October 7th is not the Holocaust not only in terms of the number of victims (by way of illustration, 43,000 Jews were killed on one day, 3 November 1943) but first and foremost, in terms of the national status of the Jewish people.
The Holocaust was the final nail in the coffin of the exile that lasted 2000 years, 2000 years in which the Jewish people were massacred, since they did not have a country, government or the power to defend.
October 7th is undoubtedly one of the darkest days in the history of the Jewish people, but it is on the historical continuum of our return to the land, a return in which there are also falls and disasters. October 7th is a dark window into the days of exil…
The root of the Hebrew word atzmaut, independence, is composed of the letters, ayin, zadi, mem, etzem, core. An etzem is something that stands on its own, a free base without additions (like human bones which are the skeleton of the body). The first verse in the Torah in which the word "etzem" is mentioned is: "and man said, This time a bone from my bones, and flesh from my flesh" (Genesis 2:23). In other words, to be independent is to return to the basics of life; to return to ourselves.
The way to feel independent on Israel's 76th Independence Day is to free ourselves from dependence on all the extras and settings that in normal years gave us a sense of joy and security. It is not just about plastic hammers and entertainment…
At the time of writing these lines, it is still unclear what happened to Raisi and his foreign minister (may we be comforted by the building of Jerusalem etc.); even after their fate will be clarified, it will take a long time before the implications for the State of Israel become clear. As always, the purpose of these posts is not to be a substitute for military or political analyses of current events (for which there are thank God enough writers) but to provide a spiritual perspective on what is happening.
We are now counting the 49 days between Pesach and Shavuot, sefirat haomer. Some kabbalists associate the word "lispor", to count, with the word "sipour", story, based on the verse: "The heavens declare …
In 160 CE, it seemed that the situation of the Jewish people could not be worse: the tyrannical Roman rule; the revolts against them – the largest of which were the Great Revolt (70 CE) and the Bar Kokhba Revolt (132 CE) – ended in resounding failure; and most of the Jewish people were in exile.
At the same time, lived a miraculous figure named Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi), who, unlike other sages who had come to terms in one way or another with the Roman occupation, constantly defied them. Rashbi knew that he could not defeat the Romans at the time, but he shot an arrow far and wide – the day would come when the Romans would become history, and the people of Israel would reb…
It seems that the main feeling that many are feeling now is of treading water: the war is bogged down; the anarchists have returned to the streets; the ICC in The Hague is against Israel; it is unclear where the campaign in the north is going; and summer is bringing in heat waves.
The days of counting the Omer are a period of forty-nine days (which represent the continuous days of routine – seven days of the week multiplied by seven) that ultimately brings us to the goal – the holiday of Shavuot and the giving of the Torah. Counting day after day accustoms us to taking one step forward every day; every day is another renewal. This is the meaning of the vague line in the liturgical poem "Bar Yocha"i – "kav yarok mechadesh chodoshim", a green line of renewal – the Gemara in Tractate Chagiga (12a) describes a "green line that encompasses the world"; the color green represents growth (chlorophyll) and is what surrounds our lives and enables the renewal of the months and times.
Let’s make sure to separate feelings of stagnancy and the facts: whoever is counting the Omer will notice how we are progressing step by step – every day Hamas is being beaten a little more in the south (we in the city of Sderot hear this clearly); with each passing day, the anarchists are making themselves more intolerable to the Israeli mainstream; every day, public opinion in the world and in the United States is moving a little closer towards a comeback of conservatism; with each passing day, the State of Israel is becoming more realistic and preparing a little more for the military, economic and spiritual challenges that lie ahead.
At the end of the day, we will reach the revelation at Mount Sinai, in the meantime, the green line gives strength for renewal.
The evil will pass
The good will prevail
With the help of God
Join me in getting stronger together-