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Leah’s Blog Yitro 2024

Yitro –   February 2024

When our dear friend Mike Clayton came this week we thought we’d take him on the less travelled road east of our cliffs tipping down into the Jordan Valley. Surprised that in so remote a place to see the Electric Company putting in infrastructure, we waited patiently on the side of the road for a while, enjoying the vista of the Sartaba and now green with rain, marshmallow mountain looking panorama. Mike said, “No photograph can capture this.” Picturesque, the outer appearance of it in a photograph truly doesn’t do justice to the inner soul you feel and know when you witness it. Like a giant about to wake up, lying on its side- the mountains breathe, the easy pulse of swooping downward to the valley, the road opens and a tan line cuts through the lush winter grasses of open space. Your imagination goes out to meet what was and what is, all in its context to you. Traveling in this peace has you knowing too to have your weapon in case of an attack which means YOU CAN NEVER DRIVE HERE UNPROTECTED.

Hungering for this land, we all drank up the vista.

For those who love Israel- now is a deciding moment.

We are in the throes of the Exodus story, then and now too. Pharoh had three advisors on “how to handle the Jews”. Bilaam, Yitro and Job. Bilaam told Pharoh to enslave them, make their lives bitter and later set out to curse them. Bilaam was killed in the battle of Midyan. Job remained apathetic at the decree to kill all newborn males. Immense suffering was brought upon him in the famous book of Job. Finally Yitro, a famous Priest and advisor who chose to run away from malicious hateful hard hearted Pharoh merited sitting in the chamber of the hewn stone. These three bring us to today- in the portion of the Ten Commandments that are being honored in Yitro’s portion. Hashem’s inquiry into man’s moral choices and interaction with world events- justice, truth and ethics are all brought to be clarified here.

Israel must be robust now as nations bare down on the heart of this Land. Listen up, you have seen the outcome of choices of Bilaam, Job and Yitro. Creating a fictitious narrative about the Land of Israel and its precious people of peace who are under attack will not bring blessing not upon those who curse it, nor the people of that nation. This is what happens when we are called to battle, not just in the field but on the screen, in the newspaper and on the media. Challenges on steroids are being set up before us like the beasts that peep out of the pit holes, like the underground rat tunnels that hold Jewish baby boys hostage. Giving a trophy to terrorism should cause an outcry.

Israel is only made to grow, not shrink. The electric company knows that and is preparing for more and more groundwork here. Israel is everlasting and indestructible. It was promised. The nation that brought the Ten Commandments to the world needs your support now. Am Yisrael has accumulated so many zechuyote (merits), along with all the righteous gentiles like Mike who came during this war, fearless to identify and help. It was holocaust memorial day this week. Being a second generation survivor I can’t help thinking that not one Gazan, not one- would release a baby boy hostage. The picture of a Jewish girl sitting on the window sill in her house in Berlin looking at the Nazi flag flying in her face sends a strong reminder as the Nazi flag flies not meters from here in the very heart of this country. Do we want a terror state NOW of all times??? Does Bilaam succeed in evil or does Yitro become OUR advisor.

THE GIANT IS ABOUT TO AWAKEN.

Shabbat Shalom- Special thanks to YAD LEAH for another incredible shipment of the best quality clothing to us here in Itamar. Xoxoxoxoxoxox

Leah