By the way, July 20 is my birthday. This is also the day when the Jewish government of Israel officially begins uprooting Jews from Gaza and elsewhere.
Why? Just for the heck of it, as far as I can figure. Are the leaders of Israel really Jewish? Somewhere in the Talmud it says that if a person, claiming to be Jewish, behaves a certain way, we must doubt his pedigree. I am, therefore, doubting. (Can I get arrested for this? Administrative detention, maybe?)
The Talmud - again by the way - was the first blog. Those sages were bloggers. Sparkling wisdom throughout, but sometimes random riffs and asides (like today's Internet blogs), yet it all falls into place, distills, and somehow reaches marvelous coherence and finds the Source from which everything begins and ends. Shlomo was right. There is nothing new under the sun.
July 20 is also the day when the generals tried to assassinate Hitler, and missed. Same day, different year, we landed on the moon.
All that for July 20. What does it all mean? Why ask me? I know nothing. But it is spooky. Perhaps the rabbis can explain.
Do I need this? Another date that will live in infamy - on my birthday? I ask this favor from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon - change the date. Do that for me.
Make it, like, a thousand years from now. Okay? But not July 20, even then. (Can I get arrested for saying this? Who is that knocking at my door?)
Maybe it's about the stars being aligned a certain way, speaking of July 20. Let the astronomers explain. Better not. Abraham was into astronomy before the Almighty told him to forget the stars; Israel (and only Israel) is ruled directly by God. We shall see, I suppose, what happens on my birthday. My bet says that something good will happen. Yes, divine intervention. Ani Ma'amin.
To prove how much I know of nothing, what's this about a friendship between Natan Sharansky and President George W. Bush?
We keep being told that Bush is big on Sharansky. They met and Bush said they are soul-mates, even share the same DNA. The mutual admiration society began when Bush read Sharansky's book (co-written with Ron Dermer), a book called The Case For Democracy: The Power of Freedom To Overcome Tyranny and Terror.
Did something get lost in translation?
Sharansky was invited to the White House and the two became pals, mostly on account of that book and its call for the power of freedom, which is now the Bush doctrine in the Middle East. That sure gives Sharansky much honor and much clout, you would think.
The Sharon doctrine, incidentally, is to arrest the entire Jewish population of Israel, and even to detain American Jews, also Gentiles, who arrive in Israel to dispute the Sharon plan to make the land fertile for terrorism. Even visiting US Congressmen are subject for questioning, if not quite detention. As yet, there are no plans to arrest the entire US Congress if it declares itself against deportation of Jews.
Back to Sharansky. This former refusenik is a genuine hero, regardless. If I have to explain why, it's too late. But he is certainly my hero. So, if he has so much pull with Bush, why is Bush calling for the destruction of Israel? This is not a direct quote.
But I am reading that Bush insists on a "contiguous" Palestinian state, that he wants all of Judea and Samaria cleansed of Jews, so that thousands, even millions, of terrorists can move in and have the power of freedom; yes, freedom to murder Jews and destroy the Jewish state. Again, this is not a direct quote. But it is the gist.
Rid the world of terrorists and move them where? They need a place to go. Move them into Israel, that's where. Some plan this is.
Seems that the president misunderstood Sharansky. Sharansky's "power of freedom" means power to live in freedom, not empowerment to kill in freedom.
I wish Sharansky would hurry up and straighten this out, before it's too late, if he does have all that clout with the president, who seems to have it all backwards.
If anyone is getting the benefit of the Bush doctrine when it comes to Israel, it is not Israel, but the killers of Israel. Please tell him, Mr. Minister.
Sharansky is usually identified as a "minister without portfolio." Did he do something wrong to be without a portfolio? Why do all the other ministers have portfolios and him not? Maybe that's his weakness. I will look this up and get back.
And what does "contiguous" mean? This is not a word we use around the house. I will look this up as well, and get back.
Meanwhile, Abu Mazen, also known as Abu Mazen, is whining (to a beckoning world) that Israel broke the "truce" when it took out one of his terrorists who murdered five Israelis in Tel Aviv several weeks ago. Here is how it was written in the New York Times: "Israel Kills Militant, Raising Questions About Truce".
Let me translate. It's Israel's Fault!
Are Palestinian Arabs ever at fault? Never. Do they ever "raise questions about truce"? Absolutely not.
Another day at the office and business as usual when Palestinian Arabs murder innocent Israeli civilians.
May Israel retaliate to defend itself? Are you kidding? Verboten. Where does this lead?
Here is a terrible question, and God forgive me, but it is the first thought that came to my mind when I heard that Israel has built another Holocaust museum, alongside Yad Vashem. Leaders from around the world, including Kofi Annan, came along to grin, kvell and celebrate the unveiling of this new edifice.
Who is it there for, Prime Minister Sharon, this new gallery of holy remembrance that is gladdening the world? Has it been installed for the Six Million of yesterday, or has it been built for the six million of tomorrow if, God forbid, your plans go through? In other words, are we talking about a new museum for a new Holocaust?
Further, do you and Kofi and all the rest know something we don't know? Why is the world so delighted with this new place?
I hear them chuckling, Mr. Prime Minister.
The timing of all this is just too suspicious.
