Not Into Hell

 

"Israel will not descend into hell!"

 

To illustrate this bold assertion, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, author of the Zohar, taught the following parable:

 

 

The farmer began to work; he cleared, removed thorns and rocks, weeded and plowed; but unfortunately the soil was so poor that after he had duly sown the field, there grew only enough to yield a few pounds of wheat.  He nevertheless brought this poor crop to the sovereign.  When the king asked his tenant farmer for an explanation, the latter had little difficulty in presenting a defense; was the soil not so defective?"

 

Thus, when we awaken to our own imperfections, when we realize that we are surrounded by moral thorns and stones, we might well be tempted to exploit this fact and give up any effort at all. We could think: what is the point in laboring so much for a few wretched pounds of flour?

 

This is not the reaction of Israel, which has always worked its land, even if it was to become uncultivated again.  Even if we had a vast fallow terrain we should cultivated it all the same.

 

My mission consists in cultivating the soil that I have received and not to assess its crop!  Whatever grows, grows – I deal with my job and not with the result!

 

Such an approach will earn us the leniency of the Master of the harvest who, better than anyone else, knows the state of the soil.

 

Thanks to this attitude, the unremitting pioneer of hope will surely not descend into hell!"

 

 

Ivri, a Jew, has the same etiological root in Hebrew as the verb avar, to pass.   This indicates that a Jew is the man who passes; he passes over time, space, nothingness, on board his craft, his invincible trust. On board this Divine vessel of simple and solid trust, Israel sails across the gulf of nothingness, the storm of history.

 

 

 

When this message touches the most distant hearts, Mashiach will be able to reveal himself.

 

 

The man who speaks lucidly, nurtures his Faith and is inspired.  Anyone who clutters his mouth with defeatist talk – undermines his hope and seals off his heart.

 

Connect your speech to the Infinite: there where there is no wretchedness.  Talk positively, talk hope, talk trust.

 

 

The Jewish Soul is steeped in an unfailing hereditary faith, and thus we do not have to create this sentiment, but rather to develop and to preserve it.

 

Good words, a sigh of hope, a small prayer murmured secretly: all so many breaths of oxygen will bring back to life the hereditary consciousness menaced with suffocation from the polluted surroundings.

 

 

Right or wrong, this is not the question!  "The world rests on those who remain silent in time of conflict."  Those who accept that they are "wrong," when they are sure that they are right, will stop at the dangerous junction, even if the traffic light is green and will avert disasters! The whole world relies on them.

 

 

This was the expression used by Zechariah to qualify the Hebrews.  As prisoners who are chained to their cell, the Jews are bonded to the eternal hope that emanates from the vision of the prophets: they will never renounce their optimism, despite setbacks and crises. . . This is indeed an outstanding praise!

 

The believer invests all his probity, all his ability to strengthen his soul whether to arouse it or to reinforce it through all possible encouragement and in this way he rescues it from the surrender to exile.  A prisoner of hope refuses at all costs to be demoralized.

 

 

(Used with permission from COURAGE by Israel Isaac Besancon. Published by Shir Chadash Publishers).