Finally, A Hebron Story In Our Favor

What can I say?  The news that comes out of Hebron rarely deals favorably with the Jews.  Either it's Arab terror, or too robust a reaction to attempts to restrict a Jewish presence in the city or some outsiders butting in.

This is different, though:-

Bodyguards subdued a Palestinian man on Tuesday as he approached Middle East envoy Tony Blair, shouting "You are a terrorist."  The former British prime minister was verbally assailed while visiting an ancient mosque during an official trip to the West Bank city of Hebron.  The protester, carrying a bag, was backed into a corner by guards who tried to shut him up. "He is not welcome in the land of Palestine," the struggling man shouted.

Blair, 56, is envoy for the "Quartet"...He gave a tight-lipped smile and a pacifying wave in the general direction of the shouting man, and afterwards played down the incident as a "protest and that's fair enough", but not one that should be viewed as typical of local feelings....

Well, I am glad Mr. Blair is not upset about protests.  At least that is permitted us.  And I am glad no shoes were thrown at him.

I do hope, however, that the full history of the Cave of the Patriarchs was explained to him, by a Jew.  After all, he should get to know the truth.  That would be fair enough, no?

Tweet Torah

I found out that a Rabbi Ben Greenberg and six others ares publishing a new book, "Twitter Torah", bringing together Judaism and Twitter.

Rabbi Greenberg is a campus rabbi of Harvard University and knows that Twitter represents the wave of the future for communicating.  Each of his 'thoughts' is condensed to  the necessary 140 characters or less as Twitter demands.  These are thought to be, as his PR blurb asserts: "the shortest sermon in the history of western religion".

Gee, has he ever read the epigrams of Rav Menachem Mendel Morgenshtern of Kotzk?

Like: "Where is God to be found? In the place where He is given entry".

Or: "There is nothing so whole as a broken heart."

And what about Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav?

Like: "Lies are usually caused by an undue fear of men."       

Or: "If we do not help a man in trouble, it is as if we caused the trouble."

And: "I conquered my hostility by putting it away until the day I might need it."

Oh, well.

It is Harvard, after all.

Have a Tweet Torah.

Canaanites, Jebusites Welcomed But No Jews

Have you read this news item?

The one about the Arabs beating us to Jerusalem?  Being here before us because they claim (don't laugh!  okay, laugh) to be either Canaanites or Jebusites or whatever?

I dealt with this in another blog of mine.

But the quick point I want to make here, at "From the Hills of Efraim", is did you notice that now the Biblical account is, well, kosher?  They stamp their feet and yell and scream that we have no Divine right to Eretz-Yisrael, that our history of Tabernacle and Temples, kings, priests, prophets and scribes is worthless and they even hook up with antisemties and suggest we are Khazars.  Don't quote Scripture to us, they insist.  It has no relevance.

But when they need the Bible, well, move out of the way, for here come the Canaanites and Jebusites.