A Cloud Over Jerusalem Day

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A Cloud Over Jerusalem Day

by Moshe Kempinski
An unfettered soul had become my voice.

This land breathes the mood of its people. It senses it and affects it as well. The land of Israel has always been different than all the other lands in the world. In Egypt, if you needed water you went to the Nile River; in Israel you needed to turn to the Heavens:

"...but the land, whither ye go over to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water as the rain of heaven cometh down; a land which HaShem thy G-d careth for; the eyes of HaShem thy G-d are always upon it, from the beginning of Am I making too much of such coincidences? the year even unto the end of the year." (Deuteronomy 11:11-12)


It was not surprising, then, that the bright blue cloudless days that characterized this month in Jerusalem were marred on the day that President George Bush arrived in Israel to discuss the separation of this land. It was not surprising that the skies cleared up when the same president spoke so eloquently and passionately at the Knesset of Biblical destiny and truths.
Am I making too much of such coincidences? Most probably, but living in this land gives you either the poetic license or perhaps the prophetic eyes to see an interlacing of events, Biblical verses with eternal destiny.


Yet, sometimes dark clouds are not physically visible, but they hang nevertheless as a pall over this country. Such a dark cloud is our Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Whether or not he is legally liable for the alleged crimes does not change the fact that he is clearly unworthy to be a leader in Israel. His continued rule simply saddens me greatly.


I compare Olmert's financial and cowardly shenanigans with the courage of deputy commander Roi Klein (H.y.d.), who jumped on a grenade with a cry of "Shema Yisrael" to save his soldiers, and I begin to cry. I think of Olmert's tenacious hold on his parliamentary seat and I remember how the tenacious hold of the land of Israel by so many young people was ruthlessly beaten back by Olmert's police at Amona. I read about his luxurious hotel suites and my heart is pained thinking of all those families who were evicted by this same man from their simple homes in Gush Katif.


I thought of all these things this week at the Kotel (Western Wall) and felt sullied.


Suddenly, a raggedly dressed man came to stand next to me at the wall, holding a tattered plastic bag with a bottle of water and a cup. He put his face into the stones and began to scream, "Abba (Father) enough! Enough. No more killings, no more terror.... No more shootings."


I turned to watch him and his eyes seemed to burn with passion. He turned and walked away, and then abruptly came back to another stone at the wall and again screamed, "HaShem please help your people; we love you, help us."
He turned, walked away and then nervously returned to another spot at the Wall and began again: "How much longer, Abba? How much longer?"


This man with his unfettered soul had become my voice and I walked up to him. I took his hand and said. "Thank you. I know that HaShem heard every one of your words. Thank you."

He gave me a toothless grin.

We are beginning this week the celebrations of Jerusalem Day. We so easily forget that behind every dark cloud The prophet Tzephania declared words that can dispel the dark clouds even today.the sun never ceases to shine. No matter how sullied our leadership has made us feel, we will rejoice over the healing rays of the sun. Though this leadership may be a distorted reflection of this people's faults and magnifies those things in a grotesque fashion, those things are only part of the story.


Throughout this eternal city there will be rejoicing and dancing from hearts that have not been corrupted and souls that have not lost hope. The alleyways of the old city will be filled with Jews of all types carrying the blue and white flags of the promise and the hope with unselfish pride.


Many years ago, the prophet Tzephania declared words that can dispel the dark clouds even today. Words that herald Jerusalem Day:

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack. HaShem thy G-d is in the midst of thee, a Mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will be silent in His love, He will joy over thee with singing. "I will gather them that are far from the appointed season, who are of thee, that hast borne the burden of reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all them that afflict thee; and I will save her that is lame, and gather her that was driven away; and I will make them to be a praise and a name, whose shame hath been in all the Earth. At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather you; for I will make you to be a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I turn your captivity before your eyes," saith HaShem. (Tzephania 3: 16-20)
25 Iyar 5768 / 30 May 08