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Psalm 126 Hatikva

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Psalm 126 Hatikva We will be like dreamers: Rabbi Yohanan said: This When he awoke he saw a man gathering the fruit of the carob tree righteous man [Honi HaMa'agel] was troubled throughout the whole and he asked him, Are you the man who planted the tree? The man of his life about the meaning of the verse from Psalms 126 (which we replied: I am his grandson. He then exclaimed: It is clear that I have sing before the Grace after Meals on sabbaths and festivals), "A Song slept for seventy years. He then caught sight of his ass who had since of Ascents, When the Lord brought back those that returned to Zion, given birth to several generations; and he returned home. He asked, Is we will be like dreamers." He wondered: Is it possible for one the son of Honi HaMa'agel still alive? The people answered him, His man to live long enough to dream continuously for seventy years? [As son is no more, but his grandson is still living. He said to them: I am Honi HaMa'agel, but no one would believe him. it is written, "For the Lord said: When Babylon's seventy years are over, I will take Note of and I will fulfill you to my promise of favor-- to He then walked to the Beit Ha Midrash and there he overheard bring you back to this place." (Jeremiah 29:10)] One the scholars say, The law is as clear to us as in the day he was journeying on the road and he saw a carob days of Honi HaMa'agel, for whenever he tree; he asked him, How long does it take [for this came to the Beit Ha Midrash, he would tree] to bear fruit? The man replied: Seventy years. Psalm 126 settle for the scholars any difficulty that they had. He called out, I Are you certain that you will A song of ascents: When the Lord v²u«v±h cUOJ)C ,IPkQgRS©NR©v rhU¦Jt am he; but the scholars live another seventy years? restores the return to Zion, we will :ohB¦nDk«jDF UbhH°h¨vI iI·H@m ,OCch¦J,t would not believe him The man replied: I found be like dreamers. Our mouths will nor did they give him the [ready grown] carob trees in Ubh@P eIYj«§a t[Lk¨N°h z\¨tc be filled with laughter, our tongues, UOr§nt«h z¨t] vP²BS¦r Ub[¯bIJ)kU honor due to him. This the world; as my forefathers hurt him greatly and he planted these for me so I too with songs of joy. Then shall they vU²u«v±h` khP¦S±d¦v o·°hIDCc :veKR¥to@g ,I«PaQgRCk prayed [for death] and he plant these for my children. say among the nations, “The Lord died. Raba said: That is Honi sat down to have a has done great things for them!” ,I«PaQgRCkv²u«v±h] khO¦S±d¦vd why the folks say, Either meal and sleep overcame The Lord will do great things for us :ohR¦j¥n«§a UbhP°hg¨v UbU¨N@g you have companionship him and the rocks enclosed and we shall rejoice. Restore our v²u«v±h] vO/cUJs or you may as well be upon him which hid him [Ub·¥,h@c§J] Ub·¥,u@c§J,t dead. from sight and he continued return O Lord, like streams in the :c®dR®BC ohP¦eh@p£tRCF (Talmud Ta’anit 23a) Negev. They who sow in tears shall to sleep for seventy years. vU/g§n¦s)C ohP@g§r«Z©vv reap in joy. Though he goes along QnLk¯h QI\kg¨vu :Ur«Rm§e°h vP²B¦r)C weeping, carrying the seed-bag, he g©rP²ZS©vQJRn t«[¥a«b gv«f/cU shall come back with songs of joy, :uhR¨,«Npk£t t«U¥a«b` v·²B¦r)c tIPc²ht«qRC carrying his sheaves. Jewish heart: Hopes: My heart is in the east, and Hatikva Ein Yahav I in the uttermost west— A night drive to Ein Naftali Hertz Imber How can I find savour in Yahav in the Arava food? How shall it be sweet Desert, to me? a drive in the rain. Yes, in How shall I render my vows So long as still within our breasts 'v¨nh°b)P c"c#K%C sug k/F the rain and my bonds, while yet The Jewish heart beats true, /v²H¦nIv h¦sUv±h J/p®b There I met people who Zion lieth beneath the fetter So long as still towards the East v¨nh¦s¨e j¨r±z¦n h¥,tp)kU grow date palms, of Edom, and I in Arab To Zion, looks the Jew, /v°H@pIm iIH@m)k i°hCg there I saw tamarisk chains? trees and risk trees, So long our hopes are not yet lost— 'Ub¥,²u§e¦T v¨s)c¨t tO sIg A light thing would it seem there I saw hope barbed Two thousand years we cherished 'o°hCP)k©t ,Ib§J ,C v²u§e¦T©v to me to leave all the good 'UbLm§r©t)C h¦J)p¨j o/g ,Ih§v@k as barbed wire. things of Spain – them— And I said to myself: Seeing how precious in mine To live in freedom in the land /o°h%k¨JUrh°u iIH@m .rt That's true, hope needs eyes to behold the dust of Of Zion and Jerusalem. to be like barbed wire to the desolate sanctuary. keep out despair, (Yehuda Halevi 1141 CE) The land: Wherever I go, I am going to the Land of Israel. hope must be a mine (Rabbi Nachman of Braslav) field. (Yehuda Amichai) Jerusalem In the Snow With the sound and Jerusalem While velvet covers the town melody Is like this snow, Like a tallit, Of crystal, Beautiful at moments, The canopy of clouds The fragile heart But muddy for hours and days Like a wedding canopy above a bride Like a flake of snow. When it melts. (Anat Bental) Dressed in white. The wind ascends www.hillel.org .
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