I have to admit that when I first watched The Japan Song, I thought the insertion of the tsunami footage wasn't exactly appropriate, but since then I've changed my mind and think we shouldn't be jumping to any conclusions regarding the mindset of the producers of the video - they are not saying the earthquake was Divine retribution for imprisoning the bochrim.... as this comment explains, posted by Creed of Noah in this blog post: Was it proper to use Tsunami Footage.
[Quoting]
[Quoting]
"If you watch the whole video from beginning to end the ENTIRE FOOTAGE is shot in Japan.
The video clip footage is basically showing the timeline of daily life in Japan from how it was since the time the Bochurim arrived up until now.
The scenes show daily life in Japan from their arrival, prison, daily business life and how life is currently in Japan today, ending with footage of a plane flying (obviously homebound to Eretz Yisroel with the Bochurim aboard it!)
The tsunami footage wasn't run any longer than any of the other frames in the video clip. Most of the footage is shot out of the window of some sort of transport showing the business district of Japan. It depicits daily life of what was and what now is.
I think the message in the video was that ANYTHING in life can change in a SPLIT MOMENT. We must have Emunah; Bitachon and not despair of what was; what will be. Everything is in the hands of Hashem.
May Hashem give Yaakov Yosef ; Yoel Zev the strength to hold out physically; mentally & be able to rise above their current situation and may they immediately be liberated and know the true meanig of L'fichoch Anachnu Chayovim!!!"
And here's another take on the situation [from the same comments] which we would do well to keep in mind:
Anonymous said...
Perhaps, by linking the earthquake in Japan with the imprisoned Jewish boys, we are reading the wrong message.
I do not want to be a scaremonger, but the Zohar (Shemot 17b), states that an earthquake occurs when a leader (or one of the guardian angels?) arises to do evil to ‘Am Yisrael.
Before that the Zohar (Shemot 6b) states that, 30 days before an attack on the [Jewish] people occurs in the land [of Israel], that matter is announced throughout the world.
Both of the above sayings are in the context of the verse in Mishle 30:21 “Because of three things the earth shakes”.
Now the terrorist bombing in Jerusalem of 23rd March 2011 occurred 30 days after the devastating earthquake in New Zealand (21st February 2011 UTC).
We should ask ourselves, is Hashem sending us a second and stronger warning with the much more severe earthquake in Japan (11th March 2011 UTC) for the 10th April 2011 (ח"ו)? If so, we may be missing the point? However, we are still in time to take preventive action, with a lot of soul searching and true Teshuva.
And then there's this: Missing Pieces to the Japanese Puzzle
Japan has consistently voted against Israel on U.N. resolutions against us. And while Japan has full veto rights, only the U.S. (mostly) vetoes them, at least until now.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, while many countries ban the sale of that anti-semitic book, "the protocols of the elder of zion," not only does Japan not ban it, but it has been the number one best seller there. Is that perhaps because the Japanese tend to be anti-semitic?
When I was in the Philippines, the very kind people there shared with me the fact that during World War II the Japanese would throw Filippino babies up in the air and catch them on their bayonets -- piercing/murdering/slaughtering Hashem's creations!!
And while the Filippino people are among the most humble people in the world, Japan maintains the highest level of hubris and arrogance that can not subsist in Yimos HaMashiach.
Finally, just as Japan met their fatal end in world war II with radiation, so too the judgment has come full circle closing out today -- as if to tell us there is one long intricate connection.
Lo alainu ma aleichem!
DS
On the face of it, it would seem preposterous to punish Japan for imprisonment of two Jews. On the other hand, who are we to judge the worth of a Jewish soul, let alone two.
ReplyDelete