אני קושית יפה/I’m a Cute Black Girl Pg 87
A few weeks ago, my Rabbi met with an Imam at a Religious gathering where the 2 leaders shared a meal and a talk about each other’s religions. And of course, the two realized how similar the 2 are. Anyway, something they discussed was fasting. Just before Purim there was a day of fast in the Jewish Calendar and right now Muslims around the world are fasting too.
This is a minor fast, but that doesn’t excuse why I have never done it, it is shorter; observed only during daylight, and is observed just before Purim.
In the Megillah (4:16), Esther agrees to see the king uninvited, and asks the Jewish People to fast for three days beforehand.
Why did she call for a fast? Because a fast helps to lower the volume on our physical pursuits in order to focus more acutely on our spiritual selves. This facilitates the process of “teshuva” — literally “return.” We return to our essential state of purity. Esther called for a fast, knowing that through soul-searching the Jews would forge a spiritual connection necessary to make her mission successful. (And it paid off!)
This is not a fast of sadness. Rather, the purpose of the fast is elevation and inspiration.
Similarly, there was another fast during the Purim story: The Jews fasted and prayed on the 13th of Adar in preparation for their defense against Haman’s decree. The Torah prescribes that whenever a Jewish army goes to war, the soldiers should spend the previous day fasting.
It just shows how history repeats itself! In bible times the Jews were facing the possibility of annihilation and to prepare for the ware and the fight to survive they fasted. And many times, throughout the centuries there have been times when Jews were being persecuted and facing armies wanting to destroy them…right now Hamas is wanting to annihilate the Jews and take claim to land that has never been there’s and never will be. 
As much as I hate the pain that the innocent Palestinian civilians are going through and as much as I don’t wish pain on anyone I really do hope the IDF can capture and kill all of Hamas and any other terrorist that stands for them but I wish for the return of all hostages that are still being kept including the bodies of any Israeli that was kidnapped or has fallen since October 7th 2023. It has been 172 days! In 10 days it would have been 6 months that these Innocent Israeli Civillians have been…
(food, water, decent shelter, love, family, home)
Yet the rest of the world (or at least most of it) is calling for Israel to put down its weapons and bow down to these terrorists. I don’t know how anyone can expect one to actually agree to the terms of these monsters.
בבקשה ה'!
עזרו לילדים שלכם!
הביאו את ילדיכם הביתה!
Every day I wear my necklace! 
And off my car keys hangs this… 
I find it hard to believe that a Rabbi and Imam were so unfamiliar with one another’s religious traditions. My understanding is that in order to become a member of the clergy, you have to study other traditions in order to better understand your own Since Islam incorporates elements of both Judaism and Christianity, it would surprise me that the Imam was not aware of this. Since Islam was predicted in the Torah (with the birth of Jacob and Esau), I would be surprised that the Rabbi would not be more familiar with how Islam is connected.
@ravdiablo both Religious Leaders are aware of the others’ religions and laws but I do believe it was night of 2 sides coming together and trying to be peaceful at a time when both sides are filled with such tension to the other. And it was a moment in the shabbat service when my Rabbi was giving his drash.
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