Very early in Kinot, Shiloh is mentioned. I live in Shiloh, so I take these things more personally. From my house, here in Ancient/Modern Very Holy and Historic Shiloh, we can't see the ruins, the Tel. Actually, we can't see much of a "view," because, Baruch Hashem, there have been houses built all around. Yes, I'd rather see houses, filled with Jews, than gorgeous landscape and historical sites.
In Kinot we read of the "sins of Shiloh." That makes me uncomfortable. Many commentators say that it refers to the sins of the sons of Eli the Preiest, Cohen HaGadol. For that Shiloh was destroyed.
Today my mind is seeing this very differently. Like many Jews all over the world, I'm haunted by the latest, most modern Tisha B'Av disaster. It's a date which turns up like a bad penny as the date of disasters in Jewish History. Disengagement, the unilateral destruction of Jewish communities by the Israeli Government and the forceful exile of innocent Jews from their homes, was scheduled for Tisha B'Av.
With few exceptions, World Jewry, *Jews in Israel and the diaspora, sat passively while Jews were forced from their homes, dead Jewish heroes were exhumed from their graves and lives were destroyed. Yes, "lives were destroyed." Even if they weren't shot and thrown into shallow graves like Babi Yar, life as they knew it was destroyed, and most are living, poverty-stricken, in refugee camps.
Only afterwards did some wake up and quickly geared for a fund-raising campaign to help the "poor refugees."
And now the same mistake is being repeated. They, Israeli rabbis & politicians, foreign Jewish organizations and international politicians and diplomats, keep touting their support for a "united Jerusalem," as if it's a prophylactic treatment to prevent destruction.
Today the sins of Shiloh is something else. It's thinking that Shiloh is expendable. Why do so many Jews (and non-Jews, but they follow Jewish leadership) think that giving our precious Shiloh to the Arabs would protect Jerusalem?
Jerusalem can't stand alone.
Last week when I toured the Shomron, we were shown a map by the Head of the Shomron Regional Council. Compare the relative widths of pre-1967 Israel with Samaria.
It's a miracle that Israel survived those nineteen years without it. Does anyone in their right mind think that Israel would survive with an Arab terrorist state in Judea and Samaria?Shiloh was the first Hebrew Capital after Joshua brought the tribes into the HolyLand. The Tabernacle rested here for 369 years. Thirty years ago, seven young families and a fledgling yeshiva brought Jewish Life back to Shiloh.
- It's a sin to even think of destroying us.
- It's a sin to stay silent when others propose it.
That's my interpretation of these lines in Kinot:
The dread of the sins of Shiloh was swiftly fulfilled
by the conspirators against her.
they jeered, those wild boars of the forest,
"Where are her pious ones?"
They uncovered shameful acts in order to disgrace her.
And Zion spread her hands (in despair.)
May the next 9th of of be a joyous holiday, the Chanukat HaBayit of the Third Holy Temple!!
*Due to some very valid comments I had received about my original wording, I've changed it.
10 comments:
B"H
"poor refugees"
Yes, real tshuvah is admiting they were wrong, changing ones behavior, preventing a sin from occurring again, AND repairing the damage, not just saying "sorry" and throwing money them.
Nice map.
I heard you were in Tapu'ah, and you didn't call.
What did you think of the "museum?"
< eyes rolling >
Yaaqov I should have tried to contact you. Maybe if I had your number with me... but I didn't know we'd be stuck an hour waitng for a replacement vehicle.
I was talking with a friend I hadn't seen for a long time.
Didn't see the museum.
I forgive you.
B"H
9th of Av is not the time to hold grudges.
I'm not following you. I was just being sarcastic.
You didn't have to call me. :-)
We must be hungry.
The OU Tisha B'Av Webcast begins shortly. Speaking of the OU, they should be doing teshuva by signing up for aliya, getting as many of their members on those Nefesh B'Nefesh planes and getting over here. Then they should be joining forces with the Gush Katif people and planning strategy to fight for the return. A large number of American olim who know something about community organizing can make a difference in the long run. When the primaries and the general elections come, a large group of votes with a Jewish, Eretz Yisrael orientation and no obligation to previous groups can make a real difference.
yes, goyish' I agree, plus they must fight for Jewish settlement in all of Eretz Yisrael and not "make do" with just Jerusalem.
I changed some of the wording in the text.
Shalom!
Has the OU apologized yet for backing the expulsion?
The OU is probably not going to be pushing aliya any time soon. They do not want a bunch of irate parents complaining that the OU sent their grandchildren to far-off Israel.
Nefesh-b'Nefesh should concentrate its efforts on first year university students, the ones who haven't amassed very large debts. The students should be encouraged to transfer to Israeli universities. Younger students are more obligated to their parents and students farther along have bigger debts and say, "I only have one-two years left. I'll think about aliya when I finish my degree."
Ben-Yehudah, I'm looking for an English-speaking contact in Tapu'ah to help sell an English language book about Gush Katif that a friend from Neve Dekalim wrote. Could I contact you through Batya?
Hadassa DeYoung, Elon Moreh
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