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Not by Might, and not by Power -- -
OR:
Israeli Gaza Strike Kills More
Than 225
Today the starkest choice of
values and visions of the future was laid before the Jewish people
throughout the world.
On
the one hand, Jews throughout the world were reading in synagogue the
Prophetic vision of Zechariah, no stranger to exile and humiliation,
writing from the midst of the Babylonian Captivity 2500 years ago and
looking forward to the rebuilding of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and
the relighting of its Menorah --- both of which had been destroyed by
Babylonian militarism.
This rebuilding and relighting,
Zechariah proclaimed, must be achieved not by mobilizing might and power
against Babylonia but by drawing on the Infinite Spirit, God's power.
A vision reinforced by the Rabbis who chose the passage to be read on
the holy day that might easily fall into a celebration of the military
might and power of the Maccabees.
On the other hand ---
on the very same day!! -- at least 225 Palestinians were killed by
Israeli bombs in one more attempt to quell by might and power the use of
violence (on a much smaller scale) by Hamas, in what Hamas sees as
itself a retaliation against the Israeli blockade and semi-starvation of
the people of Gaza.
There is plenty to bewail and plenty to
examine in the details of this crossroads-moment in the history between
our two Families of Abraham. Tonight (Saturday night) I cannot gather
the strength to do this -- having just, after a pleasant Shabbat of
synagogue and family dreidling, discovered this crushing news. We will
look more deeeply together into these choices, in the next several days.
But what I can do now is simply ask us all to face the
choices, to experience the deadly vertigo of choice between these
choices.
A hard but necessary moment to send you the
blessings of shalom, salaam, peace. --- Arthur
Two
texts:
"Not by
Might, and not by Power --- but by My Breathing Spirit, says YHWH
Infinite." -- Zechariah 4: 6.
OR -- New York
Times, December 27, 2008:
"GAZA - Waves of Israeli airstrikes destroyed Hamas
security facilities in Gaza on Saturday in a crushing response to the
group's rocket fire, killing more than 225 - the highest one-day toll in
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in decades.
.
"The center of Gaza City was a scene of chaotic
horror, with rubble everywhere, sirens wailing, and women shrieking as
dozens of mutilated bodies were laid out on the pavement and in the
lobby of Shifa Hospital so that family members could identify them. The
dead included civilians, including several construction workers and at
least two children in school uniforms.
"Dozens of
rockets struck southern Israel after the airstrikes in Gaza, sending
residents underground. One man was killed in the town of Netivot, the
first death from rocket fire since it intensified a week ago, and four
were wounded.
"Israeli military officials said the
airstrikes, which went on into the night, were the start of what could
be days or even months of an effort to force Hamas to end its rocket
barrages into southern Israel. The operation could include ground
forces, a senior Israeli security official said."
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