The Dove in Zion Story

November 17, 2013, was  a very significant and moving day for me. I had brought with me Rivkah’s Siddur that I had purchased a few weeks before from the Moriah Bookstore in Jerusalem. I had wanted to come back to Jerusalem one more time before returning to the States. My most favorite place on earth is sitting in the City of David (the real Zion). When Rivkah came with me the last time to the City of David, we had a special area where we sat to read the Psalms. The area is covered and faces the stepped stone structure – a portion of the support system for King David’s palace.
I thought this a fitting place to come and write in her Siddur, at the very place, at the very spot, we read the Psalms together just a year earlier. As I made my way down to the City of David, I was thinking of what to write in it. I arrived and proceeded down the steps to our little area under the canopy. I noticed the area where I wanted to sit was clear of tourists, although this was a very busy day where many groups of school children were there touring on field trips.

As I approached our spot, which is a 3 foot rock wall that acts as a border to the flower beds, I went to sit down on the wall. I noticed there on the ground, a little brown dove right at the very spot I was planning on sitting. I sat down thinking the little dove would fly away, however it did not. I thought it was sleeping but noticed it’s eyes closing and opening very slowly. I knew at this point this dove was sick and couldn’t move.

As I began to write in Rivkah’s Siddur, I kept looking at that dove. I completed about half of what I wanted to say when all of a sudden a large group of school children began making their way through the canopy area to Hezekiah’s Tunnel. Some of the children stopped and marveled at this dove just lying there. They were so amazed that the dove didn’t move that some of them started kicking dirt and rocks at it. I sharply rebuked the children and told them to stop. The kids moved on but the dove lay still on the ground, sharply breathing in and out as though it was having much difficulty in getting air into its little lungs.

At that moment, I felt like I was the dove’s guardian. I picked it up very gently and placed it behind me, behind the rock wall inside the flower bed so it would not be bothered anymore; so it could rest in peace – safely. I continued to write in the Siddur and kept looking back at it. As I finished my writing,  I took one more look and noticed that the little dove’s eyes had closed permanently and that its sharp breathing had stopped. It had died right there in front of me. With great tears, I gathered some little sticks and leaves and covered it up – protecting and hiding it from any future enemy. It was good I did this because shortly afterward, some Arab teenage boys came through there and they surely would have been cruel to it.

I began to sob very hard because all I could think about was that I was here at this very moment in time, at this exact spot, to protect this dove in its final moments of life. Even Father took notice of this little life that slipped away – He sees all – even the breath of a little dove that ceases. (Matthew 10:29) I felt like I was its guardian as Yahuweh is the guardian of Israel. And then it hit me – I was there to witness this, because the significance of this dove and how it parallels the future of Israel is very great.

I believe Abba revealed to me this: The dove represents Israel who only wants peace,  who longs for peace, who only wants to be left alone in Zion. However, the enemies of Israel will come along and will kick dirt and rocks at it even while she is down. Although I knew that the children were not trying to hurt the dove, but to only see if it was alive or not, it will even be Israel’s most smallest and insignificant of enemies that will kick dirt and rocks at it – refusing to let it rest in peace. It reminded me of when King David fled over the Mount of Olives when the people were throwing dirt and rocks at him.

As the tears flowed down my face, I looked up and noticed another dove in the trees looking down. I knew it must have been its mate, for they mate for life.

I felt impressed to open up my Tehillim (Psalms) and I opened right to Psalm 65: 1-2:

“For the Conductor, a psalm, a song, by David. To You, silence is praise, O Elohim in Zion; and unto You shall the vow be fulfilled.”

The little dove’s song was silenced in Zion. Just as Israel longs to have peace from it’s enemies, to rest peacefully in Zion, it will not be able too. Her enemies will come and kick dirt and rocks on her and her song will be silenced. Even though Israel will lose two thirds of its people in the coming days, Yahuweh will still be her protector, for she is the apple of His eye. He will hide her away in peace until the day when Messiah comes to resurrect her and to dwell together with her in real peace –  forever in Zion. Her song will once again be heard and she will sing to her Beloved.

Israel is still the beloved of Yahuweh. The remnant of the whole house of Ya’cob will rejoice again. The Bridegroom says to His Bride:

“…Open for me, my sister, My love, my dove, my perfect one;” (Song of Songs 5:2)

In Psalm 56, David is referenced to a silent dove because he was distanced from his home in Zion, defenseless before his Philistine captors.

The very next morning, Mom and I made our way down to the Wall to pray. I was still very tender to the events of the day before, for I did not know if I would ever be back there before the coming events that will occur in East Jerusalem. After I finished reading and praying, I walked over to the entrance to the women’s section of the Wall. I saw Mom stand up and noticed she was staring at something. She then turned around and walked back up to the entrance to meet me. She said when she stood up to leave, she noticed a white dove resting in the cracks of the Wall. This was not a coincidence but Abba Father letting us know that the dingy brown dove that passed away yesterday, will once again live in His presence forever, dressed in white.