"You will be safe, for there is hope"

Let’s be honest: Job was right - justice does not always shine upon the righteous or the innocent - injustice is the tragic fate of many pious and good people who do not deserve their plight.

It’s on us who want to make the world a little better - to be part of peaceful justice as best as we can.

Today I’m in Mesafar Yatta- the South Hebron hills, one of the Palestinian areas most vulnerable to settler violence, army raids and government harassment.

I’m volunteering with Rabbis for Human Rights, alongside Israelis who resist the occupation and persist for peace, to replant olive trees that have been uprooted by Jewish settlers- religious people, in the so called name of our god and religion, fighting for the right to settle the holy land by depriving others of their home and basic dignity and needs.

Where is the justice?

Where is the love?

We are here today to stand in solidarity and to remind these hurting people - they are not alone - we are all holy, righteous, chosen people - no supremacy or racist ideology can represent the ancient Jewish justice born in these hills and belonging to all people alike.

We are all Abraham’s children and we all deserve dignity, justice and freedom, prosperity and peace. Right now.

But we know it’s not what’s happening right now.

Justice is elusive. Peace is a dream.

Suffering is what we we here today echoing the bitter laments that we have been reading in the Book of Job on our Below the Bible Belt journey.

Job is innocent. A good man who watches how his family is killed, his fortunes dwindle and his body harmed.

But why?? He wails. Why me? Where’s the good god? Is there justice?

These timeless questions are what this book invites us to wonder and ponder.

In a recent chapter one of Job’s friends tries to convince him that he must have faith in God even if it feels futile. It’s a sketchy argument and it echoes most for me, here, today — and during these tough days it’s what the dream is all about:

וּֽ֭בָטַחְתָּ כִּֽי־יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְ֝חָפַרְתָּ֗ לָבֶ֥טַח תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃

You will be safe, for there is hope,And, with your trenches dug you will rest secure;

וְֽ֭רָבַצְתָּ וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד וְחִלּ֖וּ פָנֶ֣יךָ רַבִּֽים׃

You will lie down undisturbed; All will court your favor.

Job 11:19-20

It is wishful thinking, of course, but also our Northstar, a promise that whether you are righteous or not, innocent, or culpable, we all share the same dream and deserve the same fate.

For Job, as for the rest of us, there’s the persistent pain and injustice that is so much part of our lives, and this is an invitation to dig in deeper, ask big questions, and show up with kindness and compassion to each other’s hurt, and hope, do what we can to ensure safety and serenity however, we can.

Tear by tear, tree by tree, hug by hug.

Thank you for joining me below the Bible belt.

Wishing us a better new year and a peaceful Sabbath. and Peace.

Shabbat Shalom