On Sunday, August 14, 2005, Jewish people worldwide will gather and pray for the return of a peaceful Israel. They will remember the Jewish Temple where nations came to pray, paying homage to God. Prayers for the rebuilding of their homeland and their holy Temple will be the message of the day.
The following story is told of the great French leader, Napoleon Bonaparte. Once traveling through a small Jewish town in Europe. He entered a synagogue. Where he saw men and women weeping. They were sitting on the floor on small stools holding candles while reading from books. The synagogue had an elaborate chandelier but only a few candles were lit. If not for the small candle lights the synagogue would have been in complete darkness. It was a gloomy sight to behold.
Napoleon asked why the people were weeping what misfortune had happened here? An enlightened Jewish French officer told him that is was nothing new. Jewish people had a custom to gather once a year on a day called the ninth day of Av., the day that marks the destruction of the Jewish people's Temple.
There they fast, pray, weep and read sad prophetic writings.
Napoleon inquired as to how many years have the Jews been doing this and was told about 2000 years. Upon hearing this Napoleon exclaimed, "A nation that cries and fasts for over 2000 years for their land and Temple will surely be rewarded with a new Temple."
Meanwhile In the state of Israel Jews are being forcefully, resettled. Twenty to forty-five thousand Jewish soldiers are involved with an organized and systematic plan to control the movement of Jewish people. Plans call for the houses of worship and cemeteries to be uprooted and destroyed. All this in the name of peace.
I wonder why can't Jews live where they want to? After their prayers have been answered and it's their state. Haven't we learnt anything about the Holy land? Even the Israeli Finance Minister Bibi Netanyahu resigned over the Gaza withdrawal.
In order to provide the maximum security the government thinks that it will preempt terrorism by closing down the outlying twenty-one settlements from Gaza and the West Bank. This plan is self-defeating, as it will encourage the Arabs to perform more acts of suicide bombings, causing havoc within the state of Israel. Israeli leaders have voiced concern that the removal of the settlements encourages violence and conveys a message of a government in a state of flight thus encouraging more insurgent attacks. Israeli Prime Minister Sharon is adamant about the disengagement and the removal of settlers.
He has a short memory as he was the one who insisted that the settlers build in the Gazaarea and West Bank!
Now he is making a complete turnabout by destroying the outlying settlements. Fencing in Israel has not deterred bombings, if anything it has made the targets easier for the bombers, they know where the victims live. Unfortunately they are now closer to target them. They have the freedom to travel armed and unrestricted, something which was never granted to them before.
How can the Israeli government turn against its citizens, the settlers, and pioneers of Israel by uprooting them and destroying their homes and curtailing their movements?
The religious soldiers are in a quandary. Many have been instructed by religious leaders that it is forbidden for the Israeli government to force them to remove any settlers from biblical Israel. The Gaza Strip and West Bank are considered biblical Israel. This causes direct conflict between religion and state. The Israeli community is now under religious and political siege. I am saddened that all this taking place in the name of peace.
The tendency upon seeing a fire is to grab liquid to extinguish the flames but one must be cautious not to grab a can of liquid kerosene instead of water. The Israeli government should be prudent and not rush to disengagement or ghetto building. They may be pouring kerosene on a smoldering fire. We don't need a new ninth day of Av.