- Imagine him as a little boy growing up around antisemitic Catholic children who look for every opportunity to taunt and attack him. - Imagine him coming of age when the Six Days War and the Yom Kippur War took place and all he wanted in the world was to be there, but elderly parents didn't want to let him go yet. - Imagine him being in a job where he heard antisemitic and holocaust jokes and then found himself privy to knowledge at that job that could save a massive number of Jewish lives if he were willing to take the risk. - Imagine that he is discovered and runs to the Israeli embassy for rescue and then imagine the ultimate betrayal as he is once again thrown into the pit by his brothers. - Imagine that his sick wife is used as a bargaining chip. If he waives his right to trial, she would be let go, but once he does, they lock her in prison for five years, withholding her medicine. - Imagine the "pit" is first an actual insane asylum and then an isolation cell several levels below ground. They physically and mentally torture him, even to breaking his bones, knowing that this is meant to be for the rest of his life. - Imagine that his pure motives are besmirched by unjust accusations and his name and character are slandered and there is nothing in the world he can do about it. - Imagine his parents die and not only does he never see them again, he is not even allowed compassionate leave to attend their funerals. - Imagine after 30 years, a parole comes through, but it is just an exchange of one prison cell for another. He still has no "life" and remains cut off from the land of his yearning - Eretz Yisrael. - Imagine that the 5 years of parole ends and he is finally "free" to travel only to find that the entire world has become a prison...
Now imagine, what if our freedom and ultimate salvation depends on him.
In the ensuing years, as the relationship between [Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, ztz"l] the Rav and Jonathan grew deeper and more complex, the Rav would visit Jonathan every time he came to America. Unlike other Israeli officials who would always try to arrange a visit with Jonathan at the last second as an afterthought, visiting Jonathan was always the Rav's first priority. The Rav did not relish leaving Eretz Yisrael and was always reluctant to be away from Yerushalyim. But for Jonathan, he was willing. He told us that he gladly accepted invitations to appear at various functions and events in the US only so that he could visit Jonathan! I had the great privilege of attending most of these visits.
Over time, the Rav shared with us and with a few others who were very close to him that Jonathan's release is the key to the redemption of all of Am Yisrael.
He taught us how Jonathan's release is also the key to the release of all of Israel's captives and MIAs. Once Jonathan is out, all the captives are all out! Once they are all out, we are all in Geula!
Perhaps most significant of all, the Rav always referred to Jonathan as the "Yosef HaTzadik shel doreinu" (The Yosef Hatzadik of our generation.)
While the Rav never forbid me from speaking of these things publicly, he himself was reluctant to do so. I remember asking him, many years ago: "Kavod HaRav, if you know all these things about Jonathan, why don't you say so openly? Why don't you speak about this in public?"
The Rav responded with a sigh, "Esther," he said, "it would not help anyone if I were to do so. Every Jew has to wake up; to open his/her own eyes; to realize for themselves that we have the Yosef HaTzadik of our generation languishing in a pit in America. Every Jew has to feel the pain of his suffering and to decide on his/her own to participate in this mitzvah -- to do whatever he or she can to redeem Jonathan, and in so doing, effectively redeem themselves. We have to wake up Am Yisrael to this mitzvah!"
TEN YEARS:"In the history of the United States, no other spy convicted for passing intelligence to an ally has received a life sentence. In fact, the maximum sentence for such an offense today is 10 years while the median sentence has always been 2 to 4 years.
"Imprisoned spy Jonathan Pollard's handler revealed on Monday that he agreed to supply the United States with information proving Pollard’s guilt, since he knew that the United States and Israel had an agreement to release Pollard from prison after he served a ten-year sentence.
Yosef HaTzaddik was sentenced to ten years in prison, but Hashem added two years to the total. According to Midrash, Moshe Rabbeinu was imprisoned for ten years.
Our Sages said that Mashiach ben Yosef, like Moshe Rabbeinu, who was raised in Paro's palace, would grow up in Edom. Born in the United States, from high security clearance at the NSA in Washington, DC to the depths of the Federal Prison system to house arrest in Manhattan. No other Jew in our generation comes as close to fitting the role. No other Jew in our generation knows by experience the depth of depravity of the evil that rules in Edom - a knowledge and experience MBY will have to have in order to accomplish his mission.
Rivka Levy and co say the same about Rabbi Berland - that he is Moshiach and sitting in jail for crimes he did not do. Of course you can’t compare length of sentence to Pollards. I have no opinion on either man but I do think Pollard has suffered far more than he should have.
In his memoir released in 2022, Benjamin Netanyahu shares his unforgettable encounters with the Lubavitcher Rebbe. I went to see the Lubavit...
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"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked. "Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad." "How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."
6 comments:
Imagining the Sufferings of a Potential MBY
- Imagine him as a little boy growing up around antisemitic Catholic children who look for every opportunity to taunt and attack him.
