The Nuanced Voices this Hour Calls For

Not voices of black and white, certain they know what is wrong and what is right

The hour is critical, and the discourse—complex, confusing, and crucial.

Today I had originally planned to bring translations of my nephew Ephraim Jackman’s writings. But I felt I must instead bring the translations I do below. I will return to Ephraim’s (and his mother’s) incredible writings one day soon, but today I open with just one line he wrote:

Between beauty and truth there is much bewilderment…

How deeply this sentence expresses this moment.

The news, I’m certain you’re aware, speaks of an appending deal, and the release of our hostages. My first thought was to bring you voices from both sides of the issue: those for and those against. But as I began reading, I realized I wasn’t drawn to the voices of black and white, that are certain they know what is wrong and what is right.

Because as much as I, like all of us, yearn to see all of the hostages home, what seems most true to me is that no one is right. Because there is no right in this situation— not that any human can see. And so I bring you two voices, both nuanced, both pained, both pleading.

The first, the poet Racheli Moshkovitz, whose writing I’ve brought previously, and who expresses so powerfully what I sense so many of us are feeling.

Original poem by Racheli Moshkovitz

One chamber of the heart waits expectantly, truly.
The second chamber is defeated, roaring, and anxious.

And the walls of the heart, they are thin
And they attempt to pump blood between the chambers,
to ensure that the oxygen continues to traverse
The ups.
And the downs.
The heart asks to hope.

And even the hiddenness inside the hiddenness,
even this is spun by the Master of the Universe

The Only King.

And this post is also from Racheli:

What I understand is that I don't understand. Anything.

I get into the car, upset. Oren drives and I can't concentrate at all. I pour out my stormy heart into the words of a poem. I correspond with Efrat Mor*. I'm out of sorts– how can I go on stage like this?

Only G-d knew in advance that we would spend this fateful evening in Peduel. The moment before we begin the show, I tell Orit that I cannot begin with the show as usual, and I break down and share with the audience the storm in my heart, believing that this storm is shared by all of us tonight.

And the show becomes a prayer. And a request to be able to hold on tightly to this thin rope called faith. Because if not faith, what else do we have, what do we lean on and how do we breathe? How otherwise did Efrat Mor send me– a moment before we began– that this is what we know: that there is Someone directing this great script, and we are in the best hands possible.

And so we pray, and when Orit plays "As for our brothers and sisters, the whole house of Israel, who are given over to trouble or captivity​..." it takes on a different meaning tonight.

I tell the audience, and especially myself - that this is how the people of Israel experienced the upheaval of Purim. Esther is trapped in the tyrant's palace, nothing seems at all optimistic, a decree of doom for the people of Israel hangs in the air, the troubles tighten, and there is no air. And in this way– just like that– out of the darkness and fear a great salvation blossoms. All of that which was concealed is revealed, and a new light shines.

And my voice trembled a little, and broke a bit, but this is exactly what I asked for: to remember and to be reminded that out of all this, goodness must grow. This is certain, we are in the best and most loving hands there are.

*The mother of Eitan Mor, who is in Hamas captivity

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And a second voice, that of the bereaved father Hagai Luber, whose son Yehonatan Lober fell fighting in Gaza. Hagai most often writes from a right-wing perspective, and if we believe the media the “Left” is “for” a deal and the “Right” is “against”, so his words surprised and moved me. I bring two separate he’s written in the past 24 hours, and I thank Hagai for these words.

Yehonatan Lober, H’’yd

The Price We Must Not Pay for the Deal!

The Israeli government has apparently decided to reach an agreement with Hamas -

the release of hostages in exchange for murderers and an end to the war.

Is the price unbearable and must not be paid? Possibly.

Does the release of the hostages justify paying the price? Possibly.

There is one price we must not make for ourselves following the deal,

and that is - the disintegration of Israeli society, due to a discussion filled with hatred and harsh slander and due to hasty political actions.

Support or criticize the deal, its timing, and its price, in a matter-of-fact manner, without creating terrible backlash and without harming the families of the kidnapped and the fallen.

Don't say "the deaths of IDF soldiers were in vain" (even if you think it's true) — it divides widows, orphans, and bereaved families.

Don't say "the deal could have been made earlier and the kidnapped who died for nothing" (even if you think it's true) — it divides the families of the hostages.

Even if you support the deal, do not make light of the terrible bloody price of releasing terrorists wholesale, and stopping the destruction of Hamas's capabilities and rule in Gaza, for the sake of apologetics. This is an insensitive and baseless statement, which rightly causes an uprising and harsh counter-reactions.

Even if you oppose the deal, do not make light of the suffering of the hostages, and of the urgent need to release them. This is a terrible and outrageous, ethical, and moral, and humane statement, and it also rightly causes harsh counter-reactions.

And to Smotrich and Ben Gvir, I say, as one who voted for you and appreciates you, do not resign from the government because of the deal!

This is not the time to collapse a government with a broken voice, this is not the time to add strength to the militant opposition and oppose everything the government does.

This is a time of unity…

Even if this 'unity' requires gritting your teeth and aligning yourself with a decision that you believe is dangerous and contrary to Israeli interests.

Please, supporters, critics, and especially politicians, rise to the magnitude of the moment when the people of Israel are standing up for themselves in the face of their enemies and have a thoughtful and respectful discourse based on political partnership.

You know very well that the day after the deal, the State of Israel will still face enormous challenges, great dangers, and historic opportunities.

Do not dismantle the delicate fabric of Israeli society.

Do not harm the main strategic asset of the State of Israel: Unity.

Show responsibility,

Rise to the magnitude of the hour.

Thank you very much,

Hagai Luber

And:

How dare you?

Don't you dare say that those who oppose the deal don't care about the hostages.

And that opposition to the deal is motivated by political considerations,

and it is not Jewish, and it is not moral, and it is not human.

This is a cynical, ugly, and false statement.

It is likely that my son, if he were alive, would oppose the deal.

And he was human when he rushed to save the platoon.

And he was Jewish when he diligently observed the mitzvah of going to war.

And he was moral when he fell fighting to save the hostages in the name of brotherhood.

And like him, is everyone who opposes the deal,

sure with all his heart that it will bring a terrible, bloody price.

And as in war, we are forced to painfully decide what is more dangerous,

and what terrible price we will pay in a deal with the devil.

And it is clear that the state is responsible for the fate of the hostages,

but it is no less responsible for the fate of the rest of the citizens.

And if the opponents of the deal were silent out of fear for the families of the hostages and the media, it would be unJewish, unethical, and unhuman to avoid criticism.

And on the other hand, don't you dare say that my son's death was in vain,

because his blood, which covered the battlefield,

saved many soldiers, whom he loved.

And helped destroy damned terrorists.

And restored deterrence against the enemies,

And restored the trust of the citizens to the IDF.

And even if there is a deal, and the war stops

and hundreds of murderous terrorists are released,

He and the hundreds who fell,

still brought the people of Israel brilliant achievements.

So please, public figures, talkbackers, and journalists:

the discourse on the deal is so charged and delicate,

and requires us to rethink wording.

Don't hurt people who are hurting and bereaved.

And may we be rewarded with a correct decision, between two values.

Amen,

Hagai Luber