Rabbi Aryeh Levine – Tzaddik of Jerusalem (1885-1969)
After the six day war, one of the deputy mayors of Jerusalem met him in the street. Reb Aryeh took his hand and murmured, “Hayenu K’Cholmim, Hayenu K’Cholmim” – (“We were like those who dream, we were like those who dream”). “It is characteristic of a dream,” Reb Aryeh continued, “that in a few brief moments a man can see events occurring over a long period. It is just so right now. This is the time of our redemption. Here lies the mystic root of the redemption. we have seen the events of the redemption, the hopes of generations, coming true before our eyes in this brief time of six days. This is what R. Yehuda HaLevi meant when he said ‘The rescuing help of the Lord comes in the twinkling of an eye.’ Yes, we have certainly been like those who dream.” (pg 368)
During a ride to Hevron he began pleading anew with the people who accompanied him: “Please take me to Gush Etzion (the religious settlement which had been wiped out in the 1948 War of Independance and returned after the Six day war.). I must see the new settlers there. I will bless them and take a blessing from them.” … “This visit will give me strength and energy. Blessed be the G-d who establishes the boundary of the widow” (referring to Zion that was left forsaken for so many years.) (pg. 370)
“Our entire generation is meritorious for it has beheld more than the generations before us ever witnessed, even the generation of Moshe our Master. All the miracles that were wrought for Moshe, and for the generations after him were unnatural occurrences. The miracles in our generation happen for us in a perfectly ‘natural’ way…” (pg 371)