Once again let us turn to our Torah and ask, “How did our forefathers in Egypt smash the chains of their bondage?” The answer is “Vayizaku – they cried out and their cry was mingled with tears.” That cry melted the chains and enabled their prayers to ascend to the throne of G-d
The lesson could not be clearer. Once again we must beseech Hashem with prayer. Our sages transmitted to us the code that can open the most impenetrable lock: “The gates of tears are never closed.”
Let us ask in all sincerity: Have we cried? Have we shed tears of anguish? We know how to cry with real tears, but such prayer usually is reserved for ourselves and our own needs. How about crying for those boys with the same heartfelt feelings?
I remember a time from my childhood in Hungary before the Nazi occupation when women would come to shul and weep uncontrollably. Not for themselves but for “acheinu kol Beis Yisrael – our brethren, the entire House of Israel.” Today if someone weeps in shul we ask, “Is something wrong? Is someone sick?”
Yes, something is wrong. Three of our sons are missing among savages. Should we not weep? Should we not beg for Hashem’s mercy? It’s one thing to recite Psalms – and I certainly don’t minimize it – but it’s something else to drench the pages with our tears. We have the key. Let us seize it. Let us shake the heavens. Let us not stop until our boys and all our people are liberated from bondage.
For many years I’ve been writing and speaking about those trying days that will precede the coming of Mashiach. We are now in the period when we can hear the footsteps of Mashiach. This is not merely my opinion. I would never burden you with my personal ideas. Our sages have identified these times as such. (I have written extensively about this painful terror-ridden period in my book Life Is a Test. You can look it up.)
In Bereishis, the role of Ishmael is distinctly described. An angel of G-d announces to Hagar that she shall have a son whose name will be Yishmael and whose “hands will be against everyone and everyone’s hands will be against him….”
You need only look around to see the veracity of this prophecy. Look at Iraq where people are being beheaded, look at Syria where the blood keeps flowing, look at all the horrific violence perpetrated by Islamic terrorists around the world, often against fellow Muslims. Now ask yourself, if Ishmael can do this to his own people, what will he do to our people if, G-d forbid, he gets hold of them? And then think of our three missing boys – Yaakov Naftali ben Rachel Devorah, Gilad Michael ben Bat-Galim and Eyal ben Iris Teshurah.
Let us storm the heavens. Let us cry out with heartfelt conviction. Let us recite at least one psalm for them – Psalm 130. It’s a short psalm but it speaks volumes. Tell your friends and your neighbors to join you. Let us be one nation, one people, one family, and feel for each other.