Thursday, August 30, 2007

An Elul Posting: !מקימי

If you want me to look at a book quickly, it's best to have it positively reviewed in Makor Rishon or BiSheva (the only 2 newspapers we allow in the house).

Chagai Segal wrote the following about the book, Mikimi (מקימי) in this past week's Makor Rishon:
Once, I read an article by Rav Sharlo against the Tefillin Stands of Chabad [where they offer men to put on tefillin and say Shma], and I was convinced. I thought it wasn't appropriate for Judaism to market itself this way...through "amulets." Today I think otherwise. The Chabad Tefillin stand is a saviour of Eretz Yisrael...as is the Shabbat Candle stands of "Maaynei HaYeshua."

If I were Moetzet Yehsa, I would put up a stand in the Azrieli Center [in the middle of Tel Aviv] and distribute for free to every chiloni [secular Israeli] with an earing, this sweet by Yaron. It will do more for Eretz Yisrael than all the right wing speeches in the Knesset and all the articles on security of your's truly. While Yaron did not write word against Olso, (and it's good she didn't), if she manages to turn 1/5th of Tel Aviv into Breslaver Chassidim, Dayeinu. [it would be enough]"
Similar to Segal, I was never a huge fan of Chassidut...and there are aspects of Breslav I believe are totally incongruous with Rabbi Nachman's thoughts. Specifically, I disdain those who abandon Eretz Yisrael and flock to R' Nachman's grave in Uman, even though it's clearly a mitzva to be oleh laregel to Eretz Yisrael for the chagim, and not to go to Uman.

However, Segal's review in my opinion was so captivating that I purchased the book the other day, and it's been a challenge to put it down.

מקימי מעפר דל -- Bring me up from the humble dust. מקימי is a book by Noa Yaron, one of Israel's secular superstars on the sleb social scene. Her smiling face graced popular children and adult TV shows, and had a huge audience of listeners as a radio show host on IDF radio.

Her captivating book describes the unbelievably shallow life of Israeli sleb lifestyle from a first person point of view -- refusing to acknowledge herself as Noa...rather as עלמה, Almah, the young heroine of the story.

"Bring me up" ... "Pull me up" ... Ascension ... Teshuva ... is the subtle theme as Almah searches for more to life than her hedonistic existence. Much of her journey is left unexplained -- it isn't hard logic of proof of G-d or theories of intelligent design that direct her towards teshuva...mysticism and Chassidut play a significant role.

Caught up in the Disengagement 2 years ago, I couldn't easily explain my deep connection to Eretz Yisrael -- it rose above logic of the mind; it was spiritual and mystical. I agree with Segal now -- logic and promises of security have little influence over much of secular Israel, yet a book like this could have much more impact than any discussion about how allowing Chomesh to fall into Palestinian hands would be a security catastrophe for Hadera. Just as I was wrong to assume I could convince people purely based on logic...I guess I was wrong about Chassidut, and that it can also be a valid way to approach G-d.

Noa Yaron now lives in Tzfat with her husband and 6 children, and the life she used to lead is far, far away -- and her delightfully honest, entertaining book is also uplifting and motivating.

Bring us up...Teshuva from the depths.

Aliya from the depths.

It's all interconnected.




Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael

2 comments:

YMedad said...

Glad you agree with me.

Here's my first post
well, my second really and here's my third post

Anyone know a good translator?

And I think they live in Ramat Beit Shemesh B

Ye'he Sh'mey Raba Mevorach said...

Can we borrow it when you are done? Eldest daughter wants to read it. Now so do I!

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