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Tears of Rebuilding
I
never look forward to the first nine days of the month of Av, which are loaded
with disaster and tragedy. Their melancholic scent lies heavily on my
shoulders. In addition to the destruction of the Temples, that occurred at this
time, other misfortunes sought this inauspicious day, like flies crowding on an
open wound. These calamities include the Spanish expulsion, the breakout of the
First World war, the deportation from the Warsaw Ghetto, and more recently, the
expulsion from Gush Katif. Sometimes, it’s hard to accept that the good G-d,
Who loves us, can allow such suffering to exist. We need to strengthen our
emunah to know that new light will shine forth- precisely according to the
measure of the prior darkness. Just as when maggots from flies feed on dead
tissue, they actually help prevent infection, so too, does the darkness of
destruction become the backdrop for the renewed light of rebuilding. Plants may
lie dormant during the dark winter months without a hint of bloom. Yet, when
Spring kicks in, nature’s renewed, green growth dazzles us with its flourishing
vibrant herbage and colorful flowers. From where would plants get their
powerful, springy growth spurt if not through their latent phase of
hibernation? Pioneering research indicates that when humans cry in response to
stress, it reduces the levels of stress hormones in the body, which in turn
reduces stress. A friend recently told me, that her basement was completely
destroyed by water damage. Yet, due to insurance coverage, they were able to
rebuild it into a comfortable guest suite. A woman may feel awful during
pregnancy, experiencing nausea, vomiting, indigestion, backpain, edema and
more. Yet, the baby she bears will more than compensate her pain. The ninth of
Av alludes to the nine months of pregnancy, and the ninth letter of the Hebrew
alphabet, ט/tet,
resembles an upside-down womb. During pregnancy, the fetus to be birthed into
the world is growing yet concealed. This concealment is essential for its
development. Similarly, the concealment of the Divine presence, during exile
and suffering, is essential for our development (Meir Simchah Panzer).
Rebuilding Gush Katif in the Entire Land of Israel
14
years have passed since the expulsion from Gush Katif – a cluster of 17 Jewish
settlements in the Gaza strip. Yet, I still clearly recall how this area served
as a model of rectification for “senseless hatred.” Torah scholars and farmers
stood united in Gush Katif’s wonderful integration of Torah and the working of
the Land. In Machon HaTorah V’Ha’Aretz the laws dependent on the land
were researched and implemented. The children of both Rachel and Leah were
united in Gush Katif, as farmers and Yeshiva students danced hand in hand. This
endured for 38 years, corresponding to the 38 additional years the Israelites
had to wander in the desert. As we all knew already then, their tragic,
senseless destruction didn’t bring us any closer to peace. On the contrary,
additional violence has resulted from this suicidal reward for terrorism. The
beautiful villages sprouting forth cherry tomatoes, bug-free lettuce and
geraniums were totally demolished and turned into terrorist arsenals which
ravage our entire country. No one can understand why this destruction had to
happen. Perhaps, in the strength and boldness of Aza’s Gush Katif, there was a
premature perfection, a model for which the rest of Israel was not ready.
Yet,
our loss teaches us to desire it so much more. This yearning for such perfected
communities may help us to rebuild the essential qualities of Gush Katif within
the entire land of Israel.
With My Land in Tears
will
you ever have any ears?
We
have been slandered, ostracized and hated.
Are
we pest or vermin that must be evacuated?
Growing
and building with so much love and care;
bulldozed
and brutally demolished so utterly unfair.
With
utmost faith continuing sowing new seed.
Pleading
and crying restraining any violent deed.
Lush
gardens, farms, graves, synagogues and schools,
helplessly
destroyed by those coerced to follow the rules.
Such
a heavy price to pay for the falsest peace;
when
will the ruin and destruction ever cease?
Why
do you close your eyes, deny and refute
that
the terrorists continue to constantly shoot?
As
reward for violence, bloodshed, aggression and terror
they
are given a bone and await to devour its marrow.
How
many Jews in Israel can continue to live,
when
rewarding terrorism is the message we give?
Negotiating
peace under fire is an absurd lie.
Are
we not all one big settlement in their eye?
Their
aim is to cast the entire Zionist Entity into the sea,
and
make Haifa, Safad, Jaffa, and Jerusalem Juden-free.
The
saddest thing piercing my heart is the feeling of betray,
when
a Jew is blinded to hate and expels his brother away.
When
will we learn to build and foster love in our heart,
instead
of tearing down, blaming and ripping apart?
Chana Bracha Siegelbaum
12 Av, 5765
August 16, 2005
Thank you, Rebbetzin, a message that touches the heart and soul.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your article & poem ! Very heart felt !
ReplyDeleteI will never ever forget the expulsion from Gush Katif. Even though I am an American Jew, I felt the pain of what was happening in my kishkas! It was horrific I screamed and cried in front of my television and at times my internet radio, listening to Israel National News. I still have my black t-shirt with orange Hebrew writing that says “We Will not Forgive and We Will not Forget! The memories for me are just as raw as they were 14 years ago.
ReplyDeleteKeren Neshama Burdt