- Imagine him coming of age when the Six Days War and the Yom Kippur War took place and all he wanted in the world was to be there, but elderly parents didn't want to let him go yet.
- Imagine him being in a job where he heard antisemitic and holocaust jokes and then found himself privy to knowledge at that job that could save a massive number of Jewish lives if he were willing to take the risk.
- Imagine that he is discovered and runs to the Israeli embassy for rescue and then imagine the ultimate betrayal as he is once again thrown into the pit by his brothers.
- Imagine that his sick wife is used as a bargaining chip. If he waives his right to trial, she would be let go, but once he does, they lock her in prison for five years, withholding her medicine.
- Imagine the "pit" is first an actual insane asylum and then an isolation cell several levels below ground. They physically and mentally torture him, even to breaking his bones, knowing that this is meant to be for the rest of his life.
- Imagine that his pure motives are besmirched by unjust accusations and his name and character are slandered and there is nothing in the world he can do about it.
- Imagine his parents die and not only does he never see them again, he is not even allowed compassionate leave to attend their funerals.
- Imagine after 30 years, a parole comes through, but it is just an exchange of one prison cell for another. He still has no "life" and remains cut off from the land of his yearning - Eretz Yisrael.
- Imagine that the 5 years of parole ends and he is finally "free" to travel only to find that the entire world has become a prison...
Now imagine, what if our freedom and ultimate salvation depends on him.
Rabbi Mordecai Eliyahu Letter: Pollard Case Highest Form of Mitzvah of Pidyan
"YOSEF HATZADIK SHEL DOREINU"
In the ensuing years, as the relationship between [Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, ztz"l] the Rav and Jonathan grew deeper and more complex, the Rav would visit Jonathan every time he came to America. Unlike other Israeli officials who would always try to arrange a visit with Jonathan at the last second as an afterthought, visiting Jonathan was always the Rav's first priority. The Rav did not relish leaving Eretz Yisrael and was always reluctant to be away from Yerushalyim. But for Jonathan, he was willing. He told us that he gladly accepted invitations to appear at various functions and events in the US only so that he could visit Jonathan! I had the great privilege of attending most of these visits.
Over time, the Rav shared with us and with a few others who were very close to him that Jonathan's release is the key to the redemption of all of Am Yisrael.
He taught us how Jonathan's release is also the key to the release of all of Israel's captives and MIAs. Once Jonathan is out, all the captives are all out! Once they are all out, we are all in Geula!
Perhaps most significant of all, the Rav always referred to Jonathan as the "Yosef HaTzadik shel doreinu" (The Yosef Hatzadik of our generation.)
While the Rav never forbid me from speaking of these things publicly, he himself was reluctant to do so. I remember asking him, many years ago: "Kavod HaRav, if you know all these things about Jonathan, why don't you say so openly? Why don't you speak about this in public?"
The Rav responded with a sigh, "Esther," he said, "it would not help anyone if I were to do so. Every Jew has to wake up; to open his/her own eyes; to realize for themselves that we have the Yosef HaTzadik of our generation languishing in a pit in America. Every Jew has to feel the pain of his suffering and to decide on his/her own to participate in this mitzvah -- to do whatever he or she can to redeem Jonathan, and in so doing, effectively redeem themselves. We have to wake up Am Yisrael to this mitzvah!"
Yet again, on behalf of the rabbi, thank you.
TEN YEARS: "In the history of the United States, no other spy convicted for passing intelligence to an ally has received a life sentence. In fact, the maximum sentence for such an offense today is 10 years while the median sentence has always been 2 to 4 years.
"Imprisoned spy Jonathan Pollard's handler revealed on Monday that he agreed to supply the United States with information proving Pollard’s guilt, since he knew that the United States and Israel had an agreement to release Pollard from prison after he served a ten-year sentence.
Yosef HaTzaddik was sentenced to ten years in prison, but Hashem added two years to the total. According to Midrash, Moshe Rabbeinu was imprisoned for ten years.
Our Sages said that Mashiach ben Yosef, like Moshe Rabbeinu, who was raised in Paro's palace, would grow up in Edom. Born in the United States, from high security clearance at the NSA in Washington, DC to the depths of the Federal Prison system to house arrest in Manhattan. No other Jew in our generation comes as close to fitting the role. No other Jew in our generation knows by experience the depth of depravity of the evil that rules in Edom - a knowledge and experience MBY will have to have in order to accomplish his mission.
Just sayin'... Watch and we'll see...
Rivka Levy and co say the same about Rabbi Berland - that he is Moshiach and sitting in jail for crimes he did not do. Of course you can’t compare length of sentence to Pollards. I have no opinion on either man but I do think Pollard has suffered far more than he should have.
Just to clarify, I'm not saying he is, only that he is a candidate.
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