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Intermediate level – ‫רמה בינונית‬

Herbert Samuel – First British Commissioner

In 1917 the Turkish rule in Israel ended and the British rule started.
In order to manage the rule, the British placed commissioners in Israel. The
first British Commissioner was Herbert Samuel.
Herbert Samuel was a Jew, and the Jews in England and in Israel rejoiced
greatly to hear that he is the Commissioner in Israel.
On the first Shabbat of the Commissioner in Israel, Samuel prayed at a
synagogue in the Old City.
That Shabbat was a special Shabbat – Shabbat "Nachamu" (consolation), the
first Shabbat after Tisha B'Av. In the portion from the Prophets for Shabbat
Nachamu, G-d promises the Children of Israel to rebuild the Temple and
Jerusalem.
And who read the portion from the Prophets on that Shabbat in the
synagogue? Herbert Samuel, who was the most important man in the
synagogue on that Shabbat.

After the portion from the Prophets, they say the blessing: "on his throne
will not sit a foreigner." With these words, G-d promises the Jews to place
a Jewish king upon Israel, and not a foreign king.
When Herbert Samuel read those words, Rabbi Kook – the chief rabbi of
Israel – got up and repeated the words.
Those who were praying there were moved to hear Herbert Samuel read the
portion from the Prophets and the blessing. For more than two thousand
years there had not been a Jewish king in Jerusalem, and now there is in
Jerusalem a Jewish Commissioner, almost a Jewish king. And this king is
reading how G-d promises two things: to build the Temple and to place a
Jewish king upon Israel!
But not only those who were praying there were moved. Herbert Samuel
said after many years: "Never in my life was I moved like on that Shabbat."

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