From oppression to freedom

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For the Sake of Zion by David Selis inspired by Isaiah 40:1-3 by Isaiah 62: 1-2, 6, by Psalms 126 and 137, by the foundation proclamation of the state of Israel, by the text of the seven blessings for a wedding, and by numerous other biblical and liturgical sources and texts.

For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest.

Until her righteousness goes forth like radiance and her salvation like a burning torch.
 
For Zion's sake I will take a stand and not be silent.

For Jerusalem's sake my voice will be heard.

Comfort my people, comfort them, says God.

Comfort Jerusalem for her sin is pardoned: for she has taken from the hand of the Lord.
 
For they have endured exile and oppression but they have not forgotten Zion nor Jerusalem.

For they have returned from their evil ways to the path of the Lord.

For the Lord has taken notice of their suffering and has not forgotten them.

For once again the word of God can be heard in the Beit Midrash
 
As we sat in exile by the rivers of Babylon we wept as we remembered Jerusalem and Zion.

And our captors asked us to sing them a song from the music of the Lord.

And we replied,
"How can we sing of the Lord and of Zion in a foreign land?!"

How can we sing of Jerusalem while we lament its destruction?

As we sat and wept we took an oath to remember Zion and Jerusalem. And we each swore a sacred oath by the Name of the Living God by the name Adoni Maker of Heaven and Earth who redeemed us in times past and who will redeem us swiftly and in our time Amen.
 
And each adult male among us donned the sacred sign on the arm and the parchments of the shel rosh in order to accept the Kingship of God and the Yoke of His Commandments.
 
And with our great rabbis as witnesses, we swore the sacred oath to never forget Jerusalem; the heart of our faith to which we pray each day. And with the God's Holy Torah as our script, we swore the famous oath concerning Jerusalem, "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand wither away! May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you O Jerusalem above my chief joy?!"


And when we returned from captivity we were like people experiencing the fulfillment of their dreams.

And as we returned we sang praises to the God of Israel who redeemed us from captivity and exile to redemption
and back to our eternal home.

And once again song and laughter filled our tongues.

No longer did we sing lamentations for the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah.

God has done great things for us for which we praise Him.

And we returned to the Land of Israel like the streams in the Negev.

And the tears we shed over the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem became tears of happiness over our return to Judah and Jerusalem.

We had kept our sacred oath to never forget Judah and Jerusalem.

And in the study halls that had stood empty awaiting our return words of Torah could again be heard in the cities of Judah.

And the voice of the bride and groom could once again be heard in Judah and Jerusalem.

The academies of Yavneh and Jerusalem again were the seat of courts of law.

And under the direction of Ezra and under the watchful eye of Nehemiah we began to rebuild the destroyed cities of Judah.

And once again the streets of Jerusalem voices of happiness and joy could be heard.

And once again in the streets of Judah and Jerusalem the voice of the bride and groom could be heard.

And once again the jubilant voices of those joining in marriage could be heard.

The sound of festivities and song could once again be heard.



God had not forgotten us and thus we returned to Judah and Jerusalem.

And in time Jerusalem was rebuilt.

And within Jerusalem the Holy temple was rebuilt.

And within the temple the priestly services resumed.

Once again pilgrims came to Jerusalem at the three appointed times of the year.



And the great courts once again judged cases and declared the months ands the festivals.

And the great scholars once again had their debates.

The academies once again taught students who in time taught others.

And they founded schools and study halls of their own.

The cycle had come full circle.



For Zion's sake I will take a stand and not be silent.

For Jerusalem's sake my voice will be heard.
 
For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest.

Until her righteousness goes forth like radiance and her salvation like a burning torch.