Dreamscape Doodles Art Dump! I love these little guys so much. These are not even all of my doodles but sure is many of them!

Terumah: Betzalel's Wisdom

The Torah reading of Terumah begins the section dealing with building the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and making the priestly clothes. These chapters are among the few in which the Torah places great emphasis on external beauty — art, craftsmanship, and aesthetics.

Of particular interest is the protagonist of this unique construction: the master craftsman, Betzalel. The Midrash weaves many stories about Betzalel’s wisdom and skill. In particular, the Sages noted the significance of his name, which means, “in God’s shadow”:

Betzalel was certainly sharp to be able to reconstruct the original divine message. Why did Moses change the order that God had told him?

The Scholar and the Artist

One way in which we can distinguish between the scribbles of a five-year-old and a masterpiece by Rembrandt is the degree to which the work of art reflects reality. A true artist is acutely sensitive to the finest details of nature. He must be an expert in shading, color, texture, and composition. A great artist will be disturbed by the smallest deviations, just as a great musician is perturbed by a note that is not exactly right in pitch, length, and emphasis.

There is a difference between the natural order of the world as perceived through the trained eye of an artist, and the proper order as understood through the wisdom of a scholar. The artist always compares the subject at hand to reality. The scholar, on the other hand, organizes topics according to their ethical and spiritual significance.

When Moses heard God command that Betzalel build the “tabernacle, ark, and vessels,” he did not know whether the order was significant. Since the tabernacle was in effect just the outer building containing the ark and the other vessels, Moses knew that the ark and vessels were holier. Therefore, when relaying the command to Betzalel, he mentioned them in order of importance, starting with the most sacred.

Why then did God put the tabernacle first? Moses decided that the original command started with the general description — the Tabernacle, the overall goal — and then continued with the details, the ark and vessels.

Betzalel, an artist with a finely tuned sensitivity to physical reality, noticed the slight discrepancy in Moses’ description. He realized that the word tabernacle did not refer to the overall construction, but to the outer building. As such, it should have come first, just as in the building of any home. The order was not from the general to the detailed, nor from the less holy to the holier, but from the outside to the inside.

Moses then comprehended the significance of Betzalel’s name, “in God’s shade.” Why shade? Wisdom may be compared to light, while artistic talent is like shade. Light is certainly greater and brighter then shade; but if we want to perceive an object completely, we need to see all of its aspects, both light and shade. In order that the Tabernacle could achieve its purpose, it required the special artistic insight of Betzalel.

(Gold from the Land of Israel, pp. 144-146. Adapted from Ein Eyah vol. II, p. 262.)

Noble OCs - Kertia

Making five OCs for every clan!

Betzalel Kertia: Non-pureblood. Alive in the present day, belongs to Raskreia’s generation.

Betzalel used to steal…a lot. He wasn’t trying to be a real criminal. He was just very bored and had nothing better to do. If he’s a human shoplifter, then he steals candy bars, nail polish, and toothpaste. He never touches the more important belongings of others and only takes what he deems as trivial. Betzalel is very skillful at being stealthy and he simply enjoys showing it off. Theft is one way for him to reinforce his sense of pride in his abilities. Plus, he gets to add a few new things to his treasure box even though they aren’t practical to him. This ordeal doesn’t last for long though because he gets bored of it. Maybe it’d be interesting to get locked up and wonder what’s in there they have to offer, he thought. So Betzalel turns himself in and provides evidence of himself stealing others’ belongings. Petty crime of this level usually doesn’t warrant jail time, but he also made up stories about how he wants to steal even more and they have to stop him or he’s really going to do it. And he gets what he wants. Turns out being behind bars isn’t interesting either. The tranquility is nice, but that’s that. So Betzalel starts to flirt with the prison guards. Cringy, intense flirting that makes one question if he even has any sense of shame. There aren’t any rules about having to stay silent, so he runs his mouth all day long. He just wont. Stop. Talking. The guards never respond to him though they are perplexed with how he manages to be so annoying. They’ve never met such a talkative prisoner before him, and they all dread the time when it’s their turn to watch him. Some of them even requested to be assigned to other shifts and sections to avoid him entirely. Betzalel tells cheesy jokes, recites tongue-twisters, overshares less appealing details of his own life, asks about the guards’ favorite colors, and suggests that they should get a drink together once he gets out of jail. Soon, he gets released because they find out that he really just stole out of boredom and he didn’t mean it when he said that he’ll keep doing it. To their surprise, Betzalel is back again… except he’s not a prisoner this time. He is now a prison guard, as he applied for the position a few days ago and their jaws all drop in disbelief when he walks in as one of their colleagues. Hello again, fellas. He did it as a joke, but there’s more to it. Apparently, all but one of the prison guards ignored him during his time here as a prisoner. Being a prison guard is rather boring after all, and there was no way Betzalel could escape anyway, so might as well respond to his cheekiness and see where it’d go. The casual back and forths turned into genuine, deep conversations and they felt a spark between them. They officially start dating when Betzalel joins the prison guard team. In a few months, they both quit and join the Central Order instead. Now Betzalel can actually put his stealthiness to a good use. He finds love in jail and gets a fulfilling job… how nice! His partner thinks it’s unbelievable as well, but hey, every good ending counts. The two of them are very affectionate and have one child together.

Hali Kertia: Pureblood. Entered eternal sleep, belonged to Gejutel’s generation.

