{"id":72473,"date":"2020-03-27T16:04:50","date_gmt":"2020-03-27T13:04:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=72473"},"modified":"2020-03-27T16:04:50","modified_gmt":"2020-03-27T13:04:50","slug":"the-hills-are-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/the-hills-are-alive\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hills Are Alive!"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[],"acf":{"old_id":"72473","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":42746,"related_cahpter":"446","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Giving uplifting signs of life and hope\r\n\r\n","content":"

\u201cThe hills are alive\u201d, sang Julie Andrews in the classic <\/span>Sounds of Music<\/span><\/i>, and it turns out, they are, and so think our sages on several occasions.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Jeremiah in earlier chapters speaks to the mountains, we might understand that to mean the dwellers of that area, but then Ezekiel (coming up on 929) is clearly told, \u201c<\/span>O mortal, turn your face toward the mountains of Israel and prophesy to them and say: O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord\u201d\u2026 (6:2-3).<\/span><\/p>\n

We remember the story about the mountains who \u201cfought\u201d about which one will the Torah be given on. In Tractate Megilla (29a) we\u2019re told that when God wanted to give the Torah, Mount Tabor came and asked that the Torah be given on him. That request showed that he is not as humble as needed to be the Torah\u2019s mountain, and he was therefore rejected. The same sentiment was expressed towards the other mountains.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, this desire to have the Torah did not go completely unanswered. Based on a verse from this chapter, <\/span>\u201c…As surely as Tabor is among the mountains And Carmel is by the sea, So shall this come to pass\u201d (46:18), it is taught that \u201cIn the future, the synagogues and the study halls in Babylonia will be transported and reestablished in Eretz Yisrael.\u201d There is a tradition that because these mountains, Tabor and Carmel, came to Sinai at the giving of the Torah and demanded that the Torah should be given upon them, even though that showed a lack of humility, it showed desire for Torah. Further, the Gemara continues: \u201cJust as Tabor and Carmel, which came only momentarily to study Torah, were relocated and established in Eretz Yisrael in reward for their actions, all the more so should the synagogues and study halls in Babylonia, in which the Torah is read and disseminated, be relocated to Eretz Yisrael.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmel\u2019s name comes from its vineyards (<\/span>kerem-el<\/span><\/i>, God\u2019s vineyard). Nowadays it\u2019s known as <\/span>hahar hayarok tamid<\/span><\/i>, the \u201calways green mountain\u201d. It is unique among the mountains and hills of Israel that it kisses the sea. In Tractate Shabbat 35:a we\u2019re told that if one wants to see Miriam\u2019s well, they should go to the top of Mount Carmel. The Maharal explains that Miriam\u2019s role was to awaken the natural holiness which flows from the earth upward, just like the well\u2019s water, springing from within the depth of the earth. Elijah too, called the Ba\u2019al prophets to the Carmel and there, demonstrated God\u2019s greatness to all.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Shabbat morning, between early sunlight and rain cloud, there is a beautiful rainbow over the Carmel Mountains. The dark green background is dotted with every possible color, as the spring flowers continue to bloom in red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, yellow, blue and even white.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, the \u201chills are alive\u201d, hopefully reminding us that better days are yet to come, when <\/span>this too, shall come to pass.<\/span><\/p>\n

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