Since we heard the horrifying news at the close of Simchas Torah (some heard from gentile workers even on Simchas Torah), Klal Yisrael has been walking around in a daze of dismay, fear, sadness and dread. What is the proper way to shake ourselves out of our inner turmoil and despondent stupor, to act responsibly and usefully? One thing is for sure: becoming a news junkie is not the way of a Torah Jew. Of course, we need to have the basic facts in order to respond with the proper empathy, but by now we are all aware of the savage slaughter of hundreds, the murderous violation of terrorists bursting into homes and savagely killing whole families, men, women and children, and the taking and torturing of hostages. There is no need and no profit in being glued to the computer and following each skirmish and every new horror.
The Medrash teaches us in Yalkut Shemoni [Kings 1:200], the name Yishmael, the father of the Arab nations, conveys a message and that is yishma Keil, his descendants will cause Hashem to hear the cries and the screams of our people. At a time where so many are in mortal danger, when many of the 360,000 reservists are facing the guns of savages, our response is, as it says in the verse that we all know, “Eileh va’rechev v’eilah vasusim, va’anachnu b’sheim Hashem Elokeinu nazkir – They come with their tanks and their cavalries, but we come with our calling out to Hashem our G-d.”
When he was afraid of the Jews, Balak asked the elders of Midian (where Moshe Rabbeinu grew up), ‘What makes him tick?’ The elders responded, “Ein tivan shel eilu ela b’peh – The secret of these people is through the mouth.” As the Torah testifies, “Hakol kol Yaakov v’yadai’im yadei Eisav,” the strength of Yaakov lies in their voice. For starters we need to pray with great urgency and concentration, the V’lamalshinim bracha of Shemoneh Esrei: that hazeidim, those who are willful, “Meheirah s’akeir, us’shabeir, usmageir, v’sachni’ah bimheirah b’yameinu,” that these murderers doing their terror with a preparedness that was planned as long back as two years, should be uprooted and broken, pulverized, and humiliated quickly and in our day.
Every time we break bread and we say in bentching, “Racheim na Hashem Elokeinu al Yisrael amecha – Have mercy Hashem our G-d, on Yisrael Your nation,” we should think about the soldier who is going into Gaza leaving a wife who is eight months pregnant, hoping that he will live to see his new baby. We should have in mind the father who is guarding the breached southern border who is praying that he should live to attend his daughter’s wedding. The thinking Jew, who is ever aware of his brothers and sisters are in harm’s way, should empathize and pray for the people in Sderot who have missiles raining on them by the hundreds and for the people in the kibbutzim who are still terrified of infiltrators bursting into their homes with submachine guns.
Our prayers should come alive with new meanings. For example, when we say Lecha Dodi and we say the stanza, V’hayu limshisah shosa’ich, may they be torn those who tear us, V’rachaku kol m’val’aiyich, and may they be distanced all that swallow us. These words pop out with new meaning. Or, when we said in Hallel this past Rosh Chodesh, “Min ha meitzar karasi Kah,” with distress we call to You Hashem, “Anani,” answer me, “Va’meirchav Kah,” broadly Hashem. And when we beseech Hashem in Yukam Purkan, “V’sispar’kun v’sishteiz’vun min kol aka, u’min kol marin bishin – Redeem us and save us from any mishap and any bad occurrence.”
The Gemara in Megillah asks an interesting question. Why did Esther invite Haman to a banquet? How could she sit with such a monster? Would Rebbetzin Wasserman or Rebbetzin Weismandl invite Hitler, yemach shmo v’zichro, to a meal? The Gemara offers many answers which it says are all true. One of the answers is a poignant one. She wanted to ensure that the Jews should not say, “Achos yeish lonu b’beis hamelech – We have a sister in the palace,” who is queen. We have an ace up our sleeves and we don’t have to worry. So, she invited Haman, to make them question their allegiance so that they should put their reliance only on Hashem.
We have to be careful not to put our faith in the $13 billion aircraft carrier, Gerald R. Ford, with the Normandy and others that are parked nearby in the Mediterranean. While we certainly have tremendous gratitude to America, we know how fickle public opinion can be. As the stories come out about the water and electricity being stopped even to hospitals in Gaza and pregnant Palestinians, who are told to be human shields, being gunned down, as we do what needs to be done, the opinion of the world’s press and politicians can change rapidly. We must know that, “Ein lonu le’hisha’ein, ela al Avinu sheba’shamayim,” We can only rely on our Father in heaven. Even the military might of the Israeli air force, the brave valorous and skilled IDF, is not what we put our trust in. We are in awe and appreciation of their sacrifice but we must remember that we can only rely on our Father in Heaven. The only pasuk in the Torah that has the same gematria as the words Eretz Yisrael is “Hashem Ish milchama, Hashem Shemo – Hashem is the Man of battle, Hashem is His Name.”
Instead of Googling the latest news, open a Tehillim instead. When saying Sim Shalom or Shalom Rav, pray for the peace, security, and peace of mind of the millions of Jews that are terrorized or are in harm’s way. When saying in Maariv, “Hashkiveinu Hashem Elokeinu l’shalom – Hashem, allow us to go to sleep peacefully,” we should beseech Hashem that the elderly and the sick children shouldn’t be woken up in the night to run to bomb shelters and sealed rooms. When we continue with “V’ha’amideinu Malkeinu l’chaim,” that we should arise alive, we should have in mind the soldiers sleeping in trenches and in harm’s way, and all those who are in the paths of missiles should get up alive and healthy.
May it be the will of Hashem that He answers the fervent, united prayers of a scared and caring nation, and bring to us the geula sheleima, the final redemption, speedily in our days.
(To be continued)
Transcribed and edited by Shelley Zeitlin.
