An Eternal Legacy

The Hebrew word “yerusha” refers to a one-time inheritance or legacy which passes passively from one generation to the next. The Hebrew word “morasha” is a similar term derived from the same root, but it means more than just a one-time inheritance. It also translates into "heirloom.”  Unlike a yerusha, a morasha is an eternal legacy entrusted to each generation to actively preserve, develop, and transmit further.

In the Bible, both the Torah and the Land of Israel were given to the Children of Israel as a morasha, a legacy. When promising Moshe that he will bring the Children of Israel to the Land of Israel, God says: “And I will bring you to the land about which I swore to give it to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and I will give it to you as a morasha. I am Hashem.” (Exodus 6:8).  At the end of the Torah, the Torah is described as a “morasha kehillat Yaakov, the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob” (Deuteronomy 33:4).

In his commentary on Deuteronomy 33:4, Rabbeinu Bachya notes that the unique choice of the word morasha rather than yerusha to describe the inheritance of the Land and the inheritance of our Torah reflects the special nature of each. The Land of Israel is not only a physical inheritance for the Jewish people but rather it is a sacred trust, requiring ongoing commitment, dedication, and responsibility. Similarly, the Torah is not just a heritage intended for individual spiritual growth but rather it is a collective legacy, one which demands that we actively pass it forward. Thus, we must honor the past and the dedication of previous generations to the land and the Torah and we must also invest in the future of the land and the Torah.  We actively transform what we have inherited into a living legacy.

Each of us can also choose to leave more than just a one-time financial inheritance. We can leave a morasha, an eternal legacy. One way we can do so is through writing an ethical will or legacy letter, a practice that has been part of Jewish tradition since Biblical times. It allows us to share our story, our values and the traditions handed down to us, and ensure they are passed forward. By putting these values into words, we create an enduring personal legacy that can be treasured by generations to come.