FAT LADIES

  We all know those fat ladies, the ones who have to sing before whatever it is, is over. While there have been some such characters singing these past few days it must be noted that the chorus is weak and sometimes thready, with no one powerful voice over topping all the others providing a sense of finality and achievement of all goals.

I rejoice with Israel, all Righteous people of the world, at the thought that our hostages will be released. Now it has been postponed till tomorrow.  Once again, as 24 hours went to 72 hours, as those hours have been stretched even further and I wonder and I dread and I fear. Hopefully, tomorrow, 20 live, brutalized, tortured, weakened hostages will be able to recover in the warm arms of the nation and their families. 26 known to be dead as far as information allows, will be identified and buried with honor, their families mourning, but at least there is an element of some closure. Two are in an unknown category, fate at present unknown.

Will they be among the hostages live or dead or will they remain within the hell of Hamas as has the body of Lt. Goldin, finally to be sent home, held as a 'chess piece' by Hamas since 2014.  And within that fact we find the reason for the lack of full and complete course of joyous song and glorification of all we hold hol.

Judaism, including Israel and around the world instructs its people to contribute to the return of all held hostage, brutally, in cold calculation, separated from their people. The cost could be great, and the understanding must be clear. It is a wonderful thing to welcome home those who have been forced to remain apart. However, there is a point where our history and strategic thinking must come into play. That one must concede an inability to fulfill that command, for the cost is too great and the consequences even more deadly than before.

 At that point the choice is clear. The nation of Israel   has an unspoken yet visible stated compact with their citizens. We will not leave you behind. We will come to rescue you and that is where we come upon the crux of the matter. At what point do we say after much deliberation and heartbreak, with tears unstoppable, that the so desired rescue is simply too difficult, too costly to continue to fruition It need not necessarily be a one for one rescue or repatriation but there must be a point of sense in a mostly deformed algebra, where a call must be made. 

Where and when and how or who are the questions, the answers most difficult. Who is strong enough to bear the responsibility for the exchanging of a few Israeli captives for an inordinate, totally unbalanced exchange ratio per each redeemed captive. Each and every returned prisoner is one who has blood dripping in a non-stop stream, so many have they brutally slain. So many more do they plan to slay, from single attacks to ones of mass murder.  As many as they can.  

We will not leave you behind. We will come to rescue you. At what point does an unspoken corollary make its presence known?  At what point is our attempt to fulfill that promise negated, for the cost of rescue is too extravagant in numbers of casualties in the attempt. The promise will be kept, though in terms of vengeance, including wounds beyond count, of deadly consequence to the kidnappers and a continuation of such until hostilities cease, hostages are returned and the perpetrators of this deed are dead or dying or given over to us with a permanent lifetime sentence - and no change ever. Ever. Thus, all kidnappers would only be causing more harm to their own. 

 That is the most difficult proposition. It is an acknowledgement of a reality ugly, horrifying, heartbreaking but nevertheless must be pondered. 1200 initially slaughtered, Israelis, 250 kidnapped, brutalized, murdered in captivity, all awaiting rescue. The efforts are costly in wounded and slain, rises exponentially. Wounds to the souls of our soldiers rises as well. Is there a point of stopping? How are we to recognize that point? Who makes that decision?  Who can bear that burden and convey the decision to the nation, to the families of those deemed to remain in Hell, unless found as part of a fulfillment to avenge their souls, for revenge and destruction paybacks? Who?    

It is a blackmail which indeed blackens the souls of the demanders and those demanded of.  It's totally imbalanced numbers of exchange and demand cannot continue. Shimshon, Samson, knew what he had to do. Those who attempted rebellion and escape from death camps of the Nazis knew their chances of survival were less than nil but no, they had to try, perhaps, to free others, even as they attempted to free their own selves.

 Even as I sit and type this, I cannot agree to this, and its algebra so skewed against us, as it so awfully works as a successful strategy time and again for our enemies, so detrimental to our physical and emotional survival. The joy waiting to burst out in full choreus, for the fat ladies to sing out in strength and happiness, for our people are returning -it cannot be stoppered. Bu have all the fat ladies sung as of yet.

The answer is no. Not there. Still the same delays, time and again. Still the doubts of the same as the history of Hamas and its oversupply of lies eat away at the belief that we will actually be celebrating as a nation of joy enveloping our lost, now found, within our arms of safety and love.

Will Hamas do that which it must, or will they once again behave with cruelty and actions most assuredly not good for them, not logical, yet they almost always do so.

Will we be whole again, at least for a while, or are we to be disappointed again?  

Should we have been hard of heart and refused this exchange, agreed to a treaty whose outlook is draped in uncertainty?  History does not reassure us. Only our own trust and faith that G-d will be with us and help us complete this one act and find following acts to build a peace which will indeed allow all the fat ladies to sing out in full voice and in great celebration.

Until then -

remember our yesterdays of hard times,

the harsh todays that too often followed,

but always the tomorrows awaiting, with faith and hope.

Then we can all sing together.