“One year, during the High Holidays, Rabbi Meir of Premishlan’s daughter fell seriously ill. As Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur passed, her condition deteriorated, and it seemed like she was nearing death.
On Simchas Torah, Rabbi Meir joyously celebrated with the Torah scrolls, as he did every year. However, a group of chassidim rushed into the synagogue and informed him that his daughter’s condition had worsened, and he needed to take immediate action.
Rabbi Meir hurried home and entered his daughter’s room. Realizing the severity of the situation, he stepped outside alone and spoke to God in the third person, saying:
‘Master of the Universe, You commanded Meir’l to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, to fast on Yom Kippur, to dwell in a sukkah during Sukkos, and to be joyous on Simchas Torah. I did all of this. Now, You have placed this illness upon his daughter. Meir’l accepts this tragedy with joy, as it is written that one should bless bad events just as one blesses good ones. However, you commanded we are not to mix one joy with another.’
At that moment, cries came from the room, indicating that the young woman had broken into a heavy sweat, and her condition had visibly improved. In due time, she made a full recovery.”
Reb Meir said it: one should bless bad events just as they bless good ones.
NOTHING BAD COMES FROM HEAVEN
The Rebbe said during the Yom Kippur war – the fact that it’s happening now, during a time when we don’t say Tachnun (prayers of supplication/penitence), means that the response needs to be one of joy.
It could have occurred in the more mournful months Tammuz or Av, but now…
It occurred on Simchas Torah, the most joyous day of the entire High Holidays - it’s zenith!
It is the day when we finish the Torah, and re-begin its reading with the creation of the world.
We end the Torah with “Indeed, You, G-d, showed love for peoples; all of His holy ones are in Your hand, for they let themselves be centered at Your feet, bearing Your utterances”
A great expression of love for the tribes of the Jewish people!
What is the first line of the Torah?
“In the beginning, G-d created the heaven and the earth”
Why does it begin this way?
If the Torah is a book of laws, start with the first commandment. If it is a book of history, a narrative, start with Abraham and Sarah the first Jews.
In the first commentary, on the first line of the entire Torah, Rabbi Yitzchak asks this question - why begin here?
The answer is, “For the nations of the world should say to Israel, “You are robbers!”, you stole the land of Israel, and our unequivocal reply is, “The entire earth belongs to the Holy One, Blessed be He; He created it (that’s why it starts here!) and gave it to whomever He deemed proper He gave it to them!”
The day we read these two beautiful affirmations of our connection to the One Above and our Holyland - this happens?!
Unfathomable, but our response is clear. G-d has already delineated it, and laid it out in the Torah.
FIRST DEFENSE, THEN OFFENSE
My friend in my Yeshiva days made two bumper stickers, the social media forum of the late 90’s and early 00’s.
One read: CNN LIES.
The other read: “THE LAND OF ISRAEL BELONGS TO THE JEWS”, G-d, The Bible.
Today it is shocking that when we feel so interconnected, so dialed into the current news cycle that now we feel more helpless than ever…
Each one of us has a smartphone, TV, laptop, tablet, we feel that we have a direct line to the moment.
I have a few suggestions on how to handle the news.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly - don’t watch the images or the videos.
That is what the terrorists want. THEY made the videos.
It was made to debilitate you through anger and depression, to make you lose faith.
Anyone who tells you, "Don't look away", doesn't care about your soul.
It will be seared into your brain. Your brain is more valuable than that. You are not supposed to live vicariously through the pain of our brothers and sisters, but rather empathize with them, but not walk in their shoes unnecessarily.
You were given your life without their painful predicament not to feel guilty, but to take POSITIVE action, where they cannot.
Also, diminish your following the news as much as possible, but especially do NOT listen to any false equivalency. IT IS NOT REAL. There is no equivalency. Nothing the State of Israel could have ever done warrants such barbaric acts.
Inform your children.
Be careful with what they learn and hear in school and inform them. Especially what they hear from teachers, friends, and the news. Unfortunately, the classroom has been corrupted, perhaps even more than the public thoroughfare. Give them a role, listen to them, empower them, comfort them, and reassure them - even if you are not so sure yourself. Their words and actions, as young Jewish boys and girls have tremendous power.
