I once had a high school assignment to write the epitaph for my tombstone. A rather macabre English teacher was fed-up with my being the class clown, and so she gave me two minutes to reflect on my behavior and to come up with six words or less before she did me in. So, in ten seconds, I came up with four words and answered in all earnest, ?She made people laugh.?
It grieves me that this funny, optimistic person has spent the last few years trying to make people cry - or more accurately, to move people and to get people to move.
Why is it that somebody who is a painter and visual thinker has felt compelled to struggle in order to articulate my thoughts and ideas into words? The truth is, I usually write these articles with a dictionary and thesaurus on my lap. I guess I put forth the effort because I want people to see the reality behind the awesome events that are occurring before us. It?s not that I can see things that others can?t, it is more like most people have made a conscious choice not to look - and consequently, not to act.
There are those who think that the darkness of the world around us is an indication of G-d?s distancing Himself. I believe, on the other hand, that the very obvious menacing events and devious personalities encircling us are evidence of G-d?s personal involvement and closeness.
This time around, G-d, in His mercy, has taken off the veils so we can see with utter clarity the danger before us. We Jews have encountered many enemies over the centuries, but I?ll go out on a limb and say, never have we been confronted with such blatantly transparent evil. The Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Spanish and Germans hid behind science, art, culture, physical beauty, luxurious lifestyles, highly evolved government and strength. Is it any wonder that we Jews were blind-sided and caught off-guard when destruction came? Even Amalek attacked us from behind.
But, today, there is no doubt. The killers parade their knives, dynamite and guns in full view. They appear in full dress as the ghouls, phantoms and the devils that they are. And yet, we react like zombies, like the walking dead - unable to feel, react or sense the danger.
There is a selection process taking place, there always has been. G-d presents us with a choice that is often obscured, but this time it is ever so clear. ?I have placed life and death... before you. Choose life so that you and your descendants will survive.?
Under the current circumstances, how will we answer to G-d when he asks us Jews that timeless question, ?Where were you??
Will we respond like Adam and say, ?I heard your voice... and I was afraid... so I hid.??
Will we respond like Cain and say, ?Am I my brother¹s keeper??
Will we open our eyes in amazement and, like Yaacov, realize, ?G-d is truly in this place, but I did not know.??
Or, will we sell our birthright like Esau, and respond like the wicked son from the Passover Hagadda?
Which of the following answers will you use?
a) I didn?t hear. I didn?t see. I didn?t care, because I was too busy with other things.
b) Huh, you mean there is something beyond me and that reflection in the mirror?
c) C?mon, G-d, get real. I had more faith in the demographic reality of many billions of Muslims compared to mere millions of Jews than I did in You and Your promises to us. The few against the many is just a story, right?
d) I don?t really get involved in politics, G-d. I was busy doing other mitzvot.
e) That inner voice has nothing to do with You, G-d. I don?t even believe in You. This is just my highly evolved and developed consciousness speaking, so be quiet.
d) I?m really sorry about what?s happening in Israel and the rest of the world, but my home is in America. This really has little to do with me.
When faced with court battles concerning finances, custody or inheritance, many people disrupt their daily routine, take time off from work and risk financial loss, in order to dedicate their resources and energy into fighting for what they know rightfully belongs to them or their children. And yet, when it comes to our most precious possession and eternal inheritance, we?ve turned our back. This is nothing less than a rejection of G-d and all that He has given us. But in His mercy, He?s shown compassion upon a confused generation by clarifying the situation and defining our choices. And yet, many of us still refuse to see.
I bear witness to the fact that there are those Jews who simply don?t give a damn and have chosen virtual reality, Saks Fifth Avenue, the NASDAQ, and nanotechnology over the Land of Israel. We have brought the current situation upon ourselves and I fear that we will have to answer for it.
There is still hope. We can take the gifts that G-d has bestowed upon each and every one of us and use them and dedicate them to effect change. That means whether you?re in a position to speak, write, finance, fight, organize, protest, petition, volunteer, pray or make Aliyah, just do it! You?re under obligation, as there really is no choice.
I like to tease my mother, because, when she was a child, she sang in a concert for Helen Keller. Now everyone knows that Helen Keller was blind and deaf , so how could she possibly appreciate my mother?s beautiful voice? But Helen placed her hand on my mother?s jaw and, at the end of the concert, she said, quite coherently, ?G-d bless you, child.? See, even though she was unable to see or hear, she could still feel and perceive G-d in this world.
