I hadn't been to my places in the hills for some time; every time I thought about going I felt a hestitation and no drawing to go like I normally did. I felt it might have to do with the fact that one of the last times I was there, later at night, walking and gazing out over the night time hills as I have so many times, a security guard (too unprofessional for shin bet) followed me in a car, stalking and harassing me a bit. It was during the war and I could see they were looking for something/someone below on the hill. Still, for G-d's sake, I don't look like a terrorist, and it was unnerving. I felt like "my space" had been invaded and it was no longer "private".
Today, however, I decided to go to one of the spots. A place where I sit next to an enormous fragrant thyme bush and look out, with trees and flowers and rocks on the hillside in the other direction.
Even before I arrived at the long walkway to the stairs, my heart sank, but only briefly. Surrounding the entire area was a construction wall. Cranes and caterpillars peeked over the top and could be heard chewing up trees and crushing rocks. I knew of course, the wild display of cyclamen gracing the hills and hiding beneath the rocks were being pulverized as well.
Ah, this is probably why I haven't come. I would have been furious at the sight of the fence going up, and the machinery moving in to my tranquil and wild hillside. But, this is Yerushalayim. We want it to grow in people. Where are they going to build except on an empty hillside?
Nevertheless, as I walked alongside the construction barrier, I mulled over the idea of joining the "green" party - because though we do need building, we still need our green space to be beautiful and healthy.
As I turned the corner to climb the 100 steps or so to my bench, I could see that my view would be totally blocked. What about the butterflies who inhabit the thyme bush? Would they move on now that there would only be one bush from which to dine? Already some had moved on when a wild and uncaring Iryia (city hall) worker went crazy in his pruning of both the thyme and the gorgeous canopy of leaves and flowers that cascaded over my bench - the canopy that had provided me cool shelter on steamy days, and was like a special covering while I thought and dreamed.
I thought of Jerusalem and her history...when there was no bench, nor concrete stairs nor buildings of any kind, and I wondered how many scenes this little tract of Land had witnessed over the centuries.
That's when G-d whispered in my ear - that Jerusalem, though eternal, will always be changing before us - only He and the Am are constant.
Only G-d and the People Israel are constant. It gave me peace. Jerusalem is eternal, but her face is ever changing (though not her spirit); G-d and His People will never change. The same G-d, the same People - Am Yisrael - through the ages.
Comforting thoughts on election eve.
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