Some post-Rosh HaShanna thoughts: I had a dream
Shavua tov v'Shanna tova, a good week and a good year to all of you.In recent months, I have been pre-posting for Saturday night before the Sabbath starts. This makes me more relaxed when the Sabbath ends and gives me a bit more time to get my act together. That didn't happen this week, partly because of the three-day holiday (this is the only way we can have a three-day holiday in Israel - it will happen two more times in the next three weeks outside Israel). Since it has been three days, before I start looking around for things to post, I want to share with you some thoughts I had over the holiday. Yes, there's a reason for that picture.
This morning, when I took my Sabbath morning nap (yes, really, I take one every week - because my sons and I pray at sunrise, we are finished quite early) I had a dream. In my dream, someone came running into the house to tell me that there was a picture of Ahmadinejad outside. I ran outside and on the horizon there was a huge picture of Ahmadinejad. A second picture started to unfurl as I took out my camera to take a picture for all of you and I started to feel a hot powder spraying from the second picture. I ran back into the house and I woke up from the dream. I have no idea what the powder was.
I tell you this story because it fit in with something I was thinking about during the second day services on the holiday. I believe that I have said many times on this blog (and if I haven't, now I have) that I don't buy the story that it is impossible to destroy the State of Israel. The Talmud in Bava Bathra in the fifth chapter brings a story about people who camped out on an island. Suddenly, the island turns out to be a fish, and it flips over and throws them into the ocean. I believe it is the Hatam Sofer who - nearly 200 years before there was ever a State of Israel - wrote that the story refers to Jews who will resettle in Israel shortly before the Messiah comes. But they won't behave properly, and the land of Israel will throw them out. (I looked for the Hatam Sofer today and did not find it).
If you read through the Medrash (a collection of Rabbinic sayings) of the book of Eichah (Lamentations), you will see that at the time of the destruction of the First Temple, people believed that the Temple could not be destroyed. They were wrong. God has already warned that if we do not behave properly here, he will expel us from this land. And at this point, the destruction of Israel would reverberate throughout the diaspora.
I hope you all prayed for us on Rosh HaShanna. But if you didn't, you have another week to make up for it.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:51 PM
3 Comments:
While I do not deny the truth of these sayings, I think a generation that can look back on compounded horrors (the Holocaust being the worst of them all) could do without this "cheerful" tone. The Hafets Hayyim says God doesn't hold a whip over the Jewish nation ready to strike at every opportunity. All you who emphasize His wrath are making the Hafets Hayyim a liar (chas v'shalom). You could easily bring a Jew to the belief in a God who hates us (perish the thought). From there the road to leaving the religion is exceedingly short.
This is not the first time I've read writings of the same pessimistic tone from you, Carl. Let me tell you I'm just fed up with it, I've had enough of reading such faith-weakening matter. I'm done reading your blog. Shavua Tov and Shanah Tovah.
Carl,
thank you for your thoughts. I did pray for Israel.
Not being an Orthodox, let me give an outside point of view: there's nothing in the scriptures to confirm that Jews cannot be expelled from the land again, and have to fight their way back again, on and on. I don't find it in our holy books that the state of Israel will only be founded once, and from there on it will continually exist. Nor do I find this promise in human history and in the human mindset.
Certainly the danger of destruction is real, and I believe we do need all our intellectual and military strenght to avoid it. I think facing this option and talking about it makes it more likely that we can overcome the difficulties.
Shana tova, and thanks for writing this blog.
Carl, my vivid dream precedes yours by years.
I saw Jews from all over the world coming into the empty houses vacated by retreating Arabs throughout the hills surrounding all of Jerusalem.
The skies were blue, the trees were in full bloom and the songs of birds could be heard throughout the land.
Go back to sleep!
Or perhaps wake up!
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