THINK-ISRAEL


ON A MOUNTAIN, WITH A TRUMPET

by Rabbi Meir Kahane


"But if the watchman see the sword come and blow not the trumpet and the people be not warned; if the sword cometh and take from them a soul...his blood will I require from the watchman". (Ezekiel 33)

I sit on the mountain with a trumpet in my hand. We all sit on a mountain, each of us a watchman with a trumpet in hand. Our mission is to sit and see the enemy. Our mission is to see the danger, to search our own souls and to blow the trumpet and warn the rest — the rest of the Jewish people.

I sit on a mountain as the sands slip through, the clock ticks away and the Almighty watches from above to see whether the sleeping Jew will awake on top of the mountain to see the enemy and blow the trumpet and save himself and all the rest and reclaim his greatness and his destiny before there are no more years left.

We are all watchmen, we Jews. We are commanded to know the danger, to see it approach, to blow the trumpet and save, both ourselves and our fellow Jews.


 

How is it possible to sit on a mountain and behave like valleys! How incredible that we sit on high, seeing all that is below, and sees nothing! How awful that the watchman sleeps even as the enemy grows bolder and comes closer and the clock that ticks, rings its alarm, shrilly, without pause, and he hears nothing. We are a nation of watchmen on a hill and we sleep the sleep of the mediocre fool. "Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; so shall thy poverty come as one who travels and they want as an armed man." (Proverbs 6)

I sit on the mountain and, behold, the enemy, the terrible dangers, are in full view. There they are, there they approach, those who travel, as armed men. Jew, can you not see them:

The enemy comes nearer, the dangers are closer, and I sit on a mountain and blow the trumpet. Arise, O slumbering Jews and save yourself, save your body, save your soul!

I sit and blow the trumpet and the Jew sleeps on, or reacts in vicious anger and shouts: Silence, we sleep! I sit and blow the trumpet and plead with brothers and sisters to arouse themselves, their people — to bring the Messiah now.

Another year enters the volumes of time and the next takes its place in the march toward Jewish destiny. The sands of the New Year are already running. Running out. The sands slip through, the clock ticks away and the Almighty waits to see whether the sleeping Jew will awaken from his slumber to reclaim his greatness and destiny before there are no more years left.


 

Thanks are due to Barbara Ginsberg for distributing Rabbi Kahane's articles by email. They remind us once again of his prophetic insights. Barbara writes, "Anyone reading this Rabbi Kahane article and is not on my personal list to receive the weekly articles written by Rabbi Kahane and would like to be, please contact me (BarbaraAndChaim@gmail.com). To view previously posted Rabbi Kahane articles, go to:
http://www.barbaraginsberg-barbara.blogspot.com,"

Beyond Words
Selected Writings of Rabbi Meir Kahane,
1960-1990
Volume 1

"Beyond Words" is a newly-published seven volume collection of Rabbi Meir Kahane's writings that originally appeared in The Jewish Press, other serial publications, and his privately-published works. "Beyond Words" also includes a number of extra features, including a Chronology of Rabbi Kahane's life.



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