Watchmen Upon The Walls

Now, as we have seen in the past, when HaShem hardens the hearts of our enemies, it strengthens the resolve of the nation. Though this has not yet translated into action within the Knesset to bring a halt to negotiations with, and talk of giving our land up to our enemies, there is a growing consciousness in Israel, and in Diaspora, that our enemies are once again mounting pressure on Am Yisrael to surrender itself, to compromise itself.

Too often we have seen what happens when the powers that be compromise and corrupt themselves. We also know the consequences of fighting amongst ourselves. We have seen it throughout our ancient history, and into the modern era. More and more Am Yisrael is realizing the crossroads at which we stand. And though the quarreling among us has even escalated into violence, as we see have seen played out over the last several months...over a parking lot...where Jews feel justified in profaning the Sabbath in order to defend it (seriously...is this Chelm or Eretz Yisrael?). But our national existence, the preservation of our homeland is at stake and there is a consciousness that is awakening within us, in Eretz Yisrael, and in Galut.

You can see it in an illustrative story about a girl who has come of age, and used the occasion to collect gifts for members of the IDF. You can see it in Israeli polls, when support for Yesha is growing, as is the opposition to a construction freeze; the direct result of what happened in Gush Katif. You can see it in the rapidly growing number of Haredim in enlisting in the IDF. You can see it in a slow, but steady increase in the numbers of us making aliyah...to the point that we are fast approaching the tipping point when there will be more Jews living in our homeland than in exile.

Hostile forces are gathering around us, from all corners of the earth, but rather than be silent, Am Yisrael is speaking out. Whether it is in Yesha communities like Binyamin or Ma'aleh Adumim, the message is clear that Am Yisrael is in the land, and we are not leaving. Voices of resistance and protest are gathering in Diaspora as well. We are not silent. If anything, our voices must get louder. Is this not what Yeshayahu has been channelling to us over the weeks since Tisha b'Av, and does again this week?

לְמַעַן צִיּוֹן לֹא אֶחֱשֶׁה, וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלִַם לֹא אֶשְׁקוֹט, עַד-יֵצֵא כַנֹּגַהּ צִדְקָהּ, וִישׁוּעָתָהּ כְּלַפִּיד יִבְעָר

The stones of Yerushalyim are silent. We cannot afford to be silent.

עַל-חוֹמֹתַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלִַם, הִפְקַדְתִּי שֹׁמְרִים--כָּל-הַיּוֹם וְכָל-הַלַּיְלָה תָּמִיד, לֹא יֶחֱשׁוּ; הַמַּזְכִּרִים, אֶת-יְהוָה--אַל-דֳּמִי, לָכֶם

Yesha guards the walls. We have seen one chorban. We shouldn't see another.