A Light in the Dark

24 Sivan 5782

How ironic is it that as our nation is moving into the darkest place of the yearly cycle - Tammuz/Av - a leader is stepping forward whose very name declares unequivocally that he is a bearer of light...

יאיר (Yair - meaning "enlightened") לפיד (Lapid - meaning "torch")

There is another famous name which mean "lightbearer" in Latin - Lucifer.  But, if you listen to Yair Lapid's speeches, you'd never be able to make a case for him being the devil incarnate.  He sounds eminently rational and reasonable and very fair-minded.  He only has problems with "extremists" and "messianists" - all those who threaten "democracy" (an invention of the Greeks).

And where do we see the "torch" in our modern world today?  At the opening of the Greek-style Olympic games:  "The Olympic flame symbolizes the light of spirit, knowledge and life. By passing the flame from one person to another in stages, the Torch Relay expresses the handing down of this symbolic fire from generation to generation."

This is, of course, in opposition to the Light of the Torah which the Jewish People have handed down from generation to generation since receiving it at Har Sinai.

Greek "Enlightenment" vs. The Light of Torah Truth - that is what Yair Lapid represents and it is he, the leader of the Erev Rav, whom Mashiach is coming to defeat.

Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid’s recent 6,000-word essay set out a centrist vision of Israel’s future and warned of the danger of the country becoming an ‘illiberal democracy’. ...by making his central thesis that Israeli democracy is in trouble, Lapid has placed himself at the head of the battle to save it. ...Today’s ‘political moment’ calls for a focus not on peace, but on democracy. (Source)

I couldn't end this without mentioning the name of Lapid's political party - יש אתיד ("Yesh Atid : There is a future").  

Together with Gideon Sa'ar's "New Hope" party, they remind me of Yirmiyahu 29.11: "For I know the thoughts that I think about you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

It's like HKB"H hinting to us from behind the curtain.  "This is all just Me in disguise."  Take courage, our future is bright, no thanks to Yair Lapid.