Hali was the mother and predecessor of Ragar. She always looked outside the window with a sad expression on her face. She kept zoning out at times and Ragar wished he could help her but knew there wasn’t much he could do. Hali used to have older twin brothers but lost both of them when they killed each other in an attempt to claim Kartas for themselves. The brothers were over-competitive and jealous in nature. These traits had been evident since they were small children and remained unchanged until the moment of their deaths. They were never really on good terms with each other and always fought over who is stronger, faster, and more qualified to become Clan Leader after their father and predecessor. The twins loved their little sister Hali yet hated each other. Hali loved her brothers equally and seeing them hurt each other tormented her immensely. She always tried to stop them from fighting to no avail. She’d run between them with tears in her eyes as she’s begging them to please get along, and they’d pause and tell her go away because it’s dangerous. Then they’d continue to fight when they see that she’s gone. Hali could only stand by and wait silently until they’re done for the day and she’d tend to their wounds one after another in separate rooms because they’ll start quarreling again otherwise. She tried to get them to see that there are more important things in life than prestige and honor but they’d always answer that it’s not something she can understand. Neither Hali nor her parents were able to get the twins to put an end to their meaningless rivalry. The dreaded inevitable occurred, and Hali became her father’s successor following the death of her brothers. She never expected to become Clan Leader since it simply wasn’t what she wanted for her life, but she worked hard to prepare for the role because it was her duty. Hali was a decent Clan Leader and a good mother to Ragar. She told her son stories about his deceased uncles and sighed as she commented on how if only there had been a way to split a Soul Weapon. Then her beloved brothers wouldn’t have killed each other, she said. Hali caressed Ragar’s cheeks and smiled as she asked if he could figure that out one day. She wasn’t serious because she knew it was impossible, but little did she know that Ragar took her suggestion to heart. He swore to his mother that if he ever has children of his own, he’ll make sure to give an equal chance to all of them. Hali entered eternal sleep when Ragar was ready to succeed her as Clan Leader. She loved her partner and son, but the grief from losing her brothers had thinned out her will to live and she chose to leave the world peacefully after saying goodbyes to her family. Before Hali’s death, her hobby was home decoration. She designed the rooms for her future grandchildren she knew she’d never get to meet yet already feel affection for.

Erytheia Kertia: Non-pureblood. Alive in the present day, belongs to Raskreia’s generation.

Erytheia is completely obsessed with Rael. She doesn’t love him romantically, though. Her feelings are akin to unconditional admiration and loyalty. She doesn’t get in proximity to him and is perfectly fine with watching him from a distance. She’ll just stare at him from afar and he doesn’t even need to know that she exists. Erytheia thinks everything Rael does is absolutely right and justifies all of his behaviors. The brattiness and ill-temper? That’s just him being himself, why should he change. Doesn’t address his brother as Clan Leader in public? Why do the rules even matter, who cares about being proper. Destroyed everything around him because he got rejected? That’s totally Seira’s fault, she doesn’t even realize how lucky she is and deserves to be harassed because of course Rael should get everything he wants… objects and people included. To Erytheia, Rael is perfect. She is proud to be a Kertia because he exists. She has mountains of his portraits and busts in her home and her collection is still growing to this day. Erytheia believes that Rael deserves the best and only the best. For this reason, she hated Razark. He was an eyesore to her because his existence meant that Rael couldn’t be their Clan Leader. She knows that Rael loves his brother, but that doesn’t stop her from wishing for Razark to be gone forever. Erytheia was sad for Rael when they all learned that he had lost his brother, but at the same time she was secretly overjoyed and celebrated Razark’s death because that means Rael is their new Clan Leader. What a timely sacrifice on Razark’s part. Finally, her idol gets to have his happy ending, she thought. He is finally complete, they are finally complete. Despite being twisted in a way, Erytheia makes sure to maintain her image in public and doesn’t reveal her true nature to anyone, not even her close friends. They just think she’s a very loyal clan member and she definitely enjoys this positive attention. Erytheia doesn’t really have any hobbies that stand out because she’s always obsessing over her new Clan Leader. Sure, she did learn how to paint and sculpt just so she can make even more “collectibles” of him. That’s pretty impressive, not gonna lie. She could pursue a career in the arts if she really wants to. Too bad that’s not happening because it’s an exclusive skill dedicated to her one and only role model in the world. Erytheia has a lot of on-and-off lovers and she doesn’t tell them that she only gets together with them because they’re all Rael’s lookalikes. They think she truly loves them because she treats them with so much respect and affection, when in reality she is just doing what she would with the real deal if she were to be this close to him. Erytheia loves her cousin Heidi but thinks of her as traitor and a lost cause because the latter chose to join the Paradiso’s bodyguard team instead of pledging her loyalty to their Kertia Clan Leader. In Erytheia’s eyes, Heidi is wasting her pureblood potential on an outsider.

Dzeve Kertia: Non-pureblood. Alive in the present day, belongs to the Previous Lord’s generation.

Dzeve has a bit of a temper. He tries his best to not let it get to him but sometimes it comes out anyway. His friends don’t really mind, and he appreciates how patient they are with him. Dzeve makes masks. Many of the masks that his fellow clan members wear are the masterpieces of his designs. He is extremely passionate in this aspect and thinks the Kertia masks are sacred and must be perfect down to every last detail. To him, this piece of apparel carries tremendous symbolical meaning and should be the pride of all Kertia clan members. He sources only the finest fabric in all of Lukedonia to work with because anything else of a lower grade would be an insult to their clan. Dzeve’s concentration and dedication to his craft is unparalleled. When he’s focused on his job, everything else becomes irrelevant. Not even the worst world-ending disasters can distract him. Meteorite strike outside and everyone is screaming and running around frantically? Eh, won’t notice any of that, he’s not leaving his workshop. It’s just white noise. When he’s working, he filters out all stimuli around him and he’d be dead before he even realizes if there ever is a real emergency. The only time Dzeve will stop is when he’s finished with what he’s doing. For this reason, the nobles have learned to leave him alone when he’s “in the zone”. Dzeve makes custom masks for each and every clan member and never reuses any of his designs. His love for his clan is evident in his craftsmanship and his fellow clan members greatly respect him. Dzeve has three supernatural bat friends who are assistants in his workshop and their names are Parfait, Éclair, and Soufflé.

