Most of us are not real historians,though we know generally of the sufferings of the Jewish people over the ages.This morning as I read the Kinos (lamentations)much of our history became clear. Our synagogue uses the Art Scroll volume which has a great deal of historical information on each prayer.Since the members of our Boynton Beach Synagogue are retired,we try to cover these prayers slowly and with English readings including some history,to add meaning to the day.
Sadly as you read time and again about the Crusades,the Pogromsthe Holocaust as well the book burnings time and again there is an element of Jews and apostate Jews turning on their co-coreligionists.
The burnings of the Talmud in Paris were instigated by Jews as was the burning of the writings of the Rambam (Maimonides)by the Dominicans. .The prevention of the escape from Germany of the Maharam of Rothenberg in 1286 was because of being recognized by an apostate.So much suffering.
In our times the Kapos in the concentration camps was one example. The arrest about 10 years ago of Iranian Jews was again instigated by fellow Jews.
Today American Jews on the Left try to incite the US Govt. to prevent donations of funds to the settlements,while not objecting to funds for Arabs.There are Israelis who accept money from foreign countries to spy and report on the building activities of their fellow Jews in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria.J Street is another example of a group that seeks to divide the American Jewish as well as the Pro-Israel communities into a battle of good and evil.The Left and the Democrats are the good ,and the settlers,Bibi and Republicans are the bad.
Modern day "self hatred" surely cost Jewish lives and political strength, no less than those who pointed out Marrano Jews praying in their hidden room brought about Jewish destruction.
Tisha B'av is a great day to think of the promise of G-d for the building of Jerusalem with a Bet Hamikdash on the Temple Mount.Implied in that future is an atmosphere free of political pressure from Washington to accomodate Arabs who merely want to annihilate the Jews( and create another Kinah ( lamentation) for our Tisha B'av prayer book,to lament our destruction in modern Israel.
As I quoted Ben Gurion yesterday-this time notwithstanding our own misguided brethren, it won't happen.
