This World Is Very Much Lacking in True Justice and That's On Us!

10 Tevet 5786

The Third of Three Fast Days

Technically, the eighth, ninth and tenth of Tevet are all fast days; however, the first two days are kept privately by the righteous among us and the tenth is the dedicated public fast day which this year is observed from 5:02 am in the morning until 5:06 pm in the evening in Jerusalem.

I was quite astounded by the number of times the word "justice" came up over the past two days.  When things repeat, it is a sign to pay attention to a possible message coming through.  

The first time was on the first fast day and was the inspiration for my blog post for that day which concerned "Justice for Ahuvia" (Sandak).

The second time was on the second fast day and was the inspiration for my blog post of this morning which concerned a promise made to the public by the police in regard to what they called animal abuse "to act resolutely to bring those involved to justice."

The third reference I saw to "justice" today appeared on "X" in several different posts.  It concerned a Chinese military exercise around Taiwan called "Justice Mission 2025."

Interestingly, the accompanying picture featured a doubling of the word justice exactly like the verse from Devarim, "Justice, justice you shall pursue...."

Then, tonight, I started looking for some inspiration for my Asara b'Tevet Fast Day blog post and decided to focus on the promise of the Prophet Zechariah that the fast days would, in the future, become holidays of rejoicing. 

So said the Lord of Hosts: The fast of the fourth [month], the fast of the fifth [month], the fast of the seventh [month], and the fast of the tenth [month] shall be for the house of Judah for joy and happiness and for happy holidays - but love truth and peace.   [Ch.8, vs.19]  

Until now, I was speaking primarily of the three Tevet fast days, but these are the four primary public fast days related to the loss of Yerushalayim which are required for all able adults.  They are 1) Shiva Asar b'Tammuz; 2) Tisha b'Av; 3) Fast of Gedalia; and, 4) Asara b'Tevet.

What all of us wants (and needs) to know is what can we do make this our reality?  When will we have fully atoned for the sins which created these fast days in the first place?  What does Hashem require of us to turn the fasting into rejoicing?  

When the question was put to the Prophet Zechariah, this was the answer he received from Hashem...

Thus spoke Hashem, Master of Legions, saying: "Judge with truthful justice, and perform kindness and mercy towards one another.  Do not oppress the widow and the orphan, the convert and the poor, and do not think in your hearts of wrongdoing one another."  [Ch.7, vss. 9 - 10]

Obviously, no generation has yet found the faith and moral strength to fulfill these conditions and therefore, we remain in days of fasting until now.

In fact, the Prophet records the following...

"...they refused to heed, and they turned a rebellious shoulder, they made their ears hard of hearing.  They made their hearts like hard iron, rather than hear the teaching and the words that Hashem, Master of Legions, had sent by His spirit through the earliest prophets,...."  [Ch. 7, vss 11 - 13]

See, this was not the first time they were hearing these things, just like it's not the first time we are hearing them either.  We chose also not to listen.  Apparently, we love our suffering too much to part with it.  

It's not a coincidence that "Judicial Reform" was the catalyst for massive protests and the polarization and breakdown of social cohesion in the days prior to the Simchat Torah Massacre.

I think the message is that Justice is the first key that opens the first door into the world of Geulah.  That said, I don't know how many other doors there are or what they are called, but this is a very loud message coming across about justice and it indicates to me that time is fast running out for us to finally make the clear choice to do the right thing - starting with insisting that justice be done in all matters.

Justice requires the Judicial Reform to be completed and for police reform to begin so that the officers are actually protectors of the public rather than their persecutors.  It requires the return of the final deceased hostage.  It requires the execution of every terrorist in Gaza and the complete takeover of the land along with the deportation of all its non-Jewish residents after which immediate resettlement by Jews must begin.  

The expulsion from Gush Katif is a putrid running sore on our historical timeline.  Justice requires amends to be made commensurate with the damage caused.  In the resettlement of Gaza, special dispensation must be given to those who were formerly expelled, along with the widows and orphans of the fallen soldiers in all the Gaza wars and to returned hostages.  All who have blood invested in that land should have priority in its resettling, NOT oligarchs and foreign real estate moguls who mean to swoop in and take what has already been bought dearly by our own citizens.  That's just for starters.  

JUSTICE requires no less!!!!  Maybe the Tenth of Tevet will one day be celebrated as Jewish Return to Gaza Day.  We have hope!  True justice is the first step towards a happier, more fulfilling future.  Who doesn't want that!?

Here's to an easy and successful and final fast!!  May it bring about the changes we so desperately need!