Not sure about what to write today, I meandered round my favorite sites. As soon as I hit on this, the topic was chosen for me. Basically, it was a combination of factors which led to a decision. I love Barbra Streisand's voice, so powerful, a true gift from G-d. Additionally, her rendition of Avinu Malkeynu is heard in my home at least once a day, particularly during the season of atonement wherein we ask G-d to spare us, to write us in the Book of Life for next year, a blessed year. For all, not only the individual praying.
One of the first items we request of Above and bless all with that hope, is the idea of peace. To live freely, with no hate, no pogroms, no war. Those wars include battles among families, among friends, and certainly with perceived enemies. We have been instructed to seek peace and pursue it. That injunction has been observed more in the breach by all the nations and people of the world. Far too often we forget that we are meant to share the bounty of earth, to manage it wisely, kindly, and well. To avoid inflicting harm and pain on all living creatures, from small to large, from animals to humans. How often do we disremember that injunction.
So many nations around the world are caught in the ugly throes of forms of civil war. We highlight, perseverate on minor differences, magnifying them into colossal differences; hence, off to war we go. To spill blood, to kill and maim, to destroy. Nothing gained for all that unless we build the peace wisely lest it fail and there we go again, a rather ugly cycle. Not of life, but of death.
Thus, the prayer. Our Father, Our King, with the love of a parent for a child, and the wisdom and concern of a ruler for His subjects, we ask that You help us, all of us. Display compassion for us, for our weak and selfish natures, dispense forgiveness and compassion, rather than punishment as we deserve. For all, not merely ourselves, the individual praying. No differentiation for we all so badly need help in this battered and besieged world. Yes, we have created this mess, allowed free choice in our decisions, have made a jolly mess of it, have we not. Now we need the hand of one wiser, kinder, more powerful to step in and rescue us. Quite frankly, to pull our nuts from the conflagration we ourselves have lit and fed oh so generously. Remember, it is Your world, not ours.
The people of Israel, the Jewish nation, surviving miraculously through the hostile millennia have now slipped once again into a national life-threatening situation in a calamitous deja vu. All via our stubbornness and stupidity. Because we have allowed religion to interfere with civil authority, into politics, a dirty game at best with a negative influence, effect, on the practitioners. They forget their souls, the Neshama, the heart of Judaism, and allow the selfish urges of mind to surface, to triumph -even as the defeat is set in motion.
We fellow Jews outside the ancestral land watch, grieving the damage we inflict on each other. It has reached so high a point of tension, of hate! and we witness Jews fighting Jews, in our home.
WHATTHEHELLARETHEYDOING!!!
Once again, tragically, in a repetition of history, we have forgotten that the Jewish nation is one. No matter country of origin, skin color, physical features, accents, or degrees of observance or style of observance. All as one, as the world sees us. They do not understand why we are fighting, so roiled up that we cannot hear for the noise roaring round in our heads. We are at the very precipice of losing our home, again. Due again to the baseless, dangerous hatred of brother to brother, for nothing. For naught that cannot be resolved by sincere individuals with no axe to grind, with open ears and eyes, open heart and a soul begging for relief. No interest with political power, influence, wealth, only what is best for the people, what we are enjoined to do - to remember -
Hinei mah tov ooh manaim shevet achim gam yachad.
How good and pleasant it is when we sit together as the brothers we are, and share our lives, as we sit together, at the same table.
Israel, as the United States, are in life or death battles. For its very life, its integrity its role in the physical temporal world. We are fighting each other, inciting violence, being intransigent. Yes, I believe there is more good and right on one side than the other, but I do recognize as well that compromises must be found or we are lost in a deep forest of darkness, no way out, no room between trees, the canopy of leaves above blocking all the enlightening rays of the sun.
There is no easy answer, no one specific magic term to solve it all, wipe out all differences, and erase the selfishness embedded deeply in the hearts of mankind. None, but we must do better.
I repeat, as the song states:
Hinei mah tov ooh ma-na-im shevet achim gam yachad.
How good and pleasant it is to sit together as brothers, sharing the table. Communicating rather than combat.
Like a broken record, I repeat, only a powerful, united 'together' group can effect the changes needed.
“Our work is not yet complete,” he said from the stage. “We came to the promised land and now we must make it a land of promise,
TOGETHER. ONLY THAT WAY.
Our promises will come true, as we see with Yitzy, as he gets better and stronger.
Together folks, together. In concerted, united, determined, knowledgeable effort.
Together.
Tomorrow. Today.
And together.
Only and always together.
Together, always together.
United for good.
Together.
Together.
HEAL THE WORLD.
HEAL YITZY!
Yitzchak Elimelech ben Chana Sarah
May he be granted refuah shelaymah bimheyrah beyameinu.
AMEN. AMEN
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