<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><font size="4" class="">Israel’s brithplace was b’midbar — in the wilderness.</font><br class=""><font size="4" class="">It has been suggested that only the barren wilderness</font><br class=""><font size="4" class="">could have produced the monotheistic faith. Man is</font><br class=""><font size="4" class="">always in need of fulfillment and his promised land is</font><br class=""><font size="4" class="">far away. He is always on the road to the actualization</font><br class=""><font size="4" class="">of his dreams, seeking better things and yearning for a</font><br class=""><font size="4" class="">fuller, fulfilling life. The wilderness is the symbol of man </font><br class=""><font size="4" class="">searching for his destination. It is told that a Chassidic </font><br class=""><font size="4" class="">Rebbe, impatient at the sad, mad state of the world</font><br class=""><font size="4" class="">(sound familiar?) and overcome with longing for the </font><br class=""><font size="4" class="">happiness of mankind, prayed to God: “If Thou cannot</font><br class=""><font size="4" class="">redeem Thy people Israel, then at least redeem mankind!”</font><br class=""><br class=""><font size="4" class="">May we reach the promised land in our lifetime!</font><br class="">rw<br class=""><br class=""><span style="font-size: 17px;" class=""><i class="">“Ay me! sad hours seem long.” </i></span><br class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""><b class="">William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet</b></span></body></html>