Words From Rabbi White

When I was growing up in Boston, one of the most popular Israeli songs began with the words tse’na tse’na tse’na ha-banot u-re’na, hayyalim ba-moshava meaning “come girls and see, there are soldiers (i.e. Tsahal) in our settlement.”

[The words were probably inspired by the last verse in Song of Songs, chapter 3, “come out, O daughters of Zion (that is , Jerusalem), and see King Solomon.]

However, using my poetic license, I have changed the words to be appropriate for a special event to be held this coming Monday, ‘im Yirtseh HaShem:

tse’na tse’na tse’na ha-banot u-re’na ha-horim bidsei te`ufah, meaning “come out girls and see, your parents are at the airport.”

For, you see, Gila and Elinor, the two daughters of Prof. Ron and Mary Ruth Gehr, (and also two former students of mine at Herzliah) have both made aliya, and are living in Jerusalem with their husbands and children. And now, these banot will have the privilege of seeing their parents moving to the Jerusalem area.

Ron and Mary Ruth have been good friends of mine for many years, and have also been valuable members of the Spanish in general and Chevra Shaas in particular.

And what a fantastic week for making aliya: as we read in this week’s parasha how HaShem delineates for Moshe the boundaries of Erets Yisrael, introduced by the words zo’t ha’arets, “this is the land!”

And as the Book of Bamidbar comes to a conclusion, and we recite the words “be strong , be strong, and let us be strong,” we say to the Gehrs, may you have the strength to have a successful qelitah, absorption, and let us here at Chevra Shaas be inspired by your decision.

And to quote the words of the prophet Isaiah, (chapter 55) “may you leave in happiness and arrive in peace, the mountains and hills will burst out in joy, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”

We began this essay with a reference to soldiers.  So we wish to express our best wishes to Malka Miriam Vann, who has just completed her service as a soldier with Tsahal, and to her mother Sara Leiba. A sach nachas!

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Menahem White, Chevra Shaas