Myskia Kertia: Pureblood. Alive in the present day, belongs to the Previous Lord’s generation.

Myskia is the partner of Euphranor Blerster. She was the one who suggested that they should move out of Lukedonia for a new life. She didn’t do it for him, though. Euphranor being the fun-loving type was merely a coincidence. The real reason behind Myskia wanting to leave the nobles’ land is that she killed Phachoen Mergas. That’s right. She ambushed and assassinated a high-ranking legislator. Perhaps it was justified on her part, but murder is murder regardless of motivation and if Myskia were to be caught, she would have to face punishment. Phachoen was a relentless believer of extreme justice, and the friends and families of his victims hoped that he’d be gone but there was nothing they could do. Myskia took the matter into her own hands. Her uncle, cousin, sister, and best friend were victims of his unreasonably harsh laws. She waited for centuries before doing the deed and for the whole time, she had been planning and mapping out the perfect assassination to end him for once and all. Myskia’s talent is shadow manipulation. She is self-taught and her gift is evident in her ability to tag the shadows of others. When she marks someone, she can use their shadows to track them at all times even when they’re on the opposite side of Lukedonia. Her senses tell her everything about them from current location to mood and level of wariness. From this, Myskia was able to predict Phachoen’s movements from his habits and plotted his death flawlessly. The execution was excellent and no one can ever trace it back to her. She managed to finally avenge her loved ones and herself, but the rage inside her did not seem to dissipate in the slightest. Myskia tried to move on and adjust to her new life with little success and ultimately came to the conclusion that Lukedonia isn’t her home anymore. She loved Lukedonia, but it was a constant reminder of her pain and the only way to stop that was by leaving. Several decades after Phachoen’s assassination, Myskia finished saying her silent goodbyes to her home and suggested their new life to her beloved Euphranor and they embarked on their journey as travelers. Currently, Myskia lives somewhere in the United States and works as a detective. She and her lovely wedding photographer husband have two children together. The happy family owns a truck and they’re very fond of living amongst humans. Myskia doesn’t want to visit Lukedonia ever again and tells Euphranor that they should just stay in the United States with their kids. Euphranor assumes that his wife just likes it very much here and doesn’t think too much about what else there may be behind her reluctance. To this day, he is oblivious to the fact that she is the murderer of Phachoen. Myskia is determined to take this secret to the grave. In Myskia’s free time, her hobby is online shopping. She keeps buying the cheap knockoff version of goods because she thinks they’re fun to collect. That’s only for herself, though, because she only buys the best for her husband and children. And you can bet she won’t ever pay unless there’s free shipping.

Thank you for reading! Landegre is next!

Oc time!

BETZALEL NOX

Betzalel Nox, an amalgamation of the void, the void prince.

I love him with my whole being and plan on posting him more to my TikTok :D

match #9

Betzalel, God of Shades dreamed by @lumi-procrastinate

pronouns: ae/aer This minor deity had to deal with the protagonist's shenanigan in a game idea that I've postponed. Ae tried their best to convince them that aers ability to darken any colour wouldn't help in their journey whatsoever. But truth be told, ae enjoyed every second of the protagonist's companion (despite of the occasional annoyances).

The Queen of dragons dreamed by @robinsinthesummer

A gold-and-white dragon but I think occasionally she had black markings too? The dream happened a while ago.

TW: mention of child experimentation, mention of organ replacement, mention of murder, mention of human trafficking, medical/experiment whump, suicidal idolation, self-harm, corrupt government

'I love you' was never a phrase Betzalel ever really liked. It would always bring him back to the days when he was locked away, with his 'Aunt' trying to make him the perfect weapon. He cared for people since that's human nature, but never anything more that he could describe. He'd only use the words to manipulate the people the government needed him to help capture or dispose of.

Betzalel was laying in bed next to Yves, considering waking him up, but instead he just stared at the ceiling thinking. Then a thought crossed his mind, "Where is Aunt now, Is she still doing her past work? Is she trying to track me down since she worked so hard to make me perfect??"

Those thoughts came and went so often, Betzalel knew she knew he was still alive because of the number of news channels that reported on the mass killings he was ordered to do by the government.

Betzalel slowly slips out of the bed, trying not to wake Yves, he grabs his military coat and a pack of fresh cigarettes. He then unlocks the room door and looks back for a moment before opening the door and walking out to go smoke.

Betzalel always hated cigarettes, but the nicotine helped to distract him from the crimes he had to commit. And he has hoped that they could shorten his long lifespan. He never wanted the power he had gotten but he also never wanted the 1000 year lifespan of the god-like creature he was stuck with. Betzalel never wanted to kill himself, he had just hoped that the people the government wanted would succeed at doing it. But the creature always made a shield to stop those hopes.

Betzalel opened the pack and pulled one out along with the lighter in his coat pocket, he then lit the cigarette and put it in his mouth while staring off into the woods around the building. And stuffed the lighter and now open pack of cigarettes in his pocket.

After a few minutes he rolled up the sleeves of both his coat and his pajamas. Revealing layers of bandages on both arms. He then began to undo them, underneath was just a bunch of dark scarring from how much he had used the power of the creature.

