Will You destroy Gush Katif if there are 10 righteous? Or maybe even upping the stakes - to 8,000?
Probably most of us sense that Israel has approached its gravest crisis in 56 years - even more serious than the Yom Kippur war. For those nearest the epicenter of this cauldron of catastrophe, it is by now more than obvious that marches, petitions, faxes, emails, human chains or even second-guessing the septuagenarian insights of aging politicians (while pillorying all the rest) has been less than successful. Nothing seems to work.
I discovered long ago that Divine Wisdom holds a definitive edge over all that opposes it. From deficient human judgment to the imprecise adversaries of darkness, it is much of a waste of time trying to argue with irresistible forces or immovable objects.
Thus, it's time for Plan B. Or should Plan B have been Plan A in the first place?
Not wanting to offend the otherwise noble citizens who have long jettisoned their ancient foundations of Holy Writ to the dustbins of history, we may recall a haunting precedent of Persian roots in the ancient tale of Queen Esther. As is written in the book of Esther: "And who knows, perhaps you have attained to royal position for just such a time as this."
Since none of the more modern gimmicks seem to work, what's wrong with trying to resuscitate a bit more of the good Queen's time-tested techniques - prayer and fasting? Superficially, even Purim, unfortunately, may have forfeited a shade of its practicality by traditionally focusing on some indistinct essence of Haman, rather than on pursuing the Power that really does the trick.
The esteemed patriarch Avraham also set a precedent by doing a bit of bargaining with the Most High. And even though he didn't manage to save Sodom, he did come up with a safe number for a minyan that is still valid as we speak. There is no question but that Gush Katif couldn't up the ante to quite a few more than 10 souls - say, like all 8,000 local residents.
And then, if 8,000 more minyans from Judea, Samaria and throughout the rest of praying Israel joined in a fast - let's say tomorrow or even beyond, if necessary - don't tell me it wouldn't catch the attention of the King of the Universe. The effort would not only shake Heaven, but could even pulsate through a bit of disputed real estate, as well.
But there are even minions more of us who have deep sensitivity to the Divine destiny of Israel. In 1990, we founded the South Pacific Island Ministries. Throughout that decade, I visited the churches, as well as the governments, of most of the Pacific Island nations, and by 1997 a garden began to grow. Micronesia was the first to stand against the Israel-bashing in the United Nations General Assembly. Lesser-known Marshall Islands joined her sister-nation some six months later; and the Republic of Palau joined the queue a few years thereafter. In the recent censure of Israel's security fence, not only did these faithful three stand with Israel against an unjust tidal wave of condemnation, but an additional five of our Pacific friends, in refusing to denounce Israel, abstained.
So, if the Joshuas and Calevs throughout the land really got serious again (Calev was also reckoned as the son of a Kenizite, remember?), we could more than take hold of Heaven's ear by including ardent Zionist-Calevs from as far away as the South Pacific - plus a few million more of the righteous in between.
Quite like worn-out Elijah's discovery after his 40-day sprint to escape Jezebel's reach, Israel, you must realize that you too are not alone.
Organized or in far reaching isolation, it's worth a try. Nothing else is moving. Instead of spinning our wheels by knee-jerk reactions to ambiguous Haman-like shadows, what say we fast and pray this week?
Probably most of us sense that Israel has approached its gravest crisis in 56 years - even more serious than the Yom Kippur war. For those nearest the epicenter of this cauldron of catastrophe, it is by now more than obvious that marches, petitions, faxes, emails, human chains or even second-guessing the septuagenarian insights of aging politicians (while pillorying all the rest) has been less than successful. Nothing seems to work.
I discovered long ago that Divine Wisdom holds a definitive edge over all that opposes it. From deficient human judgment to the imprecise adversaries of darkness, it is much of a waste of time trying to argue with irresistible forces or immovable objects.
Thus, it's time for Plan B. Or should Plan B have been Plan A in the first place?
Not wanting to offend the otherwise noble citizens who have long jettisoned their ancient foundations of Holy Writ to the dustbins of history, we may recall a haunting precedent of Persian roots in the ancient tale of Queen Esther. As is written in the book of Esther: "And who knows, perhaps you have attained to royal position for just such a time as this."
Since none of the more modern gimmicks seem to work, what's wrong with trying to resuscitate a bit more of the good Queen's time-tested techniques - prayer and fasting? Superficially, even Purim, unfortunately, may have forfeited a shade of its practicality by traditionally focusing on some indistinct essence of Haman, rather than on pursuing the Power that really does the trick.
The esteemed patriarch Avraham also set a precedent by doing a bit of bargaining with the Most High. And even though he didn't manage to save Sodom, he did come up with a safe number for a minyan that is still valid as we speak. There is no question but that Gush Katif couldn't up the ante to quite a few more than 10 souls - say, like all 8,000 local residents.
And then, if 8,000 more minyans from Judea, Samaria and throughout the rest of praying Israel joined in a fast - let's say tomorrow or even beyond, if necessary - don't tell me it wouldn't catch the attention of the King of the Universe. The effort would not only shake Heaven, but could even pulsate through a bit of disputed real estate, as well.
But there are even minions more of us who have deep sensitivity to the Divine destiny of Israel. In 1990, we founded the South Pacific Island Ministries. Throughout that decade, I visited the churches, as well as the governments, of most of the Pacific Island nations, and by 1997 a garden began to grow. Micronesia was the first to stand against the Israel-bashing in the United Nations General Assembly. Lesser-known Marshall Islands joined her sister-nation some six months later; and the Republic of Palau joined the queue a few years thereafter. In the recent censure of Israel's security fence, not only did these faithful three stand with Israel against an unjust tidal wave of condemnation, but an additional five of our Pacific friends, in refusing to denounce Israel, abstained.
So, if the Joshuas and Calevs throughout the land really got serious again (Calev was also reckoned as the son of a Kenizite, remember?), we could more than take hold of Heaven's ear by including ardent Zionist-Calevs from as far away as the South Pacific - plus a few million more of the righteous in between.
Quite like worn-out Elijah's discovery after his 40-day sprint to escape Jezebel's reach, Israel, you must realize that you too are not alone.
Organized or in far reaching isolation, it's worth a try. Nothing else is moving. Instead of spinning our wheels by knee-jerk reactions to ambiguous Haman-like shadows, what say we fast and pray this week?