What's a piece of land with a few caravans? To the enemies of Israel, it is a threat. But their evil plans to try to get rid of the Jews will not come to pass. To those who love the Holy Land, on the other hand, every part of ha'aretz (the Land) is something special, unique and to be cherished.
This time, a decision was taken by the government to dismantle a few caravans that had been moved to a purchased site. The number is not the main thing, what counts is the principle; that is, whether or not Jews are allowed to settle their own land.
Whether or not Jews can live and settle their Land.
Why, you will ask, should this right be questioned? Even more so when the terrain was actually paid for? Do not ask such silly questions when you see the Arabs' hands behind a good number of foreign governments, dictating policies of hatred against the Jews from behind their masks. The more pertinent question is why a Jewish minister even dreams that he can make and carry through such a decision. Didn't we hear of the concept of Judenrein, getting rid of Jews, from somewhere else? Yes, yes, from elementary history class we learned that the Nazis in Germany actively pursued such a policy.
But let's make it clear that we are not comparing the current government to those very wicked people. Let us remind ourselves that this is our Jewish state, the one we yearned and prayed for three times a day for hundreds and hundreds of years. Surely, it still needs improvement in certain areas, but we are on our way to the Redemption. Thus, it is clear that to dare to propose giving an order to the army to empty even one Jewish house is the wrong thing to do. Let us then criticize, in a democratic way, any attempt to take Jews out of their homes.
Be all this as it may, what are you and I actually able to do? Insofar as one is relatively close by, try to come to any place that is threatened with evacuation. By our presence there, we attempt to nullify any and all bad decrees from Heaven. The way to do this is by public assembly and prayer. The procedure is spelled out in the Talmud treatise on fasting (Taanit). Everyone is to gather, pray and blow the shofar, the ram's horn, at the ceremony's end.
Just last night, this was exactly what was done at Givat Assaf. The crowds came by the hundreds; they arrived from nearby places and from faraway settlements. They cared enough to lose sleep after a regular workday. They chose to be together, "as one man with one heart", Ashkenazim and Sepharadim, side by side. They heard words of courage from their leaders. Some gathered in the synagogue and in houses to learn. Finally, most joined in the communal recitation of Selichot, penitential prayers.
At the very end, the sounds of a few shofarot shook the little hill. They reverberated up to Jerusalem, the city of peace. The army announced then over the radio a few hours of respite. We returned home to freshen up. Tomorrow, we hope to hear good news. The march towards Geula, the Redemption, will go on.
This time, a decision was taken by the government to dismantle a few caravans that had been moved to a purchased site. The number is not the main thing, what counts is the principle; that is, whether or not Jews are allowed to settle their own land.
Whether or not Jews can live and settle their Land.
Why, you will ask, should this right be questioned? Even more so when the terrain was actually paid for? Do not ask such silly questions when you see the Arabs' hands behind a good number of foreign governments, dictating policies of hatred against the Jews from behind their masks. The more pertinent question is why a Jewish minister even dreams that he can make and carry through such a decision. Didn't we hear of the concept of Judenrein, getting rid of Jews, from somewhere else? Yes, yes, from elementary history class we learned that the Nazis in Germany actively pursued such a policy.
But let's make it clear that we are not comparing the current government to those very wicked people. Let us remind ourselves that this is our Jewish state, the one we yearned and prayed for three times a day for hundreds and hundreds of years. Surely, it still needs improvement in certain areas, but we are on our way to the Redemption. Thus, it is clear that to dare to propose giving an order to the army to empty even one Jewish house is the wrong thing to do. Let us then criticize, in a democratic way, any attempt to take Jews out of their homes.
Be all this as it may, what are you and I actually able to do? Insofar as one is relatively close by, try to come to any place that is threatened with evacuation. By our presence there, we attempt to nullify any and all bad decrees from Heaven. The way to do this is by public assembly and prayer. The procedure is spelled out in the Talmud treatise on fasting (Taanit). Everyone is to gather, pray and blow the shofar, the ram's horn, at the ceremony's end.
Just last night, this was exactly what was done at Givat Assaf. The crowds came by the hundreds; they arrived from nearby places and from faraway settlements. They cared enough to lose sleep after a regular workday. They chose to be together, "as one man with one heart", Ashkenazim and Sepharadim, side by side. They heard words of courage from their leaders. Some gathered in the synagogue and in houses to learn. Finally, most joined in the communal recitation of Selichot, penitential prayers.
At the very end, the sounds of a few shofarot shook the little hill. They reverberated up to Jerusalem, the city of peace. The army announced then over the radio a few hours of respite. We returned home to freshen up. Tomorrow, we hope to hear good news. The march towards Geula, the Redemption, will go on.