Is being of "One Heart" possible?
Lev Echad [One Heart] is a phrase of hope and unity said by our Prophets
It's natural, when we experience a deep sadness, to want to move away from that dark space quickly. Tisha B'Av, with its 25 hour 'black' fast had us in its grip of mourning, loss, devastation and morose sadness. So we want to move on, put that behind us, and move forward with joy and optimism, thanking Hashem that we exist as a people, even without a Temple, despite all the hatred we’ve encountered, and the bloodshed that lingers in our memory.
But October 7th shattered our complacency, reminding us that the vilest of hatred is not just a thing of the past. For those who have sustained unbearable losses and for all who grapple with life without their loved ones, feelings of rage are very much in the present.
Yet, I'll ask what does it means to be a people with a single heart, a Lev Echad? How is this even possible in today's times? In the United States there is has been a tear in the fabric of American Jewry, fraying it almost beyond repair.
After October 7th, American Jews subtly shifted towards one end of the political spectrum or the other, and then the change became more radical in time. This is not news for anyone involved enough in Jewish life who reads this.
The question becomes how are we to deal with this? What will bring everyone together? How can we, above all, forget that there are those in the Jewish community who actually advocate on the Pro-Palestinian side for the very destruction of Israel? Israel is part of our history, our liturgy, our aspirational homeland and hope for thousands of years!
Historically, our enemies, destructive as they were, seemed to serve a purpose—bringing Jews together to fight for our survival. Vanquishing our threats in a unified way is a historical fact, but it is not part of our current reality.
There are no nationally recognized esteemed Jewish leaders, no quasi-government agencies who can push for ‘peace-talks’ among our own. Who will do this?
And what will our future look like if we remain on this course of divisiveness? Our prophets1 envisioned a time when we would be unified with “Lev Echad”, One Heart. Our hearts would guide us toward unity, towards a path where we would live together with mutual respect and love in the service of The Good. If they said it, we can hope it’s still possible. But we will need more than hope. We need the will to make it happen.
Notably Jeremiah 32:39 and Ezekiel 11:19.
love it :)