The Murdered Fogel Family Member's Funeral
Today, on the Fast of Esther, the Jewish people commemorate our connection with the events of the biblical Book of Esther by fasting as was done when a decree of annihilation hung over all of our heads at that time. Its reenactment each year is an acknowledgement that, however hidden it may be at times, G-d remains in charge of His world. Prayer, repentance and charity, also translated as prayer, return and justice remain our link to a Creator who hides His face.
The term “return” as another facet of “repentance” implies that turning away from sin is a return to our intended state rather than something unnatural to us. The relation of charity to justice is that G-d creates the world in a state of incompletion. Just because there is poverty or hatred doesn’t mean that it was meant to be that way. When we refuse to accept the status quo and try to better the world and the lives within them, we are doing G-d’s will. When we defend our land and our lives, we are also perfecting the world. We were not left alone on this planet. We were given an “operating manual” to tell us when to be kind and when to withhold kindness, as it says in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (Kohelet 31-8)
In addition to observing the Fast of Esther, the Jewish people is also observing shiva, the seven days of mourning for the Fogel Family, five of whose members were murdered in Itamar by Jew haters. The world would have us to “turn the other cheek”, and leave Itamar, Jerusalem and the rest of Israel. Thank G-d, the Torah that commands us to love our neighbour and to forgive also commands us to defend ourselves and pursue our mortal enemies.
The following song”The Last Time” expresses the underlying sadness, the yearning of many for peace, for a world in which an infant and her family are slaughtered by godless people who invoke a god and faith of their own creation to rationalise their bloodlust. It is a soulful expression of the feeling of so many people to the Itamar slaughter, that sets a fitting tone to the Fast of Esther.
Click here to listen to “The Last Time”