Betzalel hated not being in control so to use the power to its max ability he would have to cause himself damage in the process. Though if he had the choice he just wouldn't use the power at all since it was draining and always ended with him throwing up and unable to do much after. At least the regeneration worked fast otherwise he'd still be bleeding out.

The government wanted to make sure that every person they bought would've been worth their money so they'd use everything the person could do. Betzalel only had one knife unlike a lot of his coworkers who had collections of knives and guns. But it was to make sure Betzalel was gonna actually use the reason the government had picked him.

Betzalel knew though that he was closer to being sold off than most of the others here, he was disobedient and questioned orders, unlike when they had first purchased him.

He knew Yves was gonna be forced to stay in the government since he was useful and listened to orders. He never wanted to leave Yves as he was the reason Betzalel was even able to get out of being tested on, but he knew he'd have to suck it up sooner or later.

He took the cigarette from his mouth and signed hard. He then ran his right hand through his bangs and pinned them behind his ear. His right eye wasn't his, it hadn't been since he was 4, his 'Aunt' wanted to test the limits of what she could do, removed a few organs and stuff and replaced them from that of the corpse of the creature.

Betzalel thought the replacement for his actual eye was quite pretty, you could see a galaxy of colors and glitter within it. But he hated how he couldn't see out of it and how it could randomly start to bleed. He knew he was more of a corpse than a person at that point, but there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. All he could do was hope that things get better within the next at most 1980 years of his life,

"Living until the year 4000 would be so terrible--" he laughed to himself as the door opened and Yves came out, "oh, you're up, almost ready to go get some work done?"

"Ya"

A sculpture titled 'Girl in Pink (Abstract Little Nude Bronze sculpture)' by sculptor Henry Betzalel Zafir. In a medium of Bronze.

My dnd character, Eleanora De Albiana and her design!

Since Eleanora’s face is heavily scarred after her family is murdered, and those scars trigger flashbacks in Ellie, Ramiel (her Eidolon) gifts her a mask similar to his own.

Bonus size comparison between the two.

I did change their designs a bit, so as you can see, Ramiel gets these big ol antlers and Eleanora wears a simple dress

seder was such a mess you guys… i ended up crying in public while reading aloud a bit about “you shall not oppress the stranger in your land” and then my grandfather tripped while helping to clear the table and seems to have bruised his chest pretty bad and i am very worried about my grandmother on the other side’s mental decline it was all Not Good

i love ocs that are so fucked up that if you removed one thing that fucks them up they would just become even more of a danger to themself and society. my beloved wife has one (inspired by her cultist sim playstyle) that lives in one of our little shared settings now and not a day goes by where i dont cherish him

yas queen get it! the world needs more existentially fucked up people who would 100% relapse into cannibalism (had previously been a cannibal) and dress like count chocula if you let them out of the labyrinthine cognitive framework keeping them attached to their found family for one second!

i play the found family member holding the leash on this freak and you know what if he broke containment and ate his guru (who, relevantly to the image I'm painting, is about five years younger and was spared the horrors for now by a dysfunctionally whimsical worldview of his own) i would only ask for the poetics of the thing that he should then eat himself. together forever no notes perfect resolution of unresolvable situation. good job betzalke your father would be so proud of you

what about you tumblr. what deranged species of irredeemable lowlife lives in your hearts

Smotrich Is Coming...Or Is He?

The issues swirling around the upcoming visit of Betzalel Smotrich to the United States are complex and troubling. On the one hand, he sounds like someone more than entitled to make such a journey: Smotrich is, after all, the Minister of Finance of the State of Israel and the leader of the Religious Zionist Party, one of the parties in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s coalition. And yet he has a troubling history of making remarks that are beyond merely obnoxious and go all the way, at least in my opinion, to fully unacceptable. This is a man, after all, who has described himself as a “proud homophobe” who sees no problem with putting gay people in the same category with people who have sex with animals. (For more, click here.) And who has openly expressed his regret that the Arabs of Israel weren’t all expelled from the nascent State of Israel when statehood was first proclaimed in 1948, and that regardless of whether they were or weren’t prepared to live in peace with their Jewish neighbors in an independent Israel. But none of those previous comments (and they are legion) compare, I don’t think, to his remark in the wake of the pogrom carried out by Jewish settler types in the tiny Palestinian village of Huwara last week.

The events that led up to nightmare in Huwara are well known. Two brothers, Hillel and Yagel Yaniv, were murdered by a gunman who rammed their car and then shot them at point-blank range. The brothers, from the nearby Jewish settlement of Har Bracha, died instantly. This was a blatant act of terror, a murder that cannot be excused with reference to political rage. The residents of Huwara, however, did not see it that way; the reports of the villagers handing out candies and sweets in celebration of the brother’s murder, which I initially thought were probably exaggerated, appear to be true. This led to an attack against Huwara by about four hundred enraged Israelis in the course of which one man was killed, almost a hundred wounded seriously enough to require hospitalization, and thirty cars and about one hundred homes set on fire. The identity of the gunman was at the time unknown, so the rioters can’t have known whether he did or didn’t come from Huwara. The Palestinian man who was killed is not suspected to have had anything to do with the murder of the Yaniv brothers.

So that is the basic story. It’s a horrific tale, one featuring the deaths of innocents, the rage of an embittered mob, shockingly poor behavior on the part both of bystanders and participants, and an inexplicable absence of oversight by the people who are supposed to be in place to guard the peace.

