Leah’s Blog Parashat Vayeshev 2023 Chanukah
Leah’s Blog Parshat Vayeshev – December 2023 Chanukah
When you were sleeping, and I was dreaming, something was whirling in the air.
When people come to visit me here they say, “Gosh it feels so peaceful here Leah; you could cut the atmosphere with a knife!” Literally despite the tension and nervous apprehension, the still peacefulness of the inner truth and soul spirit are sensed in a strong way here. Ecstasy of serenity I call it, ay yay yay. Polar forces pull hard at the core of the world and now more than ever before. When we came to settle this mountain, you couldn’t see for dust. There was a stillness in the air, albeit charged with that battery of aqueduct of Shechem, but an unusual quiet. This is my testimony. You could have heard a pin drop. But from the moment we put our boxes down into the prefab, the momentum changed. It was as if the land was waiting for us to come and switch the lights on.
Igniting a response activated at the same time an aversion to it. Set in motion, the machine churned in return to the heartland of Israel with every second, every moment every hour had the dust blooming, the sheaves rising. The wheels of the machine grinded together creating sparks. Suddenly a minaret shouted incitement nearby. A little boy from Elon Moreh was kidnapped and murdered, Rami Chabah HY”D. Those were the early days when the trees we planted were not high enough to even give shade. So much for self -sacrifice, there were worse ordeals than sunburn. We became keenly aware that as time progressed the vacant desert that faced us became an urban nightmare of terrorism in our backyard. World governments imposed plans for “peace”- arming the enemy and freezing our development. Good plan? Ask yourselves today, after the events of October 7 the rhetoric holds no more here in Israel. We feel the disaster of it on our own skins. Raw to touch, how do you feel in your own skin?
Feeling in your bones is a whole other level. Of any personality most suited: Yosef. His persona brings to mind two levels of deep rooted telepathic duality. On one hand his bones are brought to be buried in the place we first read about sexual violence in the Tanach. The tranquility his father sought was taken here in this place. It was from here that Yosef was taken and sold as a slave. Even later his situation worsens and he becomes a prisoner, a far greater horror. Slaves can at least aspire to become free. When he was thrown in the pit, he never thought he would spend many years in a terror tunnel, in the epitome of degradation. On the other hand, Yosef clearly reaches the first leadership role of the sons of Yaakov. Yaakov had a dream about a ladder, Yosef dreams and becomes that ladder. Stepping up to his abduction and later incarceration, Divine Providence has him succeeding against these odds and having his dreams come true on the deepest of levels. The harder his situation, the greater the Divine intervention. His father, old and crippled with despair STILL did not know he was already feeding the world. There was a segment in time that Yosef was VICEROY to the greatest kingdom on earth and his brothers didn’t even know.
The family of Israel is fragmented from the beginning of their story. The cornerstone that was detested became the salvation. The family of Yisrael soon becomes a nation, unified as we will read in the following parshiote of the Yosef trilogy.
There are internal problems from the start of the story of this nation. The only way to solve the external ones are to follow the methodology of the original covenant stories. Yosef serves as the “shahmash” of the menorah welded into one unbroken piece of candelabra. The Yosef drama ALWAYS falls out on Chanukah. We are different and have different ideas, like different colored candles- yet we are all on the same level and undivided. Chanukah 2023 has us here in Israel without exception as one army fighting for the very integrity of this Land- one unbroken piece. Stories of heroism then and now infuse us with the theme of this ongoing plot. Our soldiers, then and now rise above our enemies. This is a story of a nation of miracles.
Blood libels are also spewed forth on a daily basis at this time. I have to say, personally that an all – time low now in the wake of the rape abduction and murder of hundreds of Jews, the propaganda and populist lies about Jews that live in Judea and Samaria is yet another brick in the intended wall that separates us from our beating heart. Blinken, from this spot I ask you- are you trying to create a “see saw” of violent sides- Chamahs- murdering vicious beasts vs. Jewish settlers, the most law-abiding patriotic segment of Israeli society. This is the bone truth. Real tranquility can only be restored when we fight the enemy like the Maccabees, restoring purity to our Land. This also means destroying the concepts of the past that separates Israel from her people and places. THE TRUTH and fulfillment of all of our dreams will be what brings the lasting peace of COMPLETE REDEMPTION. We now take the shahmash in hand creating a whirl of light in this darkness. Yes there is light at the end of this tunnel.
Remember we are at war now on all fronts and we need your help.
Wishing all of our dear friends a beautiful shining Happy Chanukah! Shabbat shalom! , Leah
2 Comments
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Martina
Thank you Leah, for this beautiful, true and inspirational text. Keep strong! I pray for Israel 2 times a day. And I spread the truth in an attempt to stop the disgusting lies and antisemtism. I hope to visit you one day. Am Yisrael chai! With a heart full of love for Israel. Martina
Brandee Stacy
Amen! Beautifully written! ♥️