It grieves me that this funny, optimistic person has spent the last few years trying to make people cry - or more accurately, to move people and to get people to move.
Why is it that somebody who is a painter and visual thinker has felt compelled to struggle in order to articulate my thoughts and ideas into words? The truth is, I usually write these articles with a dictionary and thesaurus on my lap. I guess I put forth the effort because I want people to see the reality behind the awesome events that are occurring before us. It?s not that I can see things that others can?t, it is more like most people have made a conscious choice not to look - and consequently, not to act.
There are those who think that the darkness of the world around us is an indication of G-d?s distancing Himself. I believe, on the other hand, that the very obvious menacing events and devious personalities encircling us are evidence of G-d?s personal involvement and closeness.
This time around, G-d, in His mercy, has taken off the veils so we can see with utter clarity the danger before us. We Jews have encountered many enemies over the centuries, but I?ll go out on a limb and say, never have we been confronted with such blatantly transparent evil. The Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Spanish and Germans hid behind science, art, culture, physical beauty, luxurious lifestyles, highly evolved government and strength. Is it any wonder that we Jews were blind-sided and caught off-guard when destruction came? Even Amalek attacked us from behind.
But, today, there is no doubt. The killers parade their knives, dynamite and guns in full view. They appear in full dress as the ghouls, phantoms and the devils that they are. And yet, we react like zombies, like the walking dead - unable to feel, react or sense the danger.
There is a selection process taking place, there always has been. G-d presents us with a choice that is often obscured, but this time it is ever so clear. ?I have placed life and death... before you. Choose life so that you and your descendants will survive.?
Under the current circumstances, how will we answer to G-d when he asks us Jews that timeless question, ?Where were you??
Will we respond like Adam and say, ?I heard your voice... and I was afraid... so I hid.??
Will we respond like Cain and say, ?Am I my brother¹s keeper??
Will we open our eyes in amazement and, like Yaacov, realize, ?G-d is truly in this place, but I did not know.??
Or, will we sell our birthright like Esau, and respond like the wicked son from the Passover Hagadda?
Which of the following answers will you use?
a) I didn?t hear. I didn?t see. I didn?t care, because I was too busy with other things.
b) Huh, you mean there is something beyond me and that reflection in the mirror?
c) C?mon, G-d, get real. I had more faith in the demographic reality of many billions of Muslims compared to mere millions of Jews than I did in You and Your promises to us. The few against the many is just a story, right?
d) I don?t really get involved in politics, G-d. I was busy doing other mitzvot.
e) That inner voice has nothing to do with You, G-d. I don?t even believe in You. This is just my highly evolved and developed consciousness speaking, so be quiet.
d) I?m really sorry about what?s happening in Israel and the rest of the world, but my home is in America. This really has little to do with me.
When faced with court battles concerning finances, custody or inheritance, many people disrupt their daily routine, take time off from work and risk financial loss, in order to dedicate their resources and energy into fighting for what they know rightfully belongs to them or their children. And yet, when it comes to our most precious possession and eternal inheritance, we?ve turned our back. This is nothing less than a rejection of G-d and all that He has given us. But in His mercy, He?s shown compassion upon a confused generation by clarifying the situation and defining our choices. And yet, many of us still refuse to see.
I bear witness to the fact that there are those Jews who simply don?t give a damn and have chosen virtual reality, Saks Fifth Avenue, the NASDAQ, and nanotechnology over the Land of Israel. We have brought the current situation upon ourselves and I fear that we will have to answer for it.
There is still hope. We can take the gifts that G-d has bestowed upon each and every one of us and use them and dedicate them to effect change. That means whether you?re in a position to speak, write, finance, fight, organize, protest, petition, volunteer, pray or make Aliyah, just do it! You?re under obligation, as there really is no choice.
I like to tease my mother, because, when she was a child, she sang in a concert for Helen Keller. Now everyone knows that Helen Keller was blind and deaf , so how could she possibly appreciate my mother?s beautiful voice? But Helen placed her hand on my mother?s jaw and, at the end of the concert, she said, quite coherently, ?G-d bless you, child.? See, even though she was unable to see or hear, she could still feel and perceive G-d in this world.