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This morning as I was participating in Shacharit (the
weekly Morning Prayer), from the traditional Jewish Art Scroll Siddur (prayer book), a
certain passage jumped out at me. I have read this passage perhaps hundreds of times
before, but it never impacted me like it did today. Maybe it is because there was another
suicide bombing in Israel this morning, which killed and maimed innocent children. Or
maybe it is because Israel is once again in the midst of yet another election. In either
case I was taken by these verses.
The passage I am referring to is read every Thursday
morning as part of the regular Morning Prayer service; it is Tehillim (Psalms) 81. I am
going to quote it directly from the Siddur:
Tehillim 81.1 "For the conductor, upon the gittit, by Assaf. Sing
joyously to the G-d of our might, call out to the G-d of Jacob. Raise a song and sound the
drum, the sweet harp with the lyre. Blow the shofar at the moon's renewal, at the time
appointed for the festive day. Because it is a decree for Israel, a judgment day for the
G-d of Jacob. He imposed it as a testimony for Joseph when he went forth over the land of
Egypt - 'I understood a language I never knew!' I removed his hand from the burden, his
hands let go of the kettle. In distress you called out, and I released you, I answered you
with thunder when you hid, I tested you with the Waters of Strife, Selah. Listen my nation
and I will attest to you; O Israel if you would but listen to me. There shall be no
strange god within you, nor shall you bow down before any alien god. I am HaShem, your
G-d, who elevated you from the land of Egypt, open wide your mouth and I will fill it. But
my people did not heed my voice and Israel did not desire me. So I let them follow their
heart's fantasies, they follow their own counsels. If only my people would heed Me, if
Israel would walk in My ways. In an instant I would subdue their foes, and against their
enemies I would turn My hand. Those who hate HaShem lie to Him - so their destiny is
eternal. But He would feed him with the cream of the wheat, and with honey from a rock to
sate you."
Israel is perhaps one of the most secular
countries on earth today. When speaking about their defense, they praise their armed
forces and the ability they have to defend themselves. They tout their superior weaponry
and flaunt the fact that they have the ability to annihilate any neighboring country that
may attack them.
Seldom however do you hear anything about G-d or His
promises to them. To the average Israeli G-d is not part of the equation, that is why they
are so influenced by public opinion and the United States government.
In the past 13 years Israel has had five prime ministers,
yet each new leader has not really brought any substantial change. Arab terror is alive
and well despite who was or is in power. The basic policy of restraint practiced by each
successive leader is not a product of their government but the result of pressure from the
world, particularly from the United States. So what difference does it makes who is prime
minister?
Orthodox Jews are religious zealots for the land, but they
are but a fraction of the population. G-d however is not interested in religion;
"works without faith is dead."
So on a whole, these people
can basically be classified as modern day Pharisees. Pharisaic Judaism was the
Judaism of the first century. It did not keep Israel from going into exile then
and it will not work now either.
Conservative Jews are the largest sect of Judaism. They
read the portion of Scripture above in their Thursday morning Shacharit service as well.
You would think it would strike their hearts as it did mine, but it has not. They are
still extremely liberal and compared to what G-d expects from us very secular.
What I think
it all boils down to, viewing the above Scriptures in light of current events;
is that G-d is still in the in process of chastening Israel. Although they have
returned to the land they have not yet returned to their first love. They are
still worshipping idols, all be it idols of self, secularism, public opinion and
America. G-d has obviously brought them to brink of exasperation, but they are
not yet over the edge.
They are
still hoping that a new and perhaps more dynamic prime minister will be able to
negotiate them out of the quagmire they are in. Sophisticated weapons are
ineffective against Homicide bombers and all the police in the world can not
stop terrorism.
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