War...

So, since last week, there's has been a war - or at least, depending on where you are in the Holy land, rumblings of an impending all out war - here in the Holy Land. I'm not quite sure what to make of it, Naturally, all the major news sources are biased as hell, and apparently, in my home state, the blame is being placed squarely on Israel's shoulders. But none of that really matters anyway, does it? Thankfully, the United States vetoed the U.N.'s attempt to condemn Israel's actions, and although President Bush is taking the necessary steps of double speak to cover his ass, at least there's a semblance of support from the administration. Or at least, that's the way it seems.

Personally, I can't say I really feel threatened, and I'm not sure whether that's good or bad.

People who I care deeply about have been affected (although no one was hurt, thank God ), and I've been saying extra tehillim every day, but still, I don't feel like that the status quo has changed. Now, that may be to the fact that I'm relatively isolated, without any way to find out what's happening at the moment; most of what I know is from hearsay, and I'd prefer to keep it that way, for several reasons, some of them obvious, some not (my roommate has been glued to the radio since Thursday, whimpering like a little girl...).

My mother offered to fly me back home early, if I wanted to. aside from the testosterone aspect of that issue, I told her no because I didn't see a valid reason to go home early. My older brothers were here when scuds were falling on Jerusalem, huddled in sealed rooms with gas masks - which they discovered later to be defective - strapped on to their faces. I'm gonna complain? they were able to go about their business for the most part, I should at least try to. Plus, I'm learning; that's supposed to be a shmira, and I believe it is. And above all that, I believe that God is with me. Gam Ki Eilech B' Gei Tzalmaves, Lo Irah Ra Ki Atah Imadi. It's not just a nice song, people. all those are reasons why I don't just fell like I don't nedd to leave; they compell me to stay until I'm supposed to stay. that and more than a healthy dose of morbid curiosty.

Still, in moments of introspection, I am concerned with why I don't feel anything at all. Obviously, there's a message, right? Nothing happens by chance, and if this is happening while I'm here, I should be taking something from it. I don't want to be at a place where I need such a drastic wake up call; why isn't this enough? How far will it go, and how much would it take for me to see whatever it is I'm supposed to see? and obviously, there's the message for all of us. We must figure out the roots of our problems and deal with them, together. we have to learn where we all fit into the scheme of things, the big picture. Do any of us think it's a coincidence that the proverbial shit hit the fan on the 17th of Tammuz?

It's gonna be another sleepless night.

As for the brave soldiers of the IDF? We must pray for their safety, regardless of ideaology, and whether or not our armed forces are worth anything. At the core, they are Jews, and they our just as much our family as any other Jew.

Hashem should watch over them, and may this be enough of a wake up for all of us, so that it doesn't have to continue further...

Originally posted Monday, 17 July 2006