In this week's Torah reading, God promises the land of Israel to Jacob and his descendants (Gen 28:13); but do you think our ancestor Jacob knew what the price would be for his descendants?
Could Jacob ever have conceived the hate that flows against us so continually in that region, and around the world?
And it does flow. This ceasefire doesn't exactly seem like any sort of real ceasefire... maybe because so many of the attackers on Israel are actually Iranian proxies, so a ceasefire with Hezbollah only affects one arm of the octopus that is a vehicle for Iran's hate. Yemen launched ballistic missile at Israel, which thank God was brought down outside of Israeli airspace. The IDF is identifying Hezbollah violations of weapons, launchers, etc., and per the agreement are destroying them. Over the weekend rocket launchers were destroyed in Lebanon, as well as Israel launched drones to eliminate other weaponry deeper in Lebanon. Precision attack took out rocket launchers in Gaza that were confirmed to be in a "civilian building in a humanitarian zone"; and as a result the World Kitchen Organization is suspending its activities in Gaza.
Israel's national security force has put out earnings against travel to Thailand or Southeast Asia for Israelis as well as any Jew worldwide. A pro-Palestinian organization called "March 30 Movement" is pressuring Dutch authorities to arrest three IDF soldiers visiting the Netherlands for "war crimes". A Hamas official said that Hamas is willing to discuss anything in order to get a ceasefire there. But their parameters are the IDF leaving Gaza entirely under the auspices of Hamas (possibly in conjunction with the P.A.); a trickling of releasing hostages, a few at a time; and the opening of the Philadelphi corridor... So really, what new discussion points are they suggesting. Here's an idea: Let Hamas release all hostages and remove themselves from any control of Gaza, and then there can be a productive talk towards peace.
Today we begin the month of Kislev, the month of Hanukkah. This month reminds us, among other things (which will be discussed in future emails as we get closer to the holiday), that in the middle of darkness there will be light. Let it also remind us that there will be light at the end of this darkness of war we have been experiencing since Oct. 7. Am Yisrael Chai...the people of Israel will live; and there will be peace... a lasting peace for Israel and the Jewish people everywhere.