I expect God to forgive me for such terrible thoughts. But how many months of administrative detention are in store for me?
Why? Just for the heck of it, as far as I can figure. Are the leaders of Israel really Jewish? Somewhere in the Talmud it says that if a person, claiming to be Jewish, behaves a certain way, we must doubt his pedigree. I am, therefore, doubting. (Can I get arrested for this? Administrative detention, maybe?)
The Talmud - again by the way - was the first blog. Those sages were bloggers. Sparkling wisdom throughout, but sometimes random riffs and asides (like today's Internet blogs), yet it all falls into place, distills, and somehow reaches marvelous coherence and finds the Source from which everything begins and ends. Shlomo was right. There is nothing new under the sun.
July 20 is also the day when the generals tried to assassinate Hitler, and missed. Same day, different year, we landed on the moon.
All that for July 20. What does it all mean? Why ask me? I know nothing. But it is spooky. Perhaps the rabbis can explain.
Do I need this? Another date that will live in infamy - on my birthday? I ask this favor from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon - change the date. Do that for me.
Make it, like, a thousand years from now. Okay? But not July 20, even then. (Can I get arrested for saying this? Who is that knocking at my door?)
Maybe it's about the stars being aligned a certain way, speaking of July 20. Let the astronomers explain. Better not. Abraham was into astronomy before the Almighty told him to forget the stars; Israel (and only Israel) is ruled directly by God. We shall see, I suppose, what happens on my birthday. My bet says that something good will happen. Yes, divine intervention. Ani Ma'amin.
To prove how much I know of nothing, what's this about a friendship between Natan Sharansky and President George W. Bush?
We keep being told that Bush is big on Sharansky. They met and Bush said they are soul-mates, even share the same DNA. The mutual admiration society began when Bush read Sharansky's book (co-written with Ron Dermer), a book called The Case For Democracy: The Power of Freedom To Overcome Tyranny and Terror.
Did something get lost in translation?
Sharansky was invited to the White House and the two became pals, mostly on account of that book and its call for the power of freedom, which is now the Bush doctrine in the Middle East. That sure gives Sharansky much honor and much clout, you would think.
The Sharon doctrine, incidentally, is to arrest the entire Jewish population of Israel, and even to detain American Jews, also Gentiles, who arrive in Israel to dispute the Sharon plan to make the land fertile for terrorism. Even visiting US Congressmen are subject for questioning, if not quite detention. As yet, there are no plans to arrest the entire US Congress if it declares itself against deportation of Jews.
Back to Sharansky. This former refusenik is a genuine hero, regardless. If I have to explain why, it's too late. But he is certainly my hero. So, if he has so much pull with Bush, why is Bush calling for the destruction of Israel? This is not a direct quote.
But I am reading that Bush insists on a "contiguous" Palestinian state, that he wants all of Judea and Samaria cleansed of Jews, so that thousands, even millions, of terrorists can move in and have the power of freedom; yes, freedom to murder Jews and destroy the Jewish state. Again, this is not a direct quote. But it is the gist.
Rid the world of terrorists and move them where? They need a place to go. Move them into Israel, that's where. Some plan this is.
Seems that the president misunderstood Sharansky. Sharansky's "power of freedom" means power to live in freedom, not empowerment to kill in freedom.
I wish Sharansky would hurry up and straighten this out, before it's too late, if he does have all that clout with the president, who seems to have it all backwards.
If anyone is getting the benefit of the Bush doctrine when it comes to Israel, it is not Israel, but the killers of Israel. Please tell him, Mr. Minister.
Sharansky is usually identified as a "minister without portfolio." Did he do something wrong to be without a portfolio? Why do all the other ministers have portfolios and him not? Maybe that's his weakness. I will look this up and get back.
And what does "contiguous" mean? This is not a word we use around the house. I will look this up as well, and get back.
Meanwhile, Abu Mazen, also known as Abu Mazen, is whining (to a beckoning world) that Israel broke the "truce" when it took out one of his terrorists who murdered five Israelis in Tel Aviv several weeks ago. Here is how it was written in the New York Times: "Israel Kills Militant, Raising Questions About Truce".
Let me translate. It's Israel's Fault!
Are Palestinian Arabs ever at fault? Never. Do they ever "raise questions about truce"? Absolutely not.
Another day at the office and business as usual when Palestinian Arabs murder innocent Israeli civilians.
May Israel retaliate to defend itself? Are you kidding? Verboten. Where does this lead?
Here is a terrible question, and God forgive me, but it is the first thought that came to my mind when I heard that Israel has built another Holocaust museum, alongside Yad Vashem. Leaders from around the world, including Kofi Annan, came along to grin, kvell and celebrate the unveiling of this new edifice.
Who is it there for, Prime Minister Sharon, this new gallery of holy remembrance that is gladdening the world? Has it been installed for the Six Million of yesterday, or has it been built for the six million of tomorrow if, God forbid, your plans go through? In other words, are we talking about a new museum for a new Holocaust?
Further, do you and Kofi and all the rest know something we don't know? Why is the world so delighted with this new place?
I hear them chuckling, Mr. Prime Minister.
The timing of all this is just too suspicious.
I expect God to forgive me for such terrible thoughts. But how many months of administrative detention are in store for me?