gobbled up in an instant.

Honestly, doesn't it seem like most of we do is one grand waste of time? A great portion, if not the majority of our time on earth, is 'not real'? Isn't that depressing?

Well without further ado let's switch to Torah mode, and see what G-d has to say about all of this in the Parsha. Here we go: This week we read how Abraham's time in the spotlight was nearing its end, as it was getting ready to move over to the next Patriarch - Issac.

With his 'presidency' is in its twilight, the Torah analyzes his legacy: "And Abraham led a full life, where each day was used out in the service of G-d".

That's a pretty big compliment, to say the least! Listen to this: The Torah testifies that in Abraham's 175 years in this world, he maximized every minute in the service of his Creator! Wow!

Alas it's not only amazing, it's also problematic. We all know that Abraham wasn't born in a "traditional-ultra-orthodox-religious home", just the opposite, and he had to spend many years to search for the truth. Some opinions maintain that he discovered the Almighty at age three; while others claim it was at 48! So how can we say that his days were full, if so much time was spent in 'soul-searching'?

Same question goes for children under Bar/Bat Mitzvah who are not obligated to do the Mitzvos, and fulfill them 'only' for educational purposes. Seemingly they don't have equal 'rights' to adults, (maybe we should open a movement called 'kidsism' – which will fight for the equality of kids! I mean anything goes these days…) It's not fair!

The problem with our 'problem' is that we think that preparation is a means to an end and for itself is worthless. The Torah however says that the journey is an end for itself! Abraham's journey is as vital and important as the rest of his life and therefore also considered 'full days'. And the same philosophy in regards to educating the young – it's an end for a means and an end for an end!

 So don't mope around about how the 'work is endless with no end in sight', for the end is right there. It's in the journey…

Like one 96 year Jew and former Sergeant in the United States military who've I met in Yerushalayim always says: You gotta just keep on drivin'!

***

 Rabbi Rabinovitz answers his phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Rabbi Rabinovitz?"

"It is."

"This is the IRS. Can you help us?"

"I'll try."

"Do you know Sam Cohen?"

"I do."

"Is he a member of your congregation?"

"He is."

"Did he donate $10,000 to the synagogue rebuilding fund last year?"

"He will!"

Moshiach Now!

Shabbat Shalom

(Rabbi) Levi Avtzon

 

Could you Stop Being Mr. Nice Guy for Just a Moment!?

In 2005 I spent a year in Israel studying in the holy city of Jerusalem. As anyone who's ever been in Jerusalem knows firsthand, it is a wonderful experience. Be it the unique 'Yerushalmi' characters, or the beautiful scenery and mountains, the houses built with "Yerushalmi white stones", or the trillions of synagogues on every corner… and of course the great holiness and spirituality found only in the capitol of our country. It was a memorable year no doubt.

What made it all the more memorable, and not necessarily in a good way, was the disengagement of Gush Katif that took place that August which affected everyone around the country.

Honestly, I didn't decide to dig up old sob stories due to lack of current sob stories… rather it was that particular episode and its relevance to our Parshah that caused that painful episode in Jewish history to ring a bell.

Do you remember how all over the world debates were held, 'if and how should we demonstrate'?

"Nah, it's none of my business. I'm not the kinda guy!" cried the 'softy'. "It will damage my projects", said Mr. busy. "It will ruin my image as a peace loving and understanding person", explained Mr. Politician. "Oh, making demonstrations and holding signs are patented by the weirdoes, I will not make a fool of myself", shouted Mr. Proper.

It was at gush Katif more than any event in recent history, where the lives of so many were on the balance, that this 'it's just not my thing' was so painfully visible by so many good people.

You know, many historians as do many of us, judge the Jews who lived in America during the holocaust. 'They should have made more protests! They should've gone on hunger strikes! They should've stopped traffic on the major highways! And I can't put away the thought (forgive me for saying this) that Heaven forbid were history to repeat itself, our reaction wouldn't be any different.

Just a shrug of 'What could I do anyway' and back to business. Maybe even a tear.

Well let me introduce you to one of the 'sweetest guys' in history, our founding Father Abraham. Kabbalah affectionately calls him the 'attribute of kindness', oh such a nice peace loving guy. But…

When G-d decided to destroy Sodom and Amorah, suddenly Mr.-nice-guy-couldn't-hurt-a-fly stood up and started talking tough to his Beloved G-d. "How could you! This is unfair! Yes, they are sinners and horrible people, but for the sake of the few good people…"

And once his demonstration was over, he was back to Mr. Sweetie pie, welcoming guests and doing acts of kindness… and it was no contradiction at all. For he wasn't being kind because he liked to; he was doing the right thing. And when the right thing meant to throw away the kindness, then he did it.

And when G-d told him to slaughter his son, he did it. And this is Mr. Softy!

At this moment in history, we don't need softies; we need visionaries and fighters. No more sweet talk…

Change! Time for Change!

Three Jews were condemned to death by firing squad. They stood against the wall, holding hands and shivering with fear, as they closed their eyes in trepidation, waiting for the end. The countdown began: 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4…

Realizing that their time had come, one Jew opened his mouth and cried out, "Shema Yisroel Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echod!"

His companions opened their eyes in shock and quickly admonished him: "Silence, you fool! You'll get us all into trouble!"

***

Religious pride has always been a rarity.

Yes, pride existed since the dawn of history, but was it used only for self-centered purposes such as wealth and conquest. It was pride that killed Abel. It was pride on which the idea to build the Tower of Babel was formed. And it was pride that caused nations to rise and fall. But pride in beliefs and religion – who ever heard of that?

Such was the way of the world for the first two millennia.

