Do we REALLY
Mean what we pray
In the לשבת ולר''ח שמונה עשרה we read:
Yet, despite that we insist on staying חו''ל.
Later on, in רצה we state
But the question is: Do we really want the return of sacrifices? Some would say "No, we've outgrown the need to slaughter animals to worship HaShem" while others would argue that this is a Torah commandment and cannot be cast aside if - when - the Temple is restored.
Making aliyah is not a decision to be made lightly.
It's not that life בחו''ל is all that great, especially for Jews in Europe, with its home grown anti-Semites and its imported Islamists. Canada and the U.S. have their problems, but - so far - nothing compared to Europe.
Israel, and those Zionists who view it through rose-colored glasses will dispute this, has its own share of problems.
As with the U.S., it has a political leader who "waffles." One day it's build new housing; the next it's tear down the new housing. It seems PA/Hamas Islamists who murder Jews have more rights and police protection in Israel than the Israeli Jews.
Obama in the U.S. seems to have trouble making up his mind, as if he is between a hammer (Islam) and an anvil (denouncing terrorists, Islamists and otherwise - if there IS an "otherwise").
In Israel there are members of knesset who promote destruction of Israel, who praise Islamists who attack the country in which they are members of the government. As "politically correct" as the U.S. has become, I don't believe Americans would tolerate such behavior from any member of its congress.
If you're looking for a cop in Israel and you are anywhere but outside the knesset building or cabinet members' residence, keep looking. Israelis can go for days without seeing any police presence. Some neighborhoods now hire "rent-a-cops" to patrol in an attempt to limit minor crimes; the rental cops have no real police power.
To be fair, it seems every time Israel does do something to protect its citizens - and that includes ALL of its citizens - someone, most often the UN or the EU - criticizes Israel.
It's "OK" for Hamas to send missiles into Israel from Aza, but then Israel retaliates Note 1 the world shakes its collective finger and condemns the Israeli action.
It's "OK" for Islamists to kidnap and murder Israeli civilians, but when Israel does what is necessary to punish the kidnappers and murderers, the world complains, yet look what America and Europe have done recently in response to real or perceived threats.
It's no wonder that people בחו''ל- assuming they understand what they say in their daily and Shabat prayers - are in truth lying, but to whom? Themselves or HaShem.
Maybe it's time to revisit and revise the prayers to eliminate the need for so many Jews to lie while they face Jerusalem.
FOR THE RECORD there are many good reasons to live in Israel (the government is not, IMO, one of those "good reasons"), but while aliyah is up, the bulk of us are firmly rooted to where we live now.
Note 1: Retaliate is defined as:
Verb
make an attack or assault in return for a similar attack.
Archaic
repay (an injury or insult) in kind
