Rabbi's Blog

Dear OZ family,   

Chodesh Tov.

Unlike America, where Memorial Day and Independence Day are more than a month apart, Israel commemorates the loss of her sons and daughters in the defense of her land, one day before she celebrates her independence. Israel transforms from her saddest day to her happiest day in a matter of hours. We also combine our saddest day with our happiest day when we remember the Churban under the Chuppah with a dab of ash placed on the groom’s forehead, and according to some commentaries, by the breaking of a glass to end the ceremony. These combinations are borne of the faith that a guiding Divine hand is behind everything that befalls us.

Yechezkel’s predictions of what would happen on the 10^th of Teves assured the Jews of Israel that what Yirmiyahu had been telling them for years is also part of a Divine plan. We are the fortunate generation to witness first- hand, that the dry bones of Yechezkel have indeed grown flesh, tendons and sinews, and have been spirited with the Divine breath to flourish in the land promised to our ancestors. Yirmiyahu exhorted us to set up markers so that we would always know the way to return. Those markers, says Rashi are the Mitzvot that we continued to dutifully perform in the Diaspora as we waited and anticipated our return to Zion (See Rashi Devarim 11:18). Yirmiyahu and Yechezkel spoke these prophecies in the worst of times, but they imbued in their audiences the hope for a better day, that strengthened the returnees 70 years later, and to our very day. These bones live. The bones of the Shoah live. Those who sacrificed everything so that Israel could be free, live.

I have included link HERE to a clip that embodies what it is like to go so quickly from Yom Hazikaron to Yom Ha’atzmaut

Be safe.  Be healthy.   Be excellent.

Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Congregation Ohab Zedek

118 West 95^th Street | New York, NY  10025-6604

Phone 212.749-5150, ext 200 | Fax 212.663-3635

E-mail ras@ozny.org

Website:  www.ozny.org