Torah Portion
Power Of Faith Fosters
Greater Hope And Unity
spiritual force of God and to the
creative power of human beings.
The vision of the prophet teaches
an important lesson with profound
ramifications for our time. Some of
us despair of the future of Judaism.
Sometimes, we feel that our youth
are cut off from the mainstream of
Jewish life and that the sources of
our heritage fail to inspire our chil-
he haftorah of this
dren. However, the wellsprings of
Shabbat is based on the
Jewish vitality have not been
tragedy that befell the
exhausted.
Jewish people in the sixth
If only we would channel our
century B.C.E.
energy
and wisdom, our heart and
In 586 B.C.E., the Holy
intelligence in the direc-
Temple in Jerusalem was
tion of positive Jewish liv-
destroyed by the
ing, we could see a new
Babylonian invaders, the
generation rising up, and
people forced into exile.
call their lives blessed.
Lost and bewildered, they
There is no more
were convinced that their
impressive
illustration of
world had come to an end
the
Jewish
capacity
for
and that their life had
self-renewal
than
the
State
turned to ashes and dust.
of Israel. Our generation
They would never return to
has witnessed how the
their native land; they
RABBI IRWIN
Jewish
people, scattered to
would never see the restora-
GRONER
the four corners of the
tion of their national honor.
Special to the
earth, enduring millennia
They stood at the grave
Jewish News
of exile, have been trans-
of their own dreams and
formed in this past centu-
aspirations, witnessing the
ry. The Jewish people retained their
death of their own future.
faith in a Divine promise for the
In the midst of this darkness, the
restoration of Jerusalem, the
prophet Ezekiel renewed their faith
rebuilding of the ancient homeland,
by an awe-inspiring vision. In his
and the coming of the day when
vision, he is set down in the midst
nation will no longer lift sword
of a valley full of bones. God corn-
against nation, but join together in
mands him to walk up and down
the ways of peace.
among these dried up bones and to
By holding to these purposes, by
tell them that they will turn into
clinging to this faith and by serving
living bodies.. With a thrilling roar,
as an instrument of this transforma-
the bones are joined together,
tion, the Jewish people have per-
becoming human bodies — but
formed a miracle of national revival.
motionless, lifeless.
Despite the violence directed at the
Then, Ezekiel is-summoned to
Jewish state and the despicable ter-
call on the wind. It breathes upon
rorist attacks by Palestinian suicide
the bones and the whole host of
bombers,
the people of Israel remain
them come alive and stands upright
staunchly
resolved to defend their
upon the field.
land and their people, determined
What Ezekiel has witnessed is an
to remain at any cost.
allegory depicting the condition of
In Tel Aviv is found the Azrieli
the people: a nation reduced to
Towers, a 50-story Israeli version of
dried-up bones by defeat and exile.
the World Trade Center, toppled in
Yet that nation will be restored, and
New
York City in the Sept. 11 ter-
its life renewed. From the disasters
rorist
attacks on America. At the
of the present will come forth a
top
of
this landmark, one sees a
closer unity and a more resolute
message flashing continuously, from
purpose to fulfill that destiny which
dusk to dawn, Zeh byadim shelanu
God intends for them.
— "It's in our hands."
The message to the prophet is
Let that spirit enable us all to
timeless. Our people must not lose
emerge from this dark rime with our
faith in their capacity for spiritual
faith undimmed and with our hope
renewal. There are no limits to the
strengthened, sustained by the unity
and solidarity of our people, and
Irwin Groner is senior rabbi of
uplifted by God's promise. El
Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
Shabbat Hol Hamoed
Pesach: Exodus 33:12-
34:26 Numbers 28:19-
25; Ezekiel 37:1-14.
T
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