Happy Jerusalem Day, celebrating the unification of the city in the Six-Day War.
I was 14 yrs old on June 5, 1967 when the Jordanians bombed the city at 10 am on Monday morning when we were at school. We huddled in the gym for hours until the bombing subsided then ran home. For six days we stayed in our one bedroom ground floor apartment, my mom, three lil brothers, grandparents, aunt and the family who lived above us. My father was called to the army weeks before and we didn’t hear from him. Our building shook constantly as bombs fell around us. We lived near the Kessest which was the main target. The shutters we closed, the apartment was dark and stuffy.We slept on mattreess on the floor and had a crackling radio which was kept on all the time for instructions and reports. On the last day, we were told that ‘The Wailing Wall is in our hand’ and it was safe to leave the shelters. I went outside, IDF airplanes were flying in the sky, and just then I saw my father walking down the street with his dusty uniform, barrett, gun and big smile. I cried. He stayed for a short time to clean up and left again. He was with the troops that liberated the city. Jerusalem is the home where my heart lives.
Jerusalem is first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis. The city is referred to by the name “Salem” in Genesis 14:18 and by its full name in Joshua 10:1.
In Kabbalah, Jerusalem holds spiritual significance and is seen as more than just a physical city. It represents the heart of the universe and a focal point of divine energy, Shekhinah. The name “Jerusalem” (Yerushalayim) means “Yirah” (awe) and “Shalem” (peace or completeness). The city is a beacon of hope and unity for people of all religions around the world.
Kabbalists view Jerusalem as having multiple mystical dimensions. The physical city corresponds to the sefirah of Malkhut (Kingdom), the final emanation in the Tree of Life, representing the manifest world and reflecting higher spiritual realities.
The Holy Temple (Beit HaMikdash) in Jerusalem, built over the rock of where Abraham set to sacrifice Issac, is considered the point where heaven and earth meet, associated with the sefirah of Yesod (Foundation), channeling divine energy into the world.
Jerusalem is the center of redemption and the coming of the Messiah. Jews direct their prayers and meditations to the East towards the city aligning themselves with its spiritual energy.
As we celebrate Jerusalem Day and reflect on its historical and spiritual importance — we send our loudest prayers for peace 🔯❤️☮️
אם אשכחך ירושלים תשכח ימיני 🔯🙏💙
