This farmer is from a generation of farmers who plow the “old fashioned” way: behind a mule. Don’t be fooled, this foto didn’t come from an old book. I took it earlier this week.
We met this farmer whose name is Na’am, in a small field outside of Shechem. Mr. Na’am was very friendly when we stopped and asked if we could take his foto. He was happy to speak with us, though I couldn’t understand much of what he said. My Arabic skills are fairly thin and he couldn’t speak English.
Unintentionally, I demonstrated the cultural divide when I asked the name of his mule. He did a double take and looked at me as though I had just parachuted in from Mars before answering, “Mule.” I guess Arab farmers don’t name their animals.
This kind of resurrection talk isn’t new; it’s just different in that it is open and public. In the years since Schneerson’s death, particularly in the days immediately following, many of his followers proclaimed their belief in his identity as Messiah, but it was almost an “in house” discussion. A discussion that, at times, grew to more than a friendly discussion, which threatened to completely split the Chabad movement.
This poster (right) includes with The Rebbe’s photo the words, “Messiah is good for everybody.”