As you wind through the narrow streets and tunnels in the majestic old city of Jerusalem, you may just happen to stumble upon a large, open square where children run around kicking a soccer ball, yelling with joy. On a discreet wall in the corner of that square, is inscribed (in Hebrew) a few words from the Prophet Zacharia, which read: "And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets."
There's a powerful story in the Talmud where this exact verse from Zecharia is brought: 'Again it happened that Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria, Rabbi Joshua and Rabbi Akiva went up to Jerusalem. When they reached Mt. Scopus, they tore their garments. When they reached the Temple Mount, they saw a fox emerging from the place of the Holy of Holies. The others started weeping; Rabbi Akiva laughed... Said they to him: "A place [so holy] that it is said of it, 'the stranger that approaches it shall die,' and now foxes traverse it, and we shouldn't weep?" Said he to them: "That is why I laugh... the Torah makes Zachariah's prophecy dependent upon Uriah's prophecy. With Uriah, it is written: 'Therefore, because of you, Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the Temple Mount like the high places of a forest.' With Zachariah it is written, 'Old men and women shall yet sit in the streets of Jerusalem. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.' As long as Uriah's prophecy had not been fulfilled, I feared that Zechariah's prophecy may not be fulfilled either. But now that Uriah's prophecy has been fulfilled, it is certain that Zechariah's prophecy will be fulfilled.' With these words they replied to him: "Akiva, you have consoled us! Akiva, you have consoled us!"
As you watch the boys & girls happily playing around this Jerusalem square, this verse and the accompanying story begin to hit home. How amazing it is to see with our own eyes the source for Rabbi Akiva's laughter!
But we have to remember, we're not fully there yet. While it is true that we are nearing redemption, we still have to put the finishing touches on our lives and in the world around us to fully realize it. We can take heed to the saying of the great Tzemach Tzedek (in Yiddish): "Mach da Eretz Yisroel" - Make here Israel. Elevate your life. This means that even if we're found in CA, NY or Paris, we can live like we're on the streets of Jerusalem. Kedushah - holiness, can be brought into our lives wherever we find ourselves. One coin in a charity box, one smile to a neighbor, one Shabbat candle lit, can transform the darkness of our exile into the light of redemption.
And through living our lives in such a way, may we merit the complete & ultimate redemption, when there will be no more pain and only joy, and all of our children and elders will play and laugh in the streets. May it happen now!
Shabbat Shalom!
-Daniel
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