What are they afraid of?
At the beginning of last week, a group of Land of Israel activists called Revava publicized a call asking thousands of Jews to gather and ascend to the Temple Mount. The date chosen was the first day of the first Biblical month of the Jewish calendar . The idea behind the call was to simply visit and declare allegiance to Judaism's most holy site. Equipped with detailed instructions laid down by the late chief rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Goren, they felt prepared to ascend the Mount without breaking any of the religious and spiritual limitations related to that most holy place.
By Friday morning, the media was filled with dire predictions of the upcoming conflagration. These reports of doom and gloom pushed the police to declare the Temple Mount off-limits to Jews. By the time I arrived at my place in the Jewish quarter of the Old City, the walls of Jerusalem were surrounded by forces aimed to protect the Temple Mount from its own people.
The Western Wall has been revered for generations as the closest spot to the true focus of our prayers and yearnings, the Temple Mount. Under Moslem and Christian rule, Jews were forbidden to walk the hallowed ground on the Mount. They had to be satisfied with the Western Wall, which was also made off-limits to them from time to time. Later in history, the rabbis ruled that since most Jews were not aware of the intricate spiritual preparations necessary to ascend to this holy place, it would be wiser to ban entry as a general rule. The detailed descriptions of their visits, though, given by some of our greatest sages throughout the ages, beckoned to our people to return.
The tears, prayers and rejoicing at the Western Wall imbued that location with holiness and sanctity, but it remained a substitute for G-d's truly anointed location. When G-d wills, the Temple Mount will truly become the location for the prophesied "Prayer House for all Nations". Until that time, Jews have begun visiting the site with the proper rabbinic instructions for the visit. By so doing, they continue to declare that the Jewish people have never abandoned that most important location.
The fear felt on that Sunday was palpable and was part of a general mood in the country. The fear was visible in the eyes of the Arab shopkeepers on David Street. It was evident in the frenetic activity of the security forces. It was shrieking from the headlines. Yet, it was totally absent from the thousands of Jews who came to the Old City for Rosh Hodesh prayers.
Fear, usually, is rooted in lack of faith. Fear becomes even greater as greater uncertainty creeps in. Jews were forbidden to walk into the Western Wall plaza by the police if they were wearing a Gush Katif shirt. Busloads of young people were detained for hours as they made their way to demonstrate against the impending expulsion of Jews. Activists are being brought in for questioning on minor issues. Yet, all this fear seems to be coming from only one direction - the government and its agencies.
On the other hand, around the country there is a sense of renewal and hope.
The festivals mentioned in the Bible are in complete harmony with the land promised in the same Bible. The sky and the weather seem to be completely linked to the Moadim, the appointed times . The air smells of Passover and is scented with the fragrance of renewal. The malls are filled with people buying new clothes to welcome the feast days. The food stores are crowded with Jews of all ages purchasing their matzot and wine. The distinction between religious and secular, Right and Left seems to dissipate in the glare of the sunlight of Passover.
The first Passover meal in Jewish history was a very special meal. Each Jewish family gathered together in Egypt around their family table to celebrate hope and freedom. They sang praises and rejoiced together. Yet, at that Passover meal they were celebrating a redemption that had not yet occurred. They were rejoicing over something that had not yet happened.
It was a meal totally focused on faith and faithfulness.
It is no wonder that G-d Himself brought these people out of Egypt. His people had not lost hope even though their work became harder after Moses first appeared. They continued to believe in the promise, even though there were great numbers of skeptics amongst them.
A people filled with faith in G-d and the truth of His promises could not avoid redemption.
This year, we will gather with our families. We will sing and rejoice over all that was. Yet, we will sing, pray and rejoice for the redemption that is around the spiritual corner. With what we know of the past and what we have seen in the present, we will enter this Passover with great rejoicing and hope for the future.
At the beginning of last week, a group of Land of Israel activists called Revava publicized a call asking thousands of Jews to gather and ascend to the Temple Mount. The date chosen was the first day of the first Biblical month of the Jewish calendar . The idea behind the call was to simply visit and declare allegiance to Judaism's most holy site. Equipped with detailed instructions laid down by the late chief rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Goren, they felt prepared to ascend the Mount without breaking any of the religious and spiritual limitations related to that most holy place.
By Friday morning, the media was filled with dire predictions of the upcoming conflagration. These reports of doom and gloom pushed the police to declare the Temple Mount off-limits to Jews. By the time I arrived at my place in the Jewish quarter of the Old City, the walls of Jerusalem were surrounded by forces aimed to protect the Temple Mount from its own people.
The Western Wall has been revered for generations as the closest spot to the true focus of our prayers and yearnings, the Temple Mount. Under Moslem and Christian rule, Jews were forbidden to walk the hallowed ground on the Mount. They had to be satisfied with the Western Wall, which was also made off-limits to them from time to time. Later in history, the rabbis ruled that since most Jews were not aware of the intricate spiritual preparations necessary to ascend to this holy place, it would be wiser to ban entry as a general rule. The detailed descriptions of their visits, though, given by some of our greatest sages throughout the ages, beckoned to our people to return.
The tears, prayers and rejoicing at the Western Wall imbued that location with holiness and sanctity, but it remained a substitute for G-d's truly anointed location. When G-d wills, the Temple Mount will truly become the location for the prophesied "Prayer House for all Nations". Until that time, Jews have begun visiting the site with the proper rabbinic instructions for the visit. By so doing, they continue to declare that the Jewish people have never abandoned that most important location.
The fear felt on that Sunday was palpable and was part of a general mood in the country. The fear was visible in the eyes of the Arab shopkeepers on David Street. It was evident in the frenetic activity of the security forces. It was shrieking from the headlines. Yet, it was totally absent from the thousands of Jews who came to the Old City for Rosh Hodesh prayers.
Fear, usually, is rooted in lack of faith. Fear becomes even greater as greater uncertainty creeps in. Jews were forbidden to walk into the Western Wall plaza by the police if they were wearing a Gush Katif shirt. Busloads of young people were detained for hours as they made their way to demonstrate against the impending expulsion of Jews. Activists are being brought in for questioning on minor issues. Yet, all this fear seems to be coming from only one direction - the government and its agencies.
On the other hand, around the country there is a sense of renewal and hope.
The festivals mentioned in the Bible are in complete harmony with the land promised in the same Bible. The sky and the weather seem to be completely linked to the Moadim, the appointed times . The air smells of Passover and is scented with the fragrance of renewal. The malls are filled with people buying new clothes to welcome the feast days. The food stores are crowded with Jews of all ages purchasing their matzot and wine. The distinction between religious and secular, Right and Left seems to dissipate in the glare of the sunlight of Passover.
The first Passover meal in Jewish history was a very special meal. Each Jewish family gathered together in Egypt around their family table to celebrate hope and freedom. They sang praises and rejoiced together. Yet, at that Passover meal they were celebrating a redemption that had not yet occurred. They were rejoicing over something that had not yet happened.
It was a meal totally focused on faith and faithfulness.
It is no wonder that G-d Himself brought these people out of Egypt. His people had not lost hope even though their work became harder after Moses first appeared. They continued to believe in the promise, even though there were great numbers of skeptics amongst them.
A people filled with faith in G-d and the truth of His promises could not avoid redemption.
This year, we will gather with our families. We will sing and rejoice over all that was. Yet, we will sing, pray and rejoice for the redemption that is around the spiritual corner. With what we know of the past and what we have seen in the present, we will enter this Passover with great rejoicing and hope for the future.