Rabbi Michael Barclay's Iran War Update for May 19

I personally apologize for not sending a missive yesterday, and I will try to be more diligent in the future. The last two days have been a repetition of the pattern of:

A) President Trump making threats that Iran must act in a certain way (i.e. agree to no nuclear development, etc) "or else" there would be decisive military action that would destroy Iran; and

B) Iran both threatening the U.S. and Israel that it will respond to any attack in new and dangerous ways that will destroy both countries, and taunting and daring the U.S. and Israel to start military action.

The integration of these two patterns has been much of the news for the past few days, and continues to be. On Monday night, Trump said, "We are ready to strike Iran with full force, at a moment's notice, if a worthy deal is not reached." Ali Abdollahi, head of the central staff of Khatam al-Anbiya, Iran's emergency headquarters, also said on Monday night, "The forces are ready and will respond quickly, decisively, forcefully and on a wide scale to any aggression by the enemies. We will defend ourselves with all our might and cut off the hand of any attacker."

The Pentagon, CENTCOM, and Israeli forces have all expressed separately that they are prepared and anticipate military action shortly. Reuters reported that Pakistan has sent 8,000 troops, fighter jets, drones, and air defense systems to Saudi Arabia under a previously undisclosed defense pact made during the war with Iran — another sign that war may be on the horizon.

The war is not just in the Middle East, but here domestically as well. We see more and more "Sharia communities" and "no-go zones" throughout the country, including here in California. This is also where AB2017, a proposed bill (sponsored by CAIR) to make two Islamic religious holidays into official California state holidays, is before the legislature. In the last week, this bill has started to receive attention, and the fight to stop it has been gaining traction.

But that traction was stopped with the tragic killings that took place at the Islamic Center of San Diego. It is a horrific tragedy, and sadly, it is already being used by the Center as a tool to cry "Islamophobia" and push forward the Center's political agenda. The Center is using the death of its own people to further its political cause — which includes the passage of AB2017. (This Center has long been a bed of Islamic extremism: According to the 9/11 report, it is where Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi, two of the hijackers who helped fly American Flight 77 into the Pentagon, obtained ids, social security numbers, and financing. It has also called for a "revolution" against America while publicly cheering the horrors of Oct. 7 as a community, to name a few of its extremist actions over the last two decades.)

So the "war" is around the world and here in California. It touches those in Tel Aviv and Tehran, and in Sacramento and San Diego.

Previously: Rabbi Michael Barclay's Iran War Update for May 16

Whether we wish to be or not, we are all warriors. Our weapons are prayer and righteous actions, and our ally is God. And on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT, we will be studying one of our greatest weapons in the war against darkness as we celebrate the holiday of Shavuot. If you live outside the area but would like to participate in the study and celebration, just email [email protected], and we will provide you with a link. And if you are here in Southern California, I hope you will join us at the temple for an evening of study, joy, and dairy desserts.

Shavuot is the holiday celebrating the relationship between God and the Children of Israel through the sacred texts given to us at Sinai and beyond. I hope you will join us in this powerful experience, as we explore the words that have carried us through the centuries and continue to carry us now and always.

Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.

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