At this time, our thoughts and our prayers are completely directed towards the safety and security of each and every member of Klal Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael. The uncertainty of the prevailing situation is alarming. It is with full emunah and bitachon that we await Hashem’s salvation and redemption.
In recounting that Avraham went to pray for Sodom, the Torah uses the word “vayagesh.” Rashi explains that this expression of “approaching” is used for war, for rapprochement, and for prayer. Avraham Avinu was ready to do battle in order to protect that which was his.
HaRav Elazar Menachem Man Shach writes that when an individual is involved in a lawsuit, he retains a lawyer. At times the case is complex, and he may require a team of lawyers to defend him. The prosecution does their work as well. There is a similar process in the Heavenly Kingdom, with defense attorneys and prosecutors presenting their case, and (Iyov 33:23), “if there will be even a single angel who defends the person against a thousand accusers, G-d will spare him.”
Rav Shach delves into Avraham Avinu’s intervention for the redemption of Sodom. He notes that:
Avraham Avinu had accrued a lifetime of mitzvos, including the bris milah that he performed on himself, despite his critics and detractors. On the third day after the bris – the most critical period following the procedure – Hashem made the sun extremely hot, and Avraham Avinu was distressed because he was unable to do chesed for guests, as there were no wayfarers on the road. He was overjoyed when he saw the three Arabs. He welcomed them warmly and brought them delicacies and water. Avraham Avinu is the exemplar of chesed for all generations. When his guests would thank him after the meal, he would instruct them to bless Hashem Who provides all things for all people.
Despite the fact that Sodom had transgressed the Noahide Laws, and was a city where a girl could be killed for the “crime” of giving bread to a poor man, a place that was completely antithetical to his essence, Avraham begged Hashem for His mercy.
In our current situation, there are enemies who are resolute in their desire to G-d forbid destroy the Jewish Nation. It is the obligation of the worldwide Jewish community to fight on behalf of Eretz Yisrael. Our acts of chesed, our personal sacrifice and selfless dedication to others, our tzedakah, are all powerful advocates in Heaven on behalf of the defense of Eretz Yisrael.
As Yehoshua stood outside Yericho, he was confronted by an angel with a drawn sword. The Talmud (Megillah 3a) relates that the angel told Yehoshua that a day earlier he had neglected the afternoon daily offering due to the impending battle, and now at night he had neglected Torah study. The angel said he “came now” indicating that the sin of not learning Torah was more severe than omitting to sacrifice the daily offering. Yehoshua immediately corrected his oversight, as it says (Yehoshua 8:9, 13), “Yehoshua lodged among the people that night… in the midst of the valley.” This teaches us, our sages tell us, that he spent the night in the depths of halacha.
In addition to acts of chesed and Torah study, one of the most powerful weapons the Jewish Nation has, is prayer. We say in the Selichos prayers, “Hashem, I am embarrassed and ashamed to lift my face to You …” and then we continue in a humble and contrite manner asking to be saved.
The Rambam (Hilchos Taaniyos 1:1) states: “It is a positive Torah commandment to cry out to
G-d in the event of great distress that affects the community, as it says (Bamidbar 10:9), ‘When you go to wage war against an enemy who oppresses you, you shall sound the trumpets ….’ The Rambam observes that crying out and sounding the trumpets is one of the paths of repentance, as everyone will realize that the difficulty occurred because they need to do teshuva. This will help to save them. He continues and cautions that people should not be apathetic or unresponsive, with rationalizations that their difficulties are a natural or chance occurrence.
A man dressed in traditional chassidic clothing came to the home of the great rabbi of Chorkov and pleaded with the rabbi’s attendant for an urgent meeting with the tzaddik. It was arranged, and the man soon found himself standing before the holy Chorkover.
The chassid explained that his son had been summoned by the draft board for enlistment in the Austrian Army. If he passed the examination, he would immediately be drafted and his chances of survival would be very slim. The chassid pleaded with the Rebbe to pray on his behalf that he should fail the test in order to be exempt from the draft.
After listening closely to the supplicant, the tzaddik closed his eyes and seemed deep in thought. He then asked the man to repeat his request. The chassid complied and told the Rebbe about the extenuating circumstances and what he was requesting. The tzaddik closed his eyes again and after a few moments asked the man to repeat his request a third time. This happened another two times.
At that point, the Rebbe of Chorkov jumped up and reprimanded the chassid: You are being very selfish. You are not showing any appreciation to the Austrian government who has been quite generous to the Jewish people. They guard our safety and our rights as Jewish citizens. They don’t demand additional taxes from us, and they have assisted us many times over the years. How can you think of now avoiding any obligation to serve in the army? You should show your appreciation to the government and, in fact, your son should be inducted into the army. Leave immediately, you ingrate!”
The man left quite disappointed and upset. Everyone who heard about this incident was shocked. They could not imagine why the Rebbe had ordered the man to repeat his request so many times, and why he had been so severely rebuked.
The explanation was not long in coming.
A month later, the Rebbe of Chorkov received a commendation from the Austrian government, and was awarded a medal in recognition of his strong loyalty and patriotism. Apparently, the chassid who had requested an audience with the Rebbe a month earlier had been an undercover agent. The government had been informed that the Rebbe was a traitor and the agent had been sent to verify the accusation. Upon his return to his superiors, the agent reported that, on the contrary, the Chorkover had expressed exceptional devotion and allegiance to the government.
The entire community was amazed that the Rebbe had been able to discern the true identity of the individual who visited him. However, the Rebbe protested that it had not been a matter of ruach hakodesh. Rather, the man’s deception was very clear when he repeated his request countless times without any emotion, in a calm and collected manner. If, indeed, his request was so meaningful and critical to him, his passion and intensity should have increased each time he had to repeat the details of his request to the Rebbe.
When we pray at this time, we should not be dispassionate and unemotional, reciting our prayers monotonously. That would not utilize our opportunity to shake the gates of heaven with our prayer.
