Musings #111 Theater of the Absurd

Musings #111
April 13, 2005
4th of Nissan

Theater of the Absurd

I should be cleaning the chametz from my house, instead of trying to clean it out of my brain. The problem is that last night I had the TV on to try to record “Law and Order,” but instead I found myself watching “Popolitica,” a uniquely Israeli “shout” show, in which groups of Israelis sit around a table, armed with microphones into which they declaim their opinions. Periodically the moderator switches topics, and then a different cast of speakers appears in the seats.

Usually my husband acts the gentleman and records my two favorite shows for me; the second being C. S. I., but he wasn’t home, so I was stuck. In the end, due to broadcasting changes because of the death of Ehud Manor, (http://www.hebrewsongs.com/artists-ehudmanor.htm, http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/564039.html), I wasted my time and lost sleep for nothing. And even worse, another musing began fermenting in my mind—chametz!

Ionesco could have written this one in two acts. The first one starred a politician named after his grandfather, who was Chief Rabbi of Israel. This man, in his nasal voice, fantacized about which type of cookies left by the fireplace would bring better presents from Santa Claus. At least that’s how realistic he seemed to me. His theory is that there is about to be a major change in the Arab world, and they will become rational, peace loving, like Europeans if we amputate YESHA. That’s the gist of it.

Sitting next to him was Effi Eitam, who lives in Gush Katif http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3060478,00.html, and tried to describe how the Arabs are shooting missiles and bombs at innocent civilians, including children waiting for school buses, but he was told to keep quiet by the others. Those were not the images the other participants wanted publicized. They did their best to shut him up and ignored what he said. Young Mr. MK Herzog made it very clear that he wasn’t going to let some measly bombardments get in the way of his theories. Truth is how you wish or imagine it, not what really happens. That’s faith, no?

Hard to believe, but the next act surpassed the first. It was a truly absurd, perverse, display of misplaced sympathy. Such strong emotion over alleged cruelty. You had to witness it to believe it. I hope you’re trying to guess; one hint, it wasn’t about the dead whale (http://news.haaretz.co.il/hasen/spages/563712.html) that had the news staff in full mourning the evening before.

There was outrage over the cruelty to poultry and calves, raised to feed the masses of inhuman humans. I must admit that the first example, of the high cholesterol goose livers had some justification, but mostly because, as delicious as the delicacy may allegedly be, the process is unhealthy both for the goose and the human who eats them. It wasn’t much of a debate, since the sole representative of the “chicken breeders” wasn’t given a fair hearing. He tried to explain how they do their scientific best to raise healthy economical chickens, affordable by all, but he was treated like somebody defending rape as a desirable social skill.

I wish the animal defenders and the media would show the same enthusiastic sympathy to their fellow Jews. In comparison they discuss the forced transfer of thousands of innocent Jews from their homes with less feeling then they would express while putting their socks away. They show more concern over the possible destruction of the environment by the building of new communities and neighborhoods. http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=79839

The Passover Hagaddah is written to help us feel as if we, too, suffered in Egypt and exited with Moshe Rabenu. It is time to bring back the slogan “YESHA zeh kahn,” “YESHA is Here!”

There’s no difference between Tel Aviv and Tel Zion, Haifa and Hebron, Ofakim and Ofra, Rechovot and Revava or Savyon and Susiya. It’s only when every Jew understands this fully, with all their soul and with all their might, will we merit “Geulah shleimah, the full Redemption,” G-d willing, soon.

Chag Kasher V’Sameach,

Batya Medad, Shiloh
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