Friday, July 25, 2008

Dust at our Feet

The other day, while we were touring the Kotel tunnels, our guide told us a fascinating story. A famous Israeli archaeologist (whose name escapes me) had a very peculiar Tish Be'Av ritual. Every Tisha Be'Av, he would go to the Israel Museum and scream. At this museum stands a very large statue of the victorious emperor Vespasian standing arrogantly in his triumph over the Jewish rebels. The archaeologist would yell at the statue, taunting him over the disappearance of the mighty Roman Empire. He would ask him where his people vanished to. While all that is left of Vespasian is this statue, the Jewish people once again live in their land.

Today, we toured the Crusader fortress of Akko. I soon thought of how strong the Crusaders were and how they no longer exist. Besides a few piles of stones and artifacts, there are no traces of them. How much Jewish blood has been spilled by the hands that built Akko? Before setting off to battle the heathens in the East, they decided to massacre the christ-killers among them. The Crusaders massacred entire Jewish communities in the Rhineland, in Germany and France. The massacres were so traumatic that the Jews wrote a special memorial prayer, "Av HaRachamim", that is still recited every Shabbat morning, 900 years later. When the Crusaders finally reached the Holy Land, they slaughtered the entire Jewish community of Jerusalem. Blood ran through the streets up to their knees. These marauders who seemed so powerful, so mighty, are but dust. The irony is that today, their christ-killing victims, the Jewish people, tour their empty sites.

Every people that has opposed the Jewish people has disappeared. The Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Nazis and Communists are gone. All is temporary, except for the nation of Israel. Very soon indeed, we will walk in the ruins of Hamas and Hizbullah. Ahmadinejad and Nasrallah will be names in a history book, while the Jewish people dwells firmly in its own land. We will tour museums full of "Palestinian" flags, suicide belts and other Islamic weapons of terror. They will be gone, dust and ashes, wiped away and relegated to the dustbin of history and the Jews will remain.

May it happen speedily in our days. Shabbat Shalom.

11 comments:

Mad Zionist said...

Still need to add "islam" to the ash-heap of history. May it be soon and in our days. Shabbat shalom.

Anonymous said...

So be it..... May Almighty G-D bless and protect Israel and the Jewish People always. madeleine7

Devorah Chayah said...

AMEN!!

Rita Loca said...

In enjoy your posts from Israel.

Papa Frank said...

BK -- was does the real opinion there seem to be on Obama? Or do most people there not really care about our election here in the States? Just curious.

Anonymous said...

BK: hope you have a good time. Please drop me a line if you get a chance.

Papa Frank said...

I just heard that Olmert is going to resign in September.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, BK! Yeah, we should all hit the streets in wild celebration...or maybe not. Whoever follows Olmert, whether it's Tsipi, Shaul or Bibi the only leader I can see is Moshe Feiglin.

ABNPOPPA said...

Hi, came to your site via Jungle Mom, It certainly is interesting although I will have to go one of my Jewish friends to help me understand some of it. I am forwarding it to them so they can help me learn more. Thank you for a great site. I believe,

Shalom is acceptable for an ending I am not sure about Shabbat shalom is. Sorry if I mean no offense.

ABNPOPPA from Mark 1:11

MightyMom said...

very astute.

hold tight to that knowledge

Deborah said...

“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of [Ahmadinejad (or others)] nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the One with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the L-RD our G-d to help us and to fight our battles.” – II Chronicles 32:7-8

The Jewish people are securely fastened to their Promised Land! Yes, it may look as if they’re losing ground at any given time, but G-d’s plan CANNOT be thwarted! You’re so right, BK… no matter who Israel’s enemies are, they will return to the dust. As in this past week’s Parshah, we see that G-d sometimes hardens the hearts of kings (King Sihon) to make them oppose Israel only to demonstrate His power over Israel’s enemies. Israel’s enemies have no hope before the L-RD!

BK, “The L-RD bless you from Zion, and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Indeed, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!” – Psalm 128:5-6