And it was into this swamp of misery that Finance Minister Smotrich waded with his now-famous comment that the village of Huwara needs “to be wiped out” and that the State of Israel should “do it.” I understand that he was enraged. Who wasn’t enraged by the thought of Palestinians celebrating the cold-blooded murder of two innocent Jewish Israelis? Or by the thought that the killer might possibly have come from the very town in which the murders were perpetrated? But the thought that an appropriate response to the murder of innocents is the murder of other innocents is an idea that no decent person could rationally embrace, let alone express in public.

Even Prime Minister Netanyahu was apparently shocked by the remark. “I am asking you,” he said to the Israeli people in the wake of the events in Huwara, “while blood is boiling and winds are high—don’t take the law into your own hands. I ask that you allow the IDF and the security forces to do their work.” The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, expressed the same thought in slightly different language. “Taking the law into one’s own hands, rioting, and committing violence against innocents,” the President said, “this is not our way and I express my forceful condemnation. We must allow the IDF to apprehend the despicable terrorist (i.e., the murderer of the Yaniv brothers) and restore order immediately.

And then, eventually, Smotrich walked back his original remarks, calling his comment about the village deserving to be destroyed “inappropriate.” And then he went further down that same path, noting that his comments were “incorrect…a slip of the tongue amid a storm of emotions,” and that he never meant for his comments to be taken literally.

To this walk-back, the Prime Minister responded with obvious relief. “It is important for us all to work to tone down the rhetoric,” he said, “which is why I wish to thank Minister Smotrich for making clear that his choice of words regarding the vigilante attack on Huwara following the murder of the Yaniv brothers was inappropriate and that he is strongly opposed to harming innocent civilians.”

So that sounded like it should (or at least could) be the end of the story. A man given to incendiary rhetoric spoke quickly and crazily in public, was then called on the carpet by his boss, and then withdrew his comments and more or less apologized for having spoken too hastily and without realizing he might be taken literally.

And now Minister Smotrich is headed for our country to speak at the Israel Bonds Conference that begins on March 12 in Washington, D.C. A White House National Security Conference spokesperson made it clear the other day that there are no plans for Smotrich to meet with any Biden administration officials or, for that matter, with any American political or government figures at all.

And that puts the ball squarely in the court of the American Jewish Community. Bonds is a big deal, a huge organization that raises funds for Israel in every conceivable Jewish venue in the United States, including at Shelter Rock. To reference their invitation to Smotrich as “just” a chance for a traveling Israeli to introduce himself to the leadership of a major American Jewish organization is really misleadingly to downplay the significance of the invitation. On the other hand, the man is a member of the Netanyahu government and, at that, one who leads one of the largest ministries within the government and who is in his own right the leader of a party with seven seats in the Knesset. Shouldn’t supporters of Israel feel obliged to listen to a leader well-ensconced within the power structure of the current government of Israel? The man did apologize for his remarks, after all.

Last Friday, 120 American Jewish leaders answered that question by signing a letter demanding that Smotrich “not be given a platform in our community.” (For a full list of signatories, click here.) And then, just a few days later, the JTA reported that the Biden administration is considering withholding an entry visa from Smotrich, despite the fact that he doesn’t appear to belong to any of the categories usually invoked for denying entrance to foreign nationals.

And so I find myself on the horns of a dilemma. On the one hand, Smotrich’s remarks were vile. Nor am I particularly convinced that he has changed his mind merely because his Prime Minister got him to say he had. But, on the other hand, I am fully afraid that many of those urging the Biden administration to bar Smotrich from entering the United States are not friends of Israel and are merely using this whole incident as a convenient peg upon which to hang their animus against Israel. On the third hand, I do support the right of Israelis to elect their own officials and then, if they become dissatisfied, to decline to re-elect them or even to bring down the government by turning public opinion dramatically enough to make the government unable to govern. As far as the Jewish leaders calling on the Israel Bonds people to deny an Israeli cabinet minister the right to address them, I have mixed feelings there too: who is to say that good couldn’t and wouldn’t come from a man like Betzalel Smotrich, an Israeli born, bred, raised, and educated in Israel, being exposed to the width and breadth of American Jewish culture—something that the Bonds Conference could well provide?

I write today, however, not to vent (or not just to vent), but to offer a concrete solution, one that could and even possibly would satisfy most parties to the affair.  Smotrich did a terrible thing when he, wearing his big yarmulke and openly identifying as a religious Jew, called for the murder of innocents and the eradication of a town merely because a wicked person committed a foul act on its streets. Issuing a press release walking back the remarks was a nice start, but cannot possibly be interpreted—not halakhically but also not realistically—as “real” t’shuvah. But the gates of t’shuvah are never closed, which is to say that the possibility of real repentance is always present. This truth, we repeat over and over and over in our High Holiday liturgy. Surely Smotrich knows those words by heart. So perhaps the time has come to act on them.

My suggestion is Betzalel Smotrich forego the opportunity to address the Bonds Convention and instead head to Huwara. He needs to find the courage to meet the people there and to evolve from an angry politician with a big mouth into a true worker for peace. He needs to find Palestinians to work with him, to find common ground, to build the kind of consensus that could conceivably lead to real change in the endless war between Israelis and Palestinians. He needs to take the bright light this whole incident has shone upon him and refocus it out onto the world as a force for illumination and the kind of open dialogue that can lead to peace. The trick is not to condemn the man for using intemperate language in the past, but to challenge him to make of this whole incident the framework for the kind of dialogue that leads, or at least that can lead, to peaceful coexistence.

It’s a cliché to say that no one but Nixon could have gone to China, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true. Perhaps the time has come for Betzalel Smotrich to go to Huwara.

