“Living through history”!
Sounds dramatic and simple at the same time - if not a little redundant. After all with the passage of time every living moment transforms into history almost instantly. A scary yet equally empowering thought to be sure!
Reading this week’s Parsha — the story of the Jewish nation traveling to Israel — the first time as a nation. Spies are sent to scout out the land. G-d’s land. It doesn’t end well. The majority of the spies come back with a negative report bar two of them who enthusiastically encourage the people stating “The Land is Good, Very Good”.
Not surprisingly, the negative and fear-fostering side make their mark and with that starts the 40 year wandering in the desert chapter.
Skip forward over 3330 years. The same land, the same people yet incredibly, a diametrically opposed attitude.
I read this morning about the clamoring of repatriated Israelis who are finally finding their way “back” into Israel in an operation called, “Operation Safe Return”.
Click here for the video.
How utterly ironic. Ballistic missiles raining down upon the small sliver of land we call our homeland, bordering some less than friendly countries and the operation is called — “Safe Return”.
The words of Joshua and Caleb clearly the guiding light of the nation of Israel —“The Land is Good, Very Good”!
Indeed we are living through history. An utterly miraculous piece of history. Don’t allow selective reading to paint an otherwise picture. Sure the challenges are real and vast yet greater yet are the incredible results, efforts, miracles and blessings!
We yearn and pray for Messianic times of peace and tranquility which starts with the belief and the conviction that “Gd neither sleeps nor slumbers” for “Shomer Yisrael — He guards Israel”. All one needs to do is open their eyes… Operation Safe Return— I’m in!!!
With best wishes for Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor
P.S. We laud all those at the front lines in harms way. We send love to all the families of Israel. We hold the Hostages and their families firmly in our prayers and we pray for all of Am Yisrael!
Do an extra Mitzvah. Any Mitzvah. Shabbat Candles. Tefillin. Tzedakah. Join Shabbat services. The operative word is DO!