Then Abraham came onto the scene. Born to typical, upper-class, idol-worshiping parents, already as a youngster he broke the rules. All alone, he began questioning the origins of the universe, the secret of creation, and man's purpose in life. Blind faith in rock and stone did not appeal to him as the ideal way to live.

After much searching, he found G-d.

In the sun, moon and mountains, and in the depth of the human psyche; in the happiness of the sunny days, and in the tears of the rainy nights, he found the divine touch.

And once he found that truth, his life and destiny was changed for eternity. The revolution burnt in his bones, and his mission kept his soul aflame. One more touched by the message, one more connected to the divine – that was all he lived for, all that counted.

It wasn't easy; he was betrayed by his father and thrown into a fiery pit, shunned by society and labeled an outcast, yet his conviction did not falter. Against the whole world stood one lonely creature fighting not for personal pride but for a noble cause, not for conquest of land but for conquest of hearts and minds. And he won.

In truth one may call Abraham the first man to walk out of the box; the first human to break from the norm and be "open-minded"; the father of all philosophers.

Well it's almost four millennia later and the children of Abraham are still on it, fighting the forces of evil with forces of good, and dispelling darkness with the brilliant light of our faith and our Torah.

While the Jewish nation as a whole is experiencing a renaissance, as many of us reconnect to our roots, there are still those left untouched by the message, their souls resting on low flames and religious pride is in the dust, stored in the some old dusty album up in the attic.

To them and to all of us, let the story of our grandfather be a shining example of the virtue of pride, the obligation to question and probe for answers. And, most importantly, a reminder and call for our responsibility to share with the world. We must stand up for the right stuff (not only the preservation of endangered species) and fight the war on evil.

Change is what the world wants. Let us give to them.

Legacy/Shmegacy

A lawyer named Strange died, and his friend asked the tombstone maker to inscribe on his tombstone, "Here lies Strange, an honest man, and a lawyer."

The inscriber insisted that such an inscription would be confusing, for every passersby would tend to think that three men were buried under the stone. However he suggested an alternative: He would inscribe, "Here lies a man who was both honest and a lawyer."

That way, whenever anyone walked by the tombstone and read it, they would be certain to remark: "That`s Strange".

***

Ok, we all know that G-d made a flood which only Noah and his family survived. We also know that a few years later the inhabitants of Babel decided to build the "Tower of Babel", a structure that would reach to the sky. Why build such a tower? Two reasons: for security, and to make a "legacy" of themselves.

Sounds nice, doesn't it? Obviously not, just see what G-d's reaction to this tower building was. He turned some of them into apes, mixed up their languages, dispersed them all over the world etc. I guess this wasn't the best of ideas…

What would warrant such a response? What's wrong with wanting to leave a legacy? Don't we all want to be remembered for some great achievement of ours?

Why? I'll tell you why! It is barely a few years after the world was flooded because of corruption and sin. And all these people have to think about is 'how are we going to leave a legacy!' that is all that's on their minds! How many pages of history books will be filled with our story of unprecedented architectural achievement.

Hello! How about creating a moral code? Schools? Houses of worship? Did not the entire globe get punished due to a lack of morals? Hadn't they learnt that in order to keep the world going, there are important changes that must be implemented?

No, they were busy leaving a legacy. Who cares about a legacy! There's a world out there in distress and in dire need of help and hope. Leave your legacy alone and go make a difference. Your legacy can wait, the world cannot.

That is why they were punished by G-d.

Legacy is nice; a bit egoistic, but nice. Especially if it's not an Al Capone style legacy. But in times like this we must put our eulogies, obituaries and grave stones aside, and go change something in this world for the better.

We need Moshiach to come. There is no time for legacy… Let's go!

How Does G-d Bring Out a Point?

Act #1

If G-d decided to make a point in a way that we - humans should understand, how would He do it?

He would write an extra letter in the Bible.

Then twenty Rabbis would debate it, filling up a few 2000 word pages in the Talmud, all the commentaries with the small words would debate what the Talmud meant when he explained what G-d meant.

Then Maimonides would offer his interpretation, some other rabbi would write a book proving him wrong. Then for the next thousand years till this very day, many pulpit rabbis would take the audacity and right to offer their own interpretation/twist on that one seemingly extra letter in the Bible. (Hey, even I try to do it once in a while…)

Point is, that when G-d Wants to get a point across he knows how to, short and sweet.

Act #2

Ask anyone out there, 'what is the Bible?' and he'll tell you that it is the book of laws for the Jewish people. And if he's a bit of a scholar he might add that the word Torah can be translated as lesson and guide, a rule book.

If that's the case, then why is the first quarter of the Torah (the entire book of Genesis and half of Exodus!) telling a story? Creation, flood, patriarchs, Twelve Tribes, Egypt, exodus, Sinai… If G-d wanted us to know our history He should have written a history book, why insert it into the Bible? And in the beginning of the Bible at the top of it!

Says Rashi in his opening commentary on the Bible, that when the nations of the world will question our legitimacy to the land of Israel, we will reply, "The entire earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it and gave it to whomever He deemed proper. When He wished, He gave it to them, and when He wished, He took it away from them and gave it to us."

Act #3

Question: Ok, so G-d wanted to bring out the point that Israel belongs to the Jewish people; but did He need to write the longest speech in history (quarter of the Bible!) to do so? Wouldn't we have gotten the hint if it were to be said in just one letter or a word?

Do you know the answer?

You don't? Then maybe go ask the UN, and they'll explain you why the country with the most condemnations in the world, is a country not found on many maps, a democratic state somewhere in a region of tyrants and terrorists. Ask them why the mere mention of that country makes their blood boil.

Then you can meet the many of the residents of that very tiny country who doubt their very own legitimacy to the country they live in!

And then maybe you'll understand why G-d had to bring out His point by "spending" a quarter of the Bible telling us a story...