In Dire Straits

We the Jewish people are in most difficult times. The whole world is standing against us. As we enter the month of Tammuz, we enter a time of tragedy for the Jewish nation. The Mishna records: Five calamitous events transpired on the seventeenth of Tammuz: The first tablets were broken when Moshe descended from the mountain and saw the golden calf and the accompanying rites, the offering of the daily sacrifice was suspended in the first Beis HaMikdash, the wall of the city was breached in the time of the second Beis HaMikdash, during the time of the second Beis HaMikdash, Apustamus the Wicked burned the Torah; and an idol was placed in the Sanctuary.

The twenty-one days between the seventeenth of Tammuz and the ninth day of Av are referred to as Bein Hametzarim – ‘within the straits.’ As we read in Eicha: “All her pursuers overtook her within the straits.” Our Sages explain that this expression, ‘within the straits’ refers to the days of pain and affliction which slammed Am Yisrael during these three weeks. Many calamities occurred. Bein Hametzarim was established as a time of mourning for us because of the tremendous churban that befell our people at this time, spanning generations.

I find it incredible that as we approach the three weeks, we have been put into turmoil over this same word – the Straits of Hormuz. Think about it. When we were in our very first galus, we were enslaved in Mitzrayim. Mitzrayim has the root word of tzar – straits. It is not just Egypt. It is symbolic of any time a Jew is feeling choked, in a narrow place, in ‘tzarah’. The definition of galus goes beyond exile. Galus is not just physical; it is emotional and spiritual. It is a place that feels constricted, it is indeed living in dire straits. Mitzrayim was our first place of constriction. We are in the three weeks and once again find ourselves grappling, literally, with Bein Hametzarim.

I don’t know what the state of the world will be in by the time you read these words. I do know that every day brings more confusion, more anxiety, loss of trust, and even loss of life.

What can we do?

What must we do?

“Min hameitzar karasi Kah, annani bamerchav Kah – From the straits I called to Hashem, He answered me with expansiveness.” Dovid HaMelech gives us our solution as he describes his own narrow straits in Tehillim. I believe that he is speaking to us today. My children, do you find yourself in a narrow place? Do you feel as if the world is constricting around you? The Straits of Hormuz have turned the people you thought you could depend upon, against you. But you must know the truth.

“Annani bamerchav Kah.” It is only Hashem who can open the narrow straits. Hashem is beyond any human being. We must only call upon Him and use our powers of tefillah to transform ourselves from feeling stuck, as if we are trapped, to living free and able to breathe. We have forgotten that we have this incredible koach of ‘hakol kol Yaakov’, and instead we have put our trust in man who comes from earth and returns to earth.

There is one more action we must take.

We are in this difficult and painful galus because of sinas chinam. Jew against Jew. Brother against brother. Once again, the ugliness of internal hatred has reared its ugly head. I cannot bear to hear nor to see the malice. My heart hurts.

I recently heard a talk from Chaya Hexter who tragically lost her chayal son, Yakir. Chaya spoke to her son’s Hesder yeshiva. She told the students in front of her that there is so much to learn about these boys-men, tzaddikim because they gave their lives al Kiddush Hashem which is huge. They were personalities and stood for so much more.

She described the many stories of Yakir’s chasadim she is only now hearing.

“I want to leave you with this,” she said.

“I didn’t know all the stories. And he is 26 years old. There are 90-year-olds who didn’t do what he did in his lifetime. I want to leave you with these lessons.

You can always be a mensch.

You can always be a better friend.

You can always listen better.

It’s about being inspired by these men. Inspiring yourself.”

Let us try during these weeks to be kinder, more compassionate, more patient with one another. Let us get out of these narrow, dire straits and bring the geulah. It is time.