Nov. 1

Jerusalem

I booked a night at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. It's an extravagance, but it will be very cool. I'm excited about it. In fact this morning I was surprised to discover that I am beginning to love Jerusalem.

I found myself singing something from my childhood, off a Paul Robeson record: "Oh did these feet, in ancient times..." The words are by William Blake (1757-1827):

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark Satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold:
Bring me my arrows of desire:
Bring me my spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire.

I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

What is Blake talking about? What did "Jerusalem" mean to him?

'Next year in Jerusalem'

For centuries, the Jews of the diaspora have been telling each other that. But not in my family.

We had Passover. Maybe not every year, but often. It was about the only vestige of Judaism that survived in our family. We hid the matzoh. We asked the questions. We read and sang from an unremarkable Haggadah. We didn't say next year in Jerusalem. We didn't have a burnt offering. And we didn't spill wine for the Egyptians. I learned those three at a memorable sedar I attended in New Orleans in 1983.

It was during an eight-month sojourn I made there. An eclectic gathering in a big old house in which a large number of unrelated people were living; exiles from New York I think. There was a big old rough wooden table, perfect for spilling wine on. There was an older French Jew who was bicycling around the country. A bunch of others but I can't remember who.

I remember spilling the wine. I really like that one.

I don't remember being aware of Israel's ongoing invasion of Lebanon. Reading Oz and Friedman, I get the impression that Lebanon for Israel was like Vietnam for the US in that it sharply divided society between those who were gung ho behind the government and those who objected and disented. In the US, I think the divide is still there. I imagine in Israel as well.

I don't remember being aware of it. The invasion, the massacre of Palestinians at Sabre and Shatila...I wasn't paying attention.

If I had been, I'd have spilled some wine for the Palestinians.

And now let me thump this Bible:

(New English Bible)

2 Samuel:

Now all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said to him, 'We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, while Saul was still king over us, you led the forces of Israel to war and you brought them home again. And the LORD said to you, "You shall be shepherd of my people Israel; you shall be their prince." ' All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; there David made a covenant with them before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. David came to the throne at the age of thirty and reigned for forty years. In Hebron he had ruled over Judah for seven years and a half, and for thirty-three years he reigned in Jerusalem over Israel and Judah together.

The king and his men went to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, whose land it was. The Jebusites said to David, 'Never shall you come in here; not till you have disposed of the blind and the lame,' meaning that David should never come in. None the less David did capture the stronghold of Zion, and at it is now known as the City of David. David said on that day, 'Everyone who would kill a Jebusite, let him use his grappling iron to reach the lame and the blind, David's bitter enemies.' That is why they say, 'No blind or lame man shall come into the LORD'S house.'

David took up his residence in the stronghold and called it the City of David. He built the city round it, starting at the Millo and working inwards. So David steadily grew stronger, for the LORD God of Hosts was with him.

Hiram king of Tyre sent an embassy to David; he sent cedar logs, and with them carpenters and stonemasons, who built David a house. David knew by now that the LORD had confirmed him as king over Israel and had made his royal power stand higher for the sake of his people Israel.

After he had moved from Hebron he took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem; and more sons and daughters were born to him…

I'd read that David built Jerusalem, but now I'm reminded of something I overheard in a post office in 1992. I guess the PO had issued a commemorative about Columbus, and a guy in line had this comment:

"Columbus discovered America. Right. Like a guy last night was walking by a parking lot and 'discovered' an unattended car, which he drove off."

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