A Thought on Lag B Omer . The Jewish State has Always Been !
Today, Jews around the world and in Eretz Israel will celebrate Lag B’Omer, a day of joy amid sadness. Some two thousand years ago, the superpower of the day was Rome; its Empire had become corrupt and was rotting from within, and its very foundations were crumbling. Earlier, Israel had fallen under Roman rule, and after rebelling against its harsh leadership, the Jewish nation found itself without the Second Temple, and much of its Jewish population was forced into Exile.
But even in defeat, the leaders of the Jewish people were determined to rebuild the nation; however, the Romans saw this national-spiritual renewal as a direct threat to their rule and launched a campaign of oppression. The result of this heavy-handed policy was a rebellion in 135 CE. Many Jews felt that the time had come to restore Jewish sovereignty throughout the land.
Thousands responded to the call of freedom and believed that victory would see all Jews return to Israel, bringing about the rebuilding of the Temple. Initially, the Jewish army was successful in reconquering Jerusalem and experiencing a short four years of independence from Rome before being devastated by the onslaught of the Roman Legions, let loose to crush Jewish aspirations for nationhood that would not be seen again till 1948.
Today, many parallels between then and now leap out at us from the pages of history. We live in an era when another Empire strides the globe, the Pax Americana. Like Rome, it casts a long shadow over the Jewish State, which at times threatens Israel’s sovereignty as an Independent nation.
The United States, like ancient Rome, suffers from moral decay, corroding its cultural values, political institutions, and, worst of all, its youth. Like the youth of a decaying Rome, America’s children have no desire to fight for its continued world leadership.
Israel needs to ask itself some uncomfortable questions. Is it the United States that guarantees Israel’s sovereignty? It’s right to exist? Was it the United Nations that brought us home? Was it British imperialism that created the opportunity of return? None of these entities existed when Bar Kochba and Rabbi Akiva raised the banner of revolt against mighty Rome.
Israel rose from the ashes of Exile because Israel never died. It was the Jewish State when Assyrians, Moabites, Edomites, Philistines, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Romans tried to destroy it forever.
Its sovereignty is underwritten by the G-d of Israel, not by America, destined to join all preceding Empires in the dustbin of history. Had there been no Balfour Declaration, the State of Israel would still have arisen. Had there been no United Nations, the Jewish State would still have come into being.
On this Lag B’Omer, it is time to raise the flag of Jewish self-determination in the face of growing hostility and put our trust in the G-d of Israel!
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