The Sound & The Fury

בעה''י

[First published June 20, 2002]

Dear friends,

This week’s essay is dedicated to the memory of the 25 Jews murdered this week in Jerusalem. Please join me in adding this to your “Refaena” prayer in the Shmoneh Esrei:

Yehi ratzon milfanecha Hashem Elokeinu v’Eilokei avoteinu shtishlach meheira refuah shaleimah min hashamayim, refuat hanefesh u’refuat haguf lakol hanifgaim, u’lamishpachot hanirtzachim, she’nifge’u v’nirtzechu b’piguei terror, she’masru nafsham al kiddushat Hashem b’milchemet mitzvah b’artzeinu b’toch sha’ar cholei Yisrael

May it be Your will Hashem our Gcd and Gcd of our forefathers that you dispatch a speedy and complete recovery, a physical and mental healing, to all the injured and to all the families of the murdered, who were injured and murdered in terror attacks; who sacrificed themselves to sanctify Your Name in this Milchemet Mitzvah for the holy Land of Israel, among the other sick of your people Israel.
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Tuesday morning sounds of the daily birchat hacohanim still ringing in my ears cause His face to shine upon you and grant you peace the smell of a newly minted day wafting on the wind walking noises the swish of my tallis bag against my shirt the controlled fall of my shoes as I jaunt down the steep hill Gcd I love this walk the perfect endless azure sky the seismic BOOM heard walking home from shul echoing from Gilo through the canyons of the Judean Hills my silent prayer of hope that maybe it’s just a sonic boom from an overhead jet the rhythmic squeaksqueaksqueak of the park swings full of kids waiting for the bus screaming ambulances and shrieking car horns the whispering pines sharing secrets with one another maybe the whispers are messages for us the pounding pounding POUNDING of my heart rushing me home the perky morning kiddie shows tooting and tinkling on the TV the screechy modem as I scramble to get the latest news giggling children at play in the living room behind me grim politicians’ voices, clucking their tongues and shaking their heads - but careful not to mess up the hair quotesquotesquotes the horrific pictures from this murderous act carried out by Palestinians, the horrific images that we see here, are more powerful than any words this is a terrible calamity, a tragic day for Jerusalem and a tragic day for Israel blahblahblah Hazaa el-Rol, the proud papa of the suicide bomber responsible for this morning's bus bombing attack, gloating over the mass murder perpetrated by his boy flags flown at half-mast snapping fluttering in the breeze, totally oblivious so that at least they can still be proud the words of David from the deepest depths I cry out to you OH GCD the thunderous drum beat of our enemies on every continent singing paeans to and constructing a world which will once and for all finally be Judenrein the pusillanimous Jewish capos of our day who assist them who willingly load boxcars with others to buy another day for themselves and the incomprehensible redemptive slow inexorable crawling sound that can’t be shouted down of Ezekiel’s bones dragging themselves through the sand knitting themselves back together cladding themselves anew in flesh and skin what does this sound like sounds like the daily birchat hacohanim cause His face to shine upon you and grant you peace