Talmudic scholars have designated the months of Tammuz, Av and Tevet as the months of peril and sorrow. Many terrible ordeals befell the Jewish people spanning the globe during these dreadful months. Kabbalists wrote that these are the three months where the spirit of Esau rules and the name of G-d is written backwards. There is also a long list of historical tsuris including the destruction of both Temples, exiles, expulsions, deportations and much more without getting into all the gory details.
Two years ago Gilad Shlit was kidnapped at the onset of these troubled months. The results were deadly for the Israeli troops killed in the ensuing war with Lebanon. Right now he is in the depths of some hole somehwere in the outskirts of the Gaza Strip. Somewhere amidst the sand dunes and depleted landscape Gilad is holding on to a glimmer of hope. We have no doubt that his resolve is steady in the face of his captors, but it has been too long. Way down yonder Gilad is waiting to go home, to the comfort which we all can take for granted. Bring him and the rest of the Israeli troops home
Our respected Rabbis and Kabbalists say that these three months are irregular because of too much or too little sunlight. The days deviate from their regular patterns causing slight mood shifts and erratic behavior. The imbalance causes us to have a shorter spark, ready to ignite with all this nervous energy, making our frustrations gush like hot lava spewing from an active volcano. In order to conquer these shorter fuses and unnecessary outbursts we must 1. focus on short term goals 2. avoid tempestuous carnal urges and 3. make sure all interpersonal communication is civil and calm. Upon entering this period we should focus on these notions in order to complete the goal of returning Gilad Shalit home. We must make the goal of his return short term, must avoid the temptation of making any empty concessions and make sure that our interlocutors are honest and fair. Like Jonah, who was swallowed by a sea monster, Gilad is stuck in a precarious condition. However, instead of three days it has been two years and the clock keeps ticking. We all need to be calm yet vocal in the name of Gilad Shalit and all the other troops who are missing and lodged deeply in our hearts.
Children recited Gilad’s book and is available here: http://www.isrealli.org/shalit/
“In addition, the Israeli Consulate has joined the initiatives on Facebook, in which users supporting the fight to free Shalit are asked to change their profile pictures to that of Gilad Shalit on Wednesday 25 June. A further initiative calls on users to change their status for the coming two days to “Waiting two years for Gilad Shalit.”
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:26 am
Some Israelis feel that their government is not sincere in its talks about exchanging Gilad Shalit. here is the link to an article expressing this view:
http://samsonblinded.org/news/shalit-talks-drowned-in-hypocrisy-15345