(image description in alt text)

@wyf-of-bathe I actually love this question because it's definitely something I feel like doesn't really get addressed! I tried to answer it last night and my connection timed out just as I was saving the draft and it fucked off unfortunately, but let's give it another try.

Ok so important figured to know:

Obviously, President Biden, the current head of the USAmerican government

Also obviously, Bibi Netanyahu, the current prime minister of Israel, member of the war cabinet

Yoav Gallant, current Minister of Defense in Israel, member of the war cabinet

Benny Gantz, a minister without a portfolio, entered the government when the war started in order to join the war cabinet

Gadi Eisenkot, another minister without a portfolio of the same party as Gantz, also joined the government to join the war cabinet

Itamar Ben Gvir and Betzalel Smotrich, extreme right wing ministers (Minister of National Security and Finance Minister, respectively). Not in the war cabinet

There are other members of the Biden government that are in practice important to the relationship between Israel and the USA, but aren't important to general understanding of what's going on, so I won't name them

Same for members of the IDF

I'm going to try to paint a general picture of the development of relations between the Biden administration and Israel over the last seven months since October seventh. Considering I am a human being I might get certain dates wrong; please forgive me, I will try to be as accurate as possible.

October seventh, as I'm sure most people here know, is the start of this narrative. Following the brutal attack on Israel by Hamas and PLJ, with the attack on land happening in the Israeli south and the rockets reaching as far as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Netanya, leading to the deaths of 1200 people and kidnapping of 250 Israeli citizens, member of the IDF, and foreign workers, the majority of them women, children, and the elderly, Israel launched a counter offensive on Gaza. At the time worldwide sympathies were mostly on Israel's side, especially as the number of deaths and severe injuries rose as well as the brutal nature of the attack became clearer. The Biden administration immediately contacted the Israeli government assuring them they were on their side, and offering aid, including armaments. Biden even visits Israel, the first US president to do so during wartime. Biden personally meets with several families of hostages, especially those which are American citizens.

The US was also extremely involved in the process to achieve the first (and so far only) hostage deal/ceasire between Hamas and Israel in late November, alongside Qatar and Egypt. 112 people total were released during this deal in exchange for several days of ceasefire and humanitarian aid, but when Hamas insisted on returning dead bodies instead of live women and children as per the agreement, the ceasefire fell apart and the war resumed.

Following this the IDF attacks expanded from Gaza City to Khan Younis, at which point talks between Biden and Bibi were becoming increasing tense. While the US continued to support Israel in public and continued to veto various resolutions in the UN which did not call for the immediate return of the hostages alongside the end of the war, the phone calls between Biden and Bibi made it clear that the Israeli government had no clear plan for what is referred to as "the day after", and as the death toll in Gaza continued to rise and the majority of the population became refugees the American government became more and more concerned with the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Biden often ended up essentially chastasing Bibi for both of these, and asked Israel to come up with a plan for who will take control of the Gaza Strip following the end of the war, as well as putting particular emphasis on letting more humanitarian aid cross the border into Gaza.

Bibi and Gallant's relationship also becomes strained as they disagree on what the war efforts should look like, such as Gallant calling for entering Rafah, something that would ruin Bibi's relationship with the USA permanently at this point. Biden continuously asks for the IDF's plans to clear Rafah before attacking there and is unimpressed with the response.

A concurrent focus of the Israeli government as well as the families of the hostages was to get medication to the hostages, many of whom are known to have received grievous injuries on October seventh or who have conditions that require regular medication. Especially the elderly men, who at this point are about a third to half of the hostages still remaining in captivity. A mini deal is reached to bring in to Gaza a large amount of medication in exchange for Red Cross access as well as medication being given to the hostages. This access was not given, even though the medication did enter. Oddly enough, while obviously all the other intermediaries were involved, France was also involved in this one, and many summits since then have also taken place in Paris.

Following this the US abstaining rather than vetoing a UN resolution calling for ceasefire, as it while not conditioning it on the return of the hostages did still call for their return (hence not a veto, but also not voting for it). This was incredibly bad timing as just then Bibi was supposed to send a team to the US to explain and discuss the current war plans with the USAmerican, but this abstaining led to Bibi pulling the plug on that.

As this is happening, Bibi was calling for the war cabinet to convene less and less, and was sharing essentially no information with its members. The war efforts are still focused on Khan Younis, but frankly, the army is rapidly running out of things to do. Hostage deal negotiations are going nowhere. However the only reason Bibi even still has a government is because of Ben Gvir and Smotrich's presence, and they continually threaten a. to veto any hostage deal which involves the end of the war and b. to leave the government if the war is ended. Bibi puts extreme restrictions on the negotiating team, as well as constantly pulling them out. The relationship between Bibi and Biden continues to worsen, and the US continues to pressure for more and more aid to come in.

Then, without warning, Gantz gets on a plane to Washington. This is extremely unprecedented and frankly out of line, but ultimately in my opinion a good move; it temporarily improved relations between the US and Israel, as well as finally revealed the strained relationship that had been worsening for months to Gantz and Eisenkot, who had somehow (and this is frankly ridiculous, it was constantly on the news) completely missed how terrible this relationship had gotten.

Gantz and Eisenkot are constantly pushing forpre cabinet meetings, which Bibi does occasionally call. These debates are frustrating and circular. Biden continues to be disappointed with the lack of planning for Rafah and the day after, as Gallant continues to clarify that the IDF is ready to act on Rafah anytime, should Bibi actually decide to do so.

