“We love death more than the Jews love life” (HamaSS motto)
“Under this lies a fact never mentioned aloud, but tacitly understood and acted upon: namely, that the conditions of life in all three super-states are very much the same. In Oceania the prevailing philosophy is called Ingsoc, in Eurasia it is called Neo-Bolshevism, and in Eastasia it is called by a […] name usually translated as Death-Worship” (Emmanuel Goldstein, “The Theory And Practice Of Oligarchic Collectivism”, book-within-a-book in George Orwell, “1984”)
“I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that thou and thy offspring mayest live” (Deut. 30:17, my translation)
76 years ago to this day, on May 14, 1948 (or: 5 Iyar 5708),[*] a nation that had walked through the valley of the shadow of death proudly proclaimed that it chose life.
Yom HaAtzmaut sameach! Happy [Israel] Independence Day!
Here is a powerful speech by Douglas Murray on the subject of choosing life
[*] As explained in the previous post, this year the Jewish and secular anniversaries of the Declaration of Independence coincide. This last happened in 1986, and will happen next in 2043.
Spin, strangeness, and charm 