Just a Reminder

With the Three Weeks fast approaching, our saddest time of the year, it is important to remember why the Three Weeks are the saddest time of year.

We are in Golus. Even those of us who live in Israel (and how I would love to!) are in Golus, even though I do truly believe that having Eretz Yisrael in the hands of the Jews is indeed "Raishis Tzmichas Ge'Ulaseinu - the beginning of our redemption."

We are in Golus for a reason. For many reasons. I'll probably expound on them as the Three Weeks draw nearer.

But we have had, with the formation of the State of Israel and with Israel being in Jewish hands, a taste of the Geulah. And this taste, apparently, seems to be fading fast from the politicians who run the State of Israel, be it through agreeing to give away land (Gaza, Sinai, and now, apparently, even the Golan Heights to Syria - see here and here), or through allowing Shabbos to become a "day of leisure" rather than Israel's official day of rest (see here and here [hattip - Rabbi Harry Maryles]).

As this time of year approaches and we once again are given the bitter taste of the ashes of golus, we have to remember that some of those ashes are from the present, not the past. Giving away a bit of land here and another there, chipping away at Eretz Yisrael, both physically and spiritually, makes the taste of those ashes even more bitter, and makes the golus even stronger.

Here are links to a couple of little songs that, while some will say are Zionist dribble, are truly meant, if one really reads and internalizes the words of these songs, to remind us of the longing we, or at least I, feel about our home.

Yerushalayim Shel Zahav

Background on Yerushalayim Shel Zavav

HaTikva

Background on HaTikva


More later.

Good Shabbos