Having emerged from Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and, hopefully we have all been inscribed and sealed for a happy, healthy, successful and meaningful year and years ahead, we find ourselves in the midst of Succot.
During Succot, the B'nai Yisrael, as an Am Segula (a nation apart and unique from the other nations), as Hashem's special, chosen people, visit, bond, and celebrate our special and unique relationship with HaKodosh Borchu.
Prominent in our thoughts during Succot are the Haftorahs which the prophecy of the War of Gog and Magog, Moshiach, the Ge'ula Shlaima (the Redemption) and the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash are pronounced. And as the expression goes among fans in the springtime, "Hope springs eternal."
But the question can be asked; What relationship is there between the War of Gog and Magog and the simanim of Succot and Lulav, Etrog, Hadassim and Aravim?
We learn about the simanim; the Lulav, Etrog, Hadassim and Aravim and how they represent the attributes of man and the world. And from eating, drinking, sleeping and doing our daily activities in the Succah, we learn that man and the entire world are under the jurisdiction of Hashem. We learn that seemingly impregnable stone, brick or steel walls, buildings and roofs are as nothing before the Almighty. In recent history, 9/11 clearly showed us that.
If only Memshelet Yisrael (the government of Israel) would absorb the lessons of Succot. If only PM Sharon, Omri and Gilad would sit in the Succah for more than a few fleeting, "symbolic" moments and take the time over the next 8 days to learn or "review the sources", to know, to understand why they are here and internalize the lessons. Gam Bibi, gam Lapid, gam Ehud Olmert, unless all of their hearts have been so irretrievably hardened that the exercise is futile. And if only the entire B'nai Yisrael would contemplate and internalize this fundamental Jewish lesson and emerge from Succot with a renewed understanding of why there is an Eretz Yisrael and why they, we are all here.
And so we ponder the War of Gog and Magog.
"When Gog, all his army and all of the nations attack israel, even in a redemption 'in haste,' Israel will tremble with fear. Afterward, G'd will rise up and destroy the nations in the final redemption, as in the first one." ("The Jewish Idea", by Rabbi Meir Kahane, Z'l, Vol. 2, page 984)
"Our sages said (Tanchuma, Re'eh, 9); "...In the future, Gog and Magog will attack Israel, and they too will be burnt up with one fire, as it says, 'I will punish him with pestilence,blood and torrential rain [...fire and brimstone]. At that moment, I will magnify and sanctify Myself, and make Myself known to many nations.'" (Yecheskel, 38.22-23 in part, as quoted from"The Jewish Idea", by Rabbi Meir Kahane, Z'l, Vol. 2, page 984)
May it be, throughout these chaggim and beyond, that our brethren in Gush Katif as well as our dear brother, Jonathan Pollard are central in our thoughts, prayers and actions. May the Gezeirot Rah end and may we be zocha the moment when Jonathan Pollard is finally home among his brethren who care deeply about him. May we be zocha in this coming year take giant steps toward fulfilling Hashem's blueprint of B'nai Yisrael as a Unique people -- an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with "the nations."
May we be zocha the Moshiach, the Ge'ula Shlaima, "Yom Hashem V'Kol HaGoyim", the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v'yameinu -- speedily, in our time", -- Immediately; Achshav, Chik Chuk, Meiyad, Etmol!!!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of the Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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