Things take another turn for the worse on Bibi's side when the US starts dropping aid and creating the harbor without consulting Israel. Meanwhile the US starts to put sanctions on Israeli citizens who commit acts of terror in the West Bank, and following what is actually a several year investigation, also against the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, a Haredi majority battalion known for committing acts of terror against Palestinians in the West Bank as well.

If this seems bad for Israel, it's because it is. As much as people on this website love to claim that Biden is "supporting a genocide", the truth is Biden is an old school diplomat. Israel is a long standing ally of the US, and the Trump style of making grand statements in front of crowds is considerably less effective than the constant pressure Biden is putting on Israel behind closed doors. This pressure is why the aid to Gaza is constantly increasing! No, it's not enough, but it is increasing. This pressure is also why until this week, following the sudden rockets shot at south Israel once more, Israel did not enter Rafah.

The current situation is more of the same. The US continues to be involved in the negotiations with Hamas for a hostage deal/ceasefire, which I detailed in a post a couple of days ago; their involvement is even more important now that Qatar has dropped out. Biden continues to pressure Israel to avoid activities in Rafah, and recently threatened to forbid the use of American weapons and armaments if it becomes more serious. There have been no new sanctions for a while, but I don't think the US would hesitate if that came up. The Biden administration, including both Kamala Harris and Biden himself, has started even criticizing the IDF on television!

What do I think is going to happen next? Personally I genuinely have no idea. Best case scenario, the current negotiations for a ceasefire/hostage deal succeed, and the IDF pulls out of Gaza, while somehow managing to replace Hamas as the people in charge in the Strip, followed by Bibi's resignation. This is not going to happen. The definitive victory Bibi keeps promising is not in reach, and if the IDF go for it without essentially emptying Rafah over the course of weeks or even months (currently a few hundred thousand out of 1.9 million (!) Gazans have fled to Khan Younis), the US is going to follow through on their threat and forbid the use of their armaments (the worst case scenario). The best case scenario that could actually happen is a hostage deal that leads to several months of ceasefire followed by a POSSIBLE cessation of the war, and Hamas continuing to control Gaza. The issue of who will take control of the Rafah crossing is also on the table, as Israel is interested in building a subterranean wall on the Egyptian border like the one that exists on the Israeli border. I suspect it'll be Egypt, which views the possible escape of Gazans into Egypt as a security threat; but this will probably lead to fucking riots in the street in Egypt, where public opinion is on the side of the Palestinians and often also pro Hamas, which will lead to the end of current Egyptian president el-Sisi's career.

Another issue I should have brought up and forgot to was the normalization process between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which the US and Biden were overseeing before the start of the war. It was progressing really well til October seventh; while it is getting back on track, following October seventh and the way the Palestinian issue has been brought to the forefront, the normalization can no longer go through without Bibi giving lip service to the possible future of a Palestinian state, the two state solution that Biden believes in. Bibi will simply not do this. Even if he wasn't a right wing nut job would never do that, it would definitely guarantee Ben Gvir and Smotrich's exit from the government, and Bibi's government falling immediately.

I think I've covered the main points (in uh... So many words. Probably too many words.) I'm currently not taking any more questions on i/p, I'll let y'all know when the inbox is "open" so to speak. If this was helpful to you and you feel like supporting me, my ko-fi is linked in my bio.

rip the actual person I know named betzalel, a 6 foot plus former linebacker now going exclusively by “bitsy”

The Hero of the Oracles, was a man that radiated optimism. Despite his pig-like appearance, being the following Ganon of King and the preceding of Famine (not that he didn’t look to the brighter side, but he certainly didn’t radiate it) he was one of the more welcoming Ganons from within the group.

A contrast to your familiar pinky hero- Oracle kept a more positive view on things: to him there was always a solution to any problem, to him there was never any need to fret because to him, everything else was already so much better than what he had faced decades ago.

Similar to the villain Ganon, Oracle was originally a thief after losing his parents to only the goddess knew what at such a young age. He had to fend for himself, he was alone for so long before his first adventure had even begun and he had told you all this quietly amongst the flames of the campfire when you struggled to sleep on one of the many nights that your horrid memories seemed to crawl into your dreams and stain them with terrors beyond you imagination. He didn’t leave out the details and he didn’t sugarcoat any of what he told you- his honesty was nice in a way. These men weren’t perfect. They weren’t even on the side of light, they still served the God Demise and they were only the heroes to keep the balance as their Hylia seemed to strive for “Purification” in her eyes, anyway.

You had decided to tag her as ‘Martinet’, as it perfectly described just how worse she seemed to be.

It seemed the OG Hylia wasn’t all the bad anymore.

Oracle liked to knit, and sew, and crochet, and so much more of the textiles arts you had almost lost count. A thing similar to Legend, Oracle had grown an attachment to the arts after having to repair garments one too many times while on the road. It was a useful skill. A skill that he enjoyed, so it wasn’t rare to see him working on his own little project in the quieter moments- he had even sewed some pretty flowers into your tunic after seeing all the tears!

It was his peace offering at your bumpy beginning.

Oracle couldn’t go into town. Neither could Famine, or Betzalel, or Power or Pestilence- when you looked like a hulking moblin it would make sense to avoid towns like the plague, if you were in a group of moblin looking bastards you knew it would only end bad for you to ever step near civilization. So it made sense, the men staying at the camp to take care of everything while the other men strolled through the people for the journey’s supplies.

You were clutching carefully at Tide’s coat, like a child with his mother, attached at the hip. He didn’t mind though. The man preferred it actually, able to keep a better eye on your smaller form in the crowds- you were so “small” after all, was what Tide argued and, well, he wasn't wrong.

Didn’t stop you from trying to fight him about it.

