Reflections on my lightning visit to Israel

I flew to Israel on 9/11 for my new grandson’s brit mila.

I mention this most widely-recognised date in recent international history only because my Qantas-codeshare Finnair flight from Sydney to Bangkok was over a third empty.  I strongly suspect the reason to have been that many, harbouring a possibly-subconscious superstition, opted not to travel on the day of the anniversary of the Twin Towers assault. My fare, though not cheap, was only two thirds of what I would have paid the following day.

Could it be that fares were reduced because planes couldn’t be filled?  Tellingly, the El Al flight from Bangkok – which flew later that same day – was chock-full with returning Israelis who were obviously familiar with Vayikra 19:26 and not bothered by the inauspicious date. I would imagine that no Israeli would hesitate to book a flight home for October 7th either, if they needed  to.

More on the questionable significance of the secular (solar) anniversary of the Hamas invasion and massacre in a forthcoming piece.

However a sobering reality set in when I took my place in the queue at passport control for foreign passport holders at Ben Gurion. I use the word “queue” advisedly as there were only a handful of visitors ahead of me.  The once bustling airport was almost like a ghost town. Sadly, many potential tourists have been persuaded by the agenda-dominated media that Israel is a “war zone” when in fact  – if Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem are anything to go by – life at least in the centre of Israel  goes on pretty much as normal.  It has to.

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My lightning trip was for the joyous purpose of celebrating the brit mila of my second grandson (and eighth grandchild in all) who has been named Akiva Moshe.

In my words of blessing at the mitsva meal following the brit, where I was accorded the honour of pronouncing the blessing and naming of my grandson, I remarked upon the  significance of the number eight as symbolising ma’ala min ha-teva, transcending the natural, teva, represented by the number seven.  Brit mila takes place on the eighth day of the infant’s life – after his neshama has experienced the joy of a Shabbat which comforts him somewhat, following his enforced sudden exodus from the Edenesque cocoon of the womb. Interestingly, brit mila was Abraham’s eighth mitsva (see Gen. 17:10), additional to the seven Noachic mitsvot that he already had; and it was also his eighth major test, a mighty one transcending nature.

And Akiva Moshe is our eighth grandchild.

Little did I know the extent of the supernaturality of Akiva’s birth. In fact the ma’ala min hateva precedes Akiva by three of his siblings!

My son in law Dovid revealed to us at the mitsva seuda (attended by relatives and very close friends) that an expert medical specialist  had told him and my daughter after our fourth grandchild Penina was born that having more children would incur enormous risks. However Dovid, being Dovid, decided to consult another expert opinion – that of Rav Kanievsky ztl, the most renowned sage and tsadik then living, in the non-Chasidic Orthodox world. His words were al tefakhed -“Don’t worry, everything will be fine!”

Dovid and Ashira decided to take his advice – and have been blessed, by the grace of G-D, with four more healthy children, may they be well and strong bis 120.

Dovid also disclosed to us the remarkable story behind the name Akiva. (Moshe was after both Judith’s and my late father zl both of whom bore that illustrious name,)

About ten months ago, my oldest grandchild Efraim came home from school one day in a very bad mood.  One of his classmates had played a nasty trick on him and he was determined to get even.  His wise mother calmed him down and advised him “instead of planning to get even with him, be mevater him, and in that merit HaShem will assuredly listen to and answer whatever tefila (prayer-wish) you ask for”.

Mevater is impossible to translate into English.  That is because it is a uniquely Jewish concept.  It means to overlook a wrong done to one but not from of a place of weakness but from a place of strength – recognising that it will ultimately not only serve as a lesson to the perpetrator but will be of ultimate emotional satisfaction and spiritual benefit to oneself – notwithstanding that in any event revenge is explicitly forbidden in the Torah in the same verse that proclaims ve-ahavta le-reiacha kamocha, love your fellow as yourself (Lev 19:18), which the great Rabbi Akiva deemed klal gadol ba-Torah, “an overarchingly fundamental principle in the Torah” They are two sides of the same coin.

Efraim listened to her advice – and davened for a long-awaited baby brother (he has six younger sisters). A month later Ashira conceived – and the rest, as they say, is history!

Yes indeed, G-D listens both to the words of tsadikim and the prayers of those who are mevater!

* * *

Excluding the day of my arrival and my departure, I was in Israel for just five days which included Shabbat, Erev Shabbat and the day of the brit. I had come to celebrate a simcha, not to travel.  However, I could not leave without visiting Jerusalem, strolling through the rova (Jewish Quarter of the Old City) and davening at the Kotel (Western Wall).

 For my second successive visit post-22/7, I witnessed a graduation ceremony of newly-inducted soldiers into the IDF. This is no mere protocol. The soldiers make upon the Tanakhs (Bibles) with which they are presented a solemn havtakha (promise or pledge) to G-D at Judaism’s holiest site to defend Israel with their very lives.

Two things struck me particularly at this time. Firstly that, to our great sorrow, these ceremonies are more prolific presently as, with the build-up of escalation particularly in the north in a war that has now lasted almost a year, more and more soldiers are needed to defend Israel’s citizens. Secondly that despite the assumption that Israel is a secular country, the service of our brave IDF soldiers is founded upon a sacred pledge.  I wonder how many other armies in the world of nations can say that!

It made me very proud of Israel and gave me a renewed understanding of G-D’s extraordinary protection of the IDF and of the citizens of the State that has prevailed over her entire history and especially during the past year.

We daven for the day that such pledges are no longer necessary, when “the children of Jacob will again have peace and tranquillity with no-one to make them afraid!” (Jer. 30:10).

May the only cries we hear be cries of joy as we celebrate our simchas, our bar and bat mitsvas, our betrothals, our marriages and the bringing of precious new life into our world!