37 Years Since Jerusalem's Liberation

Israel National News ^ | May 17, '04 / 26 Iyar 5764 | Rabbi Dov Begon

[yonif]

On the day the Kotel was liberated, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook and Rabbi David Cohen, "the Nazir", were privileged to be among the first to arrive there, together with the paratroopers who had liberated it. Rabbi Kook then stirringly proclaimed, "We have come home. We shall never leave." We all felt our spirits exalted.

Motta Gur's historic cry - "The Temple Mount is in our hands!" - thrilled millions of Jews in Israel and throughout the world.

During those moments, it was hard to understand why Rabbi Kook should have to cry out so forcefully, "We shall never leave." Was anyone threatening us? Surely, in those moments we had just arrived.

Yet, the wise man is the one with foresight. Rabbi Kook indeed saw what lay ahead. He saw that our enemy neighbors and the nations of the world would not resign themselves to our having returned home, to the Temple Mount and to Jerusalem being in our hands.

From then until today, our enemies have been fighting us, striving to banish us from Jerusalem, whether by means of wars such as the Yom Kippur War, whether by means of the Intifada, or whether by means of the most dangerous war, the "peace attack" in which our enemies take advantage of the weakness of some of our leaders. In the meantime, the goal of them all is to conquer Jerusalem and to steal it from the Jewish People.

Today, the war over Jerusalem has not ceased for a moment. It continues by way of our struggle to hold on to all parts of our land, Gush Katif, Judea and Samaria, the Golan Heights, the Galilee, the Negev, etc. It is our duty to defend the Land, to build it up, to strengthen it, to fight for it and to take hold of every part of it.

Where will we draw the strength and fortitude to struggle for our land and for Jerusalem? From acquiring a genuine realization of Jerusalem's role for us and for the entire world. Jerusalem is the heart of the nation and the heart of the world. G-d's name was called upon Jerusalem and upon us: "For Your name was called upon Your city and upon Your people." (Daniel 9:19)

By means of Jerusalem and the Jewish People, G-d's goodness is revealed in the world. Moses said, "Please let me see the good land across the Jordan, this good mountain and the Lebanon." (Deuteronomy 3:25) Rashi comments, "'This good mountain' refers to Jerusalem and 'Lebanon' refers to the Temple."

Jerusalem is a mountain of goodness. It is the light of the world. For that goodness and for the revelation of the divine light in the world, we are fighting the sons of darkness. Through Jerusalem, we shall defeat those who would darken the world, as it says, "Netzach is Jerusalem." (Berachot 58a) Marharsha explains, "Jerusalem is Israel's nitzachon [victory]."

We are rejoicing over Jerusalem's happiness and looking forward to complete salvation.

[yonif]

Ping.

[sr4402]

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, they will prosper that love thee.

[wgeorge2001]

'Lebanon' refers to the Temple."

Interesting article with one mistake; their was no temple in the land before Israel crossed the Jordan and conquered the Canaanite nations under Joshua, the son of Nun and former minister to the then departed Moses. The temple mount was built by Solomon, the son of king David, some 500 years later ( some 1000 years before the birth of Christ). The tent of the tabernacle was with Israel for many centuries in the place called Shiloh once Israel had conquered and won the land from the pagans.

[Bobby777]

I thought it was liberated during the 1967 Six Day War (37 years yes) but I thought that happened in June, 1967? ...

[stumpy]

Nope differant war. In 67 Israel regained the Golan Heights from the Syrians.

[Bobby777]

in 1967 they retook the West Bank, which Jordan took back in the 1948 attack on Israeli settlers ...

BUT I thought the paratroopers landed on Har Kotel in June of 1967 ... I don't recall a war immediately before June 4, 1967 ... I'm confused ...