These moments did give you time to glance around the area. Eyes rolling over the stalls in the markets, ranging from everyday food to magical items for daily use. What an interesting sight it was. Never in your life would you have ever expected to hear a salesman screaming about his “magic wares- good for the husband for his upcoming travel!” What kind of magic item was it? A protection ring? Blessed weapon? Leaning in a little, you tried to spot just what the guy was speaking about.

Only to be tugged along with Tide as he moved to the next stall. Following obediently, you made quick haste in order to keep up with the giant’s massive strides-

When a stall caught your attention. 

Your pause also had the older man stopping, not that your strength did anything but simply due your lacking grip when you turned to face the stall with the assortment of fabrics and crafting materials.

“My child?” He edged closer to the table also, looking over the stock with mild interest. “Is there something that interests you?”

The clerk, a Rito woman, chuckled lightly before her wing gently brushed the table over what you were looking at- the glowing blue fur that dazzled in the light of the evening sun.

“It seems you have grown a likeness to our blupee fur.” At your aghast expression she tutted playfully, “Come now, don’t think of me so cruelly! I would never kill such a beautiful creature! Not that I think there is a possible way to as such….these furs where shaven.”

You looked over them carefully, your hand gently moving over the material- this was reason blupee fur, you could feel the familiar magic of the mountain lord buzz in your hand. “You were able to shave a blupee?”

The bird woman laughed once again, “Me? Goddess no- my father, however, has his own secrets on taming the creatures. The magic of the furs allows for the greatest luck with rupees, adjusts for the environments and blessed with protection”

“Really?”

“Yes, the Lord of the Mountain does flow through each and every one of the creatures.”

You hesitated slightly with your next words, “When you say protection, you mean projection against evil….right?”

Tide’s hand came to gently rest on your back, a gentle reminder that he was here and whatever fear that currently tried to fight to your heart could simply buzz off.

The clerk looked sympathetic, “The furs are known to help in moments of panic, be it against evil or simply lost on a path, the magic will be there to aid you.”

It was certainly promising. As much as you didn’t want to part with your beloved cloak (a gift from Wild- your Wild, a reminder that one day you would return to them, at least you hoped you did…) it was definitely time for an upgrade. And an upgrade that could be handy if you have to deal with….them again, you could take that over sentimental value.

“I’m going to guess these furs do not come cheap?” Tide joked, pulling out his rupee pouch.

“500 rupees is the lowest I would go.”

“I’ve got it.” Tide watched as you pulled out your own coin pouch, balancing 3 silver rupees with a small handful of purples following, “Is there any other fabric that goes good with the blupee fur? Magical or not?”

“Hold on, I have a small deal that comes with the fur- discounts for such lovely customers.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Returning later than evening, Nature had started on dinner as soon as you had all settled down. Priming the pastry top for a nice smelling pie with the goods he had gathered from the market. Your stomach rumbled for the dish, the fire alluring you towards where it cooked on the gentle fire- but it would still take time for such to be ready to feast upon.

Which is why you used the time to approach Oracle, talking animatedly to Famine who listened to his younger self quietly, eyes focused on polish his weapon- his chopped ears twitching in a way which showed his was listening.

“Uh, Oracle.” The two giants faced you, Oracle with interest and Famine in acknowledgment, “Could-...could I ask a favour?”

“Of course!” He replied, lightly with mirth (You didn’t understand how such a kind giant could come from King, but then again King would have been the equivalent to an angsty teen with all his counterparts. “What is it you require? Does it have something to do with the fabrics laid in your hands?”

You felt heat run up your neck, your hands shakily moving towards him “I- I was wondering if you could make me a new cloak?”

“A new one? Put your one this moment is perfect! Why do you wish to part from it?”

You hesitate.

There was a constant fear that nagged right at the back of your mind. Always there, fleeting but present- it would probably never leave you for as long as you continued to live. But maybe, just maybe, there would be a way to hide from it. This cloak was your answer, promised protection from what in the shadows of Hyrule, both monster and not. You needed this, not wanted, but needed to feel safer, even with a placebo effect.

“I don’t want to…I need to.”

Oracle paused, as did Famine. The two shared a look, eyes reflecting a similar look of concern as you continued on.

“The woman at the shop said it’s guaranteed protection and I need- I just- Ganon can you please just-”

A large hand came to rest upon your head, like a giant sun and casting a shadow in your vision that almost blinded you before your locks were ruffled.

“If it is truly needed then I will happily make you another cloak.” Taking the the materials he looked over them in interest, whistling lowly “Such rich fabrics- it must have cost you an ear or two.”

“....are you sure you’ll be able to make it? Do you need other tools?”

“You doubt my skills?” he joked, going through his bag to pull out some items you did not recognise, “I could create the most majestic of cloth with my eyes closed, my dear, there isn’t a need to worry.”

…you trust him, why would he lie after all?

Walking closer, you move to sit next to the man but Famine tugs you into your arms and places you right on his shoulders instead. It’s your seat now, if you’re not walking with the men your on one of their shoulders- they didn’t mind though. Your weight to them was like a empty rucksack over their shoulders, weighing almost nothing on the expanse of their build.

Crossing your arms, you laid them to rest upon the head of Famine as you watched Oracles hands move- skilled and precise.

In the following few days you would have a new cloak, dazzling in the sunlight and just the added protection to what stalked you in the burrows of the bush. It would not laid rest the fear that kept true to you but at least you would have that added relief to it all.

Oracle’s hands moved so smoothly.

Touchstarved Betzalel stuff (featuring terrified Mhin)

And yes He was 200 cm tall, but shrank due to lack of bitches.