This year , I read this section with dread , thinking of the murderous rage wrought upon Israel on October 7th . Hamas ’ s messengers of evil unleashed fierce anger , wrath , and fury on innocent Israeli civilians , on soldiers cowering in their beds , on lovers of music taking cover in bomb shelters or hiding in fields , on families in their safe rooms . How many plagues were visited on those caught up in the bloodlust on October 7th ?
Hamas ’ s messengers of evil incited their own , Gazan civilians , to join their murderous rampage - a plague for sure . They left those who sheltered at home unprotected - another plague - without the food , water , and physical protection needed to survive the obvious wrath of a country invaded by a neighboring enemy , its citizenry plundered , living people taken as hostage , dead bodies taken as war booty . The plagues of war that followed , along with injury , death and destruction , for Gazans , and for Israeli families who ’ ve lost loved ones on October 7th and onward , from rocket fire , or as family members of soldiers defending their homeland , have multiplied the pain felt by so many .
Plagues , plagues , and more plagues . How many plagues really ? Who can count them ?
The emotional , physical , and existential pain of knowing that peace or something akin to living as neighbors seems more elusive than ever ? It ’ s a plague to be sure . Of many multiples .
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