A universe is lost

Yesterday morning I read the Israeli online papers as is my habit, and I quickly skimmed over the reports of the murder of an Israeli “settler”. A later report carried news that two 18 year old Palestinian Arabs had been arrested and confessed to the brutal stabbing murder of settler.

I didn’t initially pay a great deal of attention to this death. It was just one death among many. Of course, most of the Israeli papers make it easy to forget the individual death of anyone once the dreaded “settler” tag is used. Settlers are great demons of Israeli politics. It’s so easy to characterize and write them off as crazed right-wing religious zealots; and in fact, even my own Minister of Foreign Affairs recently attended an Israeli conference wherein he gave a speech which suggested Israeli settlers are the main obstacle to peace in the Middle East. And no one raised their voice to say ‘bah’ to that.

In fact, I suspect this comment at the Jerusalem Post encapsulates what a great many think and feel about the murder of a settler in Eretz Israel.

23. Natural Reaction to Occupation & Trespassing
Marlyin
02/27/2007 00:58

I feel for this man's family, but lets face the facts. In many countries, one is allowed to kill trespassers such as those who inhabit the illegal settlements in the West Bank. This is a natural reaction to the death and destruction Israel is reaping on the poor innocent Palestinians. The boys were just defending their national right to self determination. This is a pure math equation based on universal laws.

But lets put this settler’s death another way. I want you to imagine in your mind, a simple 42 year old man going outside to pray in forest grove. In an act of personal prayer, unbeknownst to our father of three, he has been stalked by two young men. In the very midst of his personal prayer to his G-d, he is set upon and brutally stabbed to death for “nationalistic reasons” by the two young men.

The young men in question are just 18 years old and have no ties to the victim of their expression of nationalistic rage. He has never issued a cross word to or deed against the two young men in question which they can recount or recall. His only allege sin is he dares to live and breathe in a land where the “other” says no Jews have a right to live or even breathe. Let alone pray.

Later on in the day I read this Jerusalem Post account, wherein I learned the name of the dreaded settler and that he was a Breslov Chassid. And I was moved. I hold a special place in my heart for Breslovers. When I was young, I kept thinking my grandfather had a friend called Robbie Notchman who he would often quote to me. It wasn’t until I grew older that I learned he was quoting the words of Rabbi Nachman.

It’s hard to describe the eternal hope, essential goodness and optimism which in fuses the writings and teachings of Rabbi Nachman and his followers. A few months ago, the Last Amazon talked me into watching a movie from Israel about a Breslov couple. Now the Last Amazon knows very little about Breslov philosophy per say, though there are a few things I have tried to pass on to her as were passed on to me.

Half way through the movie she turned to me and said, "I don’t think I could ever live among these people." When I asked why her answered surprised me. She is a pretty typical secular Canadian teenager so I immediately assumed she meant the clothes or one of the 1001 restrictions which govern their lives but it wasn't that. It was because they strived to be too good, too joyful and too kind. She felt, she would always feel too inadequate and unworthy in their company. I half suspect she is not alone in this regard. It’s easy for many to heap scorn upon the followers of Rabbi Nachman, but oh, how much hard it is to be.

A friend described Erez Levanon in this Jerusalem Post article as a man who “didn't wait for happiness to find him, he was invested in creating it for himself and others around him". Later on I came across these words at Lazer Beams concerning the passing of Erez Levanon:

Erez wasn't a person - he was a universe. He was the epitome of everything beautiful - the Land of Israel, the settlement of Bat Ayin, the Judean Hills, Rebbe Nachman's teachings, Judaism, Jewish outreach, brotherly love, humility, holiness, Chassidism, and the mellow strains of a sublime guitar.

Erez devoted his life to Hashem, to Rebbe Nachman, and to Jewish Outreach. He spent the last seven summers roaming the boondocks of India looking for lost Jewish souls that he could bring back to the fold with the magnetism of his ever-so-gentle personality and sweet guitar.

Words defy description of the evil that could extinguish such an exquisite candle. Erez was murdered while talking to Hashem in personal prayer, at one of his favorite spots for hitbodedut. People ask, "Why?"

Since we don't have the Holy Temple and ritual sacrifices that atone for our sins, Erez of blessed and saintly memory was undoubtedly taken as a flawless sacrifice for all of Israel. We are therefore required - wherever we may be - to mourn his death.

As a martyr who was killed in the sanctification of Hashem's name, Erez shall reach the loftiest portals of Heaven. May he intercede for all of us, amen. Baruch Dayan Emes.

I man cut down in prayer. An entire universe lost forever to us. Make no mistake - we are all the poorer for it.