The above word in Hebrew, "OZ" (or Az), is being graffiti spray-painted all over Israel...exactly like it appears above, in the "Torah Scroll" (stam) font (without any attribution to the Muqata, of course, since we don't advocate graffiti).
I have asked all sorts of characters "in the know" if they have any clue what this is about, and I have yet to get an answer. I asked my hitch-hikers in the Shomron if they knew...and they had no clue. I asked my kids...no idea.
I wonder if this new phenomena has to do with the Na-Nach-Nachma crowd which has been painting graffiti for years all over Israel, embarrassingly defacing buildings and antiquities, enough to make anyone crazy.
Top Israeli photographer Abba Richman even has an entire photo collection of "Na-Nach-Nachma" graffiti from all around Israel (here are some of the best).
The Na-Nach-Nachma people are all misguided Breslover Chassidim who think there's something good about defacing buildings with this message from Rabbi Nachman from Breslev. The history of Na-Nach-Nachma sounds similar to the Abracadabra incantation.
But who are the mysterious graffiti wizards of OZ?
What is their message?
What are they trying to say?
We're still investigating, and will keep taking pictures.
Oz Graffiti near Northern Chawara junction (near Yitzhar)
Oz Graffiti near Tapuach junction.
Oz Graffiti near Tapuach junction.
Oz Graffiti along the "security wall" near Pisgat Zeev, Jerusalem.
More pictures coming soon...
If you have a clue what their message is, by all means, leave a comment!
I have asked all sorts of characters "in the know" if they have any clue what this is about, and I have yet to get an answer. I asked my hitch-hikers in the Shomron if they knew...and they had no clue. I asked my kids...no idea.
I wonder if this new phenomena has to do with the Na-Nach-Nachma crowd which has been painting graffiti for years all over Israel, embarrassingly defacing buildings and antiquities, enough to make anyone crazy.
Top Israeli photographer Abba Richman even has an entire photo collection of "Na-Nach-Nachma" graffiti from all around Israel (here are some of the best).
The Na-Nach-Nachma people are all misguided Breslover Chassidim who think there's something good about defacing buildings with this message from Rabbi Nachman from Breslev. The history of Na-Nach-Nachma sounds similar to the Abracadabra incantation.
But who are the mysterious graffiti wizards of OZ?
What is their message?
What are they trying to say?
We're still investigating, and will keep taking pictures.
Oz Graffiti near Northern Chawara junction (near Yitzhar)
Oz Graffiti near Tapuach junction.
Oz Graffiti near Tapuach junction.
Oz Graffiti along the "security wall" near Pisgat Zeev, Jerusalem.
More pictures coming soon...
If you have a clue what their message is, by all means, leave a comment!
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael
25 comments:
I noticed this too, but I just thought I was too "green" to understand.
Perhaps they're just huge (crazy) fans of "The Wizard Of Oz"?
I think it just means we're not in Kansas anymore...
Toto, I'm scared.
I noticed it all over Jerusalem on my way to work today as well. I find it infuriating. I'll be watching this space for answers.
i guess it depends on whether יימלא שחוק פינו is part of the implication of the original AZ, or just something else someone added to that one.
Jameel: You might be interested in this background on Na Nach Nachma
I think it's a message from G-d. After all, hashem Oz la'amo yiten.
There's another one all over, in less interesting calligraphy: נפגעי נחמ"ש. Any ideas?
Safranit: See? It has nothing to do with being green!
Pragmat: Could be...but shouldnt they have only used Emerald green or yellow-brick-road-yellow?
Kasamba; Kansas? More like Wyoming.
Harry; If you find out any more info, please let me know! Thanks.
Steg: It may be a clue...or totally unconnected. We're still investigating.
ASJ: When blogger starts acting happier, I'll be able to see the link :-/
anon 3:06: Maybe it stands for Ariel Zilber?
anon 3:08 I have NO clue what that means...(but I admit, part of what makes this so interesting is the calligraphy)
Doesn't "Az" refer to the final redemption in various places in Tanach, according to the Midrash? For example, doesn't Rashi say something to that effect in his comment to "Az yashir Moshe..."? I think there are other examples, but I don't know them off the top of my head, and can't go searching right now.
I think it should be against the law to sell spray paint to anyone wearing a big white kippah.
But who are the mysterious graffiti wizards of OZ?
Sometimes I go on my tiyulim.
oz...az....aus...aussie...
aussie, aussie, aussie! oy, oy, oy!!!
lol
Jameel: While learning during my lunch break, I noticed the Ohr HaChaim's comment on Shemos 15:15 that might give you a hint:
"The word "az" does not refer to what happened at this time, but to what will happen when the final redemption of the Jewish people is at hand."
At first I thought it was just in ma'aleh adumim, but then I saw it in Jerusalem, too. It's very interesting ...
BTW because I started on the new Blogger beta it doesn't seem to give me trouble, but then again I don't post to my own blog very often ...
Shabbat Shalom everyone! We're off to Chevron this Shabbat. :)
J-lem locations (so far): Two on the metal barriers at Kikar Tzahal, one by the old train station.
More to follow....
The idea stated by Isaac and ASJ seems to make sense.
But what's up with elephants in February? (A question that's been bothering me for the last 7 years)
it's also on a wall on ben yehuda near the discount bank
I saw one in English today near the tachana merkazit in Jerusalem...
There's also another weird graffiti all around Kiryat Moshe that they write little tiny words in different shapes...
Jameel,
My first chochma was that this was the 'next step' in the process of revealing Moshiach (who is supposed to be in Eretz HaKodesh, who is supposed to be 39 years old, who is supposed to have been seen by Nava, who is supposed to be living in the Galilee somewhere, who might be in Rashbi's cave, who is supposed to be coming soon)!
Next, I thought there might be a passuk containing it's illusion. Maybe ASJ is on to something? I'm going to write some other blogs for their estimations bli neder.
PS, I loved those photos; and it didn't bother me too much; in fact I felt a surge of emuna and expectation.
Re the new blogger - I dislike it because it is not 'people-friendly' (that's an oxymoron, because it is a blog, after all), and run by some kooky guys I have a bone to pick with.
Jameel,
You may want to read these 4 pages by HaRav Ariel Bar Tsadok on this phrase:
http://koshertorah.com/PDF/abracadabra.pdf
(if anyone has difficulty getting it direct, go to the koshertorah.com, then 'Library' on left side page, and the 2nd entry is this pdf document.)
Kol Tuv
Maybe it's a bunch of Jewish Thelemites.
But I have a hunch that Isaac and Simple Jew are pointing in the right direction.
And Blogger still won't let me sign in.
This can't possibly be "oz" because oz, as in "Oz yiten le'amo" is spelled with the hebrew letter ayin.
The only thing I can come up with, that makes any sense with the letter aleph is (az) "so?". But, then, where is the requisite question mark?
We did not see any in Chevron, but my daughter's friend said that "everybody knows" that it was put up to laugh at the gay pride parade: Az yimalei tzchok pinu.
Go know. Anyway, that's what the 9th graders are saying.
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