With the approach of our annual fast of Tamuz 17, followed by Tisha B’Av, which commemorates the Roman incursion into Yerushalayim in 70 C.E., the destruction of our second Beit Hamikdash, the ruthless murder of every man, woman and child in the city and the destruction of our beloved state of Yehuda and the beginning of our long and tortuous galut, my thoughts turn to the name “Palestine.”
We don’t refer to the Arabs who live in Yehuda and Shomron (the West Bank) as Ammonites, Moabites or Edomites for the simple reason that those countries are no longer in existence and these Arabs were born after their extinction. Now, since Palestine no longer exists, why do our own Jewish authors, journalists and reporters, who are well aware that Palestine stopped existing after the formation of our beloved Israel in May 1948. call these stateless Arabs Palestinians? Why does this viciously insulting misnomer and geographical anomaly go on and on? When will this mistake on our part stop?
Why do I say “viciously insulting?”
In addition to the obvious lack of accuracy in calling Yehuda, Shomron and Gazan terrorist and civilian Arabs “Palestinians,” Jews who are knowledgeable about the origin of this name have never been happy with it, and in fact are quite perturbed with calling our dear Eretz Yisrael Palestine. Why so?
Following the death of Shlomo Hamelech, zt”l, two tribes split from the others and named their state Yehuda. For the next 900 years our ancestors were called Judeans (Yehudim).When the Roman (yimach sh’mom) armies came from the north, they murdered every one of our ancestors that they found, Some of our frightened ancestors from other parts of Yehuda had the good fortune to flee to other countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe, and others. Those that fled and their progeny were eventually called Jews.
Let’s explore how the name Palestine originated and why. In 70 C.E. the Romans invaded our beloved Eretz (then called Yehuda). In their murderous rage, the Roman hordes, coming from the north, decimated every Jewish community in their path and when they burst through the walls of Yerushalayim (on Tisha B’Av) they looted the many golden vessels used by the Kohanim in the Beit Hamikdash, burned it to the ground, and then murdered every Jewish man, woman, child and babe in arms.
The Gemara reports that the blood of our ancestors flowed down the hills of Yerushalayim in rivulets that were as high as the nostrils of the Romans’ horses.
Not being satisfied with that, the Romans put every building in the city to the torch and when the land was flat, plowed the land with salt hoping that nothing would grow and the city would be dead to vegetable and fruit growth for centuries. They forbade any Jewish survivor who was still in Eretz or came to Eretz from entering Yerushalayim (which they renamed). And to blot the Jewish name “Judea” (Yehuda) from existence and to humiliate us, they renamed the territory Palestine, after the hateful Plishtim who were our enemies for centuries, right through the era of the Shoftim and even through Malchus Shaul, zt”l until Dovid HaMelech subdued them once and for all.
Soon after the destruction of Eretz, the bulk of the Romans returned to their homeland. They were so proud of their victory and loot, including the tall seven branched golden menorah of Bayis Sheni. So, upon returning to Rome they proudly carved an image of the Menorah in stone on the gigantic arch of Titus, yimach shmo, and it can be seen to this day in Rome.
The Roman Emperor Hadrian forbade the practice of Yiddishkeit as well as teaching the Torah, and cruelly publicly murdered 10 of the most respected Tanaaim (Asara Harugei Malchus). Rabbi Akiva, zt”l refused to stop teaching Torah, was discovered, and was tortured to death when his skin was torn with iron combs.
The highly respected Rabbi Hananya ben Teradion was stripped naked, wrapped with a Sefer Torah and burned on a pyre with layers of wet wool placed on him to prolong his suffering.
In view of this history how can anyone with even moderate care for our loss of our forebears and our independence, the destruction of our Bais Hamikdash, our dispersal and suffering persecution for many centuries in countries to where we fled continue to propagate the memory of the hated Romans by perpetuating their insulting name “Palestine?” We add our own personal suffering re 70 C.E. by fasting three days a year which we and our forebears have maintained for close to 2,000 years now.
Bad enough that secular media use this insulting name, but why do Jewish media do this? Again I ask: WHEN WILL IT STOP?
Reuben E. Gross, Ph.D. is a dual licensed marriage counselor and psychologist with a private practice in Teaneck. His specialty is marriage counseling; he is highly trained and has more than 40 years experience. He was awarded a number of honors including diplomate and fellow status. You can read some 20 of his articles on marriage on his website: marriagecounselornj.com. Dr. Gross can be reached at [email protected] or (201) 218-3112.
