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I was an X-ray away from having my right hand in a cast.
Thankfully, it was just pulled tendons and I had to rest it for a few days.
No driving. No typing. No brushing my teeth properly, washing the dishes or any of the other daily activities I take for granted.
Do we realize how much we need something while we have it… or while we don't?
We forget…
My injury occurred during the Three Weeks, the saddest period of the Jewish Year, in which we mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and all it represents.
And I recalled the famous verse, "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [its skill]." (Psalms, 137:5)
I'd never really thought about it before, but what does "let my right hand forget [its skill]" mean?
I saw a number of interesting explanations.
No one can imagine functioning without a right hand, and it is inconceivable we could forget it. It is equally impossible for us to forget Jerusalem, a concept inextricably attached to who we are as Jews.
Indeed, for the Jew to forget Jerusalem is tantamount to forgetting God, for God is always at our right hand -- "I have always set God before me; I shall not falter because He is at my right hand." (Psalms, 16:8)
Another explanation is that God is saying this to the Jewish people, i.e. He vows never to permanently forsake Jerusalem. For Him to do so would be equivalent to a human being giving up his right hand.
The Jewish people are God's right-hand man.
Jerusalem is the Jew's right hand.
There is a natural, innate connection.
Yes, people do make do with one hand or the loss of other limbs, but it is not the ideal.
And yes, Jews are living in physical and spiritual abundance today without the Holy Temple in a rebuilt Jerusalem.
But it is not the ideal. It is not natural.
My right hand shakes a client's hand… Moves the words on this page… Raises my cup to drink…
When we realize Jerusalem can also shake us, move us and raise us even higher than we are now, chances are we could merit a return to the Holy Temple speedily in our days.
For the speedy recovery of Miriam bas Leah, my dear mother-in-law, who broke her right hand two weeks ago!
(6) Anonymous , December 15, 2008
how much more so the loss of sight in the right eye!
i have been trying to make sense of the loss of sight in my right eye that occured right before the three weeks, and all i can come up with is that i have had to return north america, but i must return Home ASAP to continue to offer my tefillos at my spot at the kotel!
(5) Keren , August 10, 2008
Powerful message
You stated so beautifully, when we realize the power that Yerushalayim has, we should pray for its rebuiding with as much fervor as we would-if we were to break our right arm (G-D forbid)and desire for it to be healed. Well our "right arm" has broken, just look at Yerushalayim today. So are we praying with the same fervor? Hopefully after a day like today, Tisha B'Av we should. We should merit to see it rebuilt speedily in our days!
(4) koby , August 10, 2008
jewish people are G-ds "right hand man"
i love it
(3) Beth , August 10, 2008
return of the Holy Temple?
Maybe we should focus on social justice and repairing the world, rather than on the return or animal sacrifice.
(2) rambo , August 7, 2008
its very nice story
i like too much jerusulam