Do not expect the Israeli government’s might to win the day, nor the might of the IDF, they have failed numerous times, as all humans do. Unfortunately time and again they don’t finish the job and cower to the world’s opinion, G-d forbid.
We place out TRUST in HASHEM, G-d.
Our young people who are going into the fire to protect and save Jewish lives are perfect Tzaddikim (righteous ones). Let our righteous ones finish the job, for G-d is amongst them, in their camp. It is better if they finish, even for the non-Jews.
We don’t understand, nor can we fathom the tragedies, so our response always has to be beyond comprehension.
THIS IS HOW THE SOLDIERS WENT OFF TO WAR.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO WAR?
This is a unique time of joy.
The same G-d that is causing this, is the same G-d that gave us a Torah, and a Code of Jewish Law that says that you cannot fast today, you must rejoice more today, and you cannot say the prayer of penitence for the rest of the month!
The only solution is to strengthen our faith and our conviction through joy.
The success of Our People for thousands of years has been ensured by focusing our attention on 3 Pillars of responsibility.
Torah - Your study of and life according to G-d’s Commandments. We have the blueprint and guidebook for life and creation. Use it. Even a line a day. One word of inspiration, history, law or mysticism can change the entire tenor of the world. Great is Torah study that leads to deed. Learn specifically topics of Moshiach and redemption in the Torah.
Tefillah (Prayer/Connection) - When you say G-d’s Words, you have a profound effect. This is all happening when we read the Torah portion of Bereishis (Genesis), when Hashem creates the world through speech (He spoke and it came to being). G-d is constantly re-enlivening creation every moment with the power of speech. When we contribute with holy words it changes the outcome to a positive result.
Tzedakah (Charity) - Your money is you. By giving of yourself, all ills are healed. Talk is cheap, action is the main thing. Every time you want to post on social media, make a donation to a Jewish cause for $180, do both. Of all the prescriptions that Kabbalah, Chassidus and the Jewish mystics give, copious amounts of Tzedakah is the #1 way to ensure success in all areas of life.
LINKS FOR TORAH STUDY: www.chabad.org * www.torahcafe.com * Hayom App * Daily Study App
LINKS FOR PRAYER www.chabad.org * Online Siddur Tehillat HaShem & App * Tehillim Psalms Oholei Yoseph Yitzchak * My Prayer by Nissan Mindel
LINKS FOR TZEDAKAH (CHARITY) www.colelchabad.org * https://orchaya.org.il/
*www.CharityForIsrael.com *www.miyad.org/donate *
recommendations from community members: https://justonechesed.org/aid4israel/ * www.kupasrabeinu.org (keren hashana) * www.thankisraelisoldiers.org *
10 Mitzvahs for every Jew to do
"Mitzvah" means "commandment". A mitzvah is one of the 613 Divine instructions to the Jew contained in the Torah. The word also means "connection": a deed that connects the human being who performs it with G-d, who commanded it.
As a connection between man and G-d, as a bridge between Creator and creation, a mitzvah is a deed of cosmic significance, a deed of infinite value unto itself. Citing Maimonides, the Rebbe repeated time and again: a single person performing a single mitzvah could be the deed that tips the scales and brings redemption to the entire world and all of creation.
So the Rebbe issued a call to every Jew: Even if you are not fully committed to a Torah life, do something. Begin with a mitzvah -- any mitzvah; its value will not be diminished by the fact that there are others which you are not prepared to do.
Because of their centrality to the Torah's guide to life, these are ideally suited for a first experience of the mitzvah connection.
The Ten Mitzvot
1. Light Shabbat Candles
Women and girls (age 3 and up) are encouraged to light candles every Friday afternoon, 18 minutes before sunset, in honor of the Shabbat, and before Festivals. You light up the world!
2. Tefillin
Men (age 13 and up) are encouraged to wear the Tefillin every morning excluding Shabbat and Festivals. Tefillin are black leather boxes containing small parchment scrolls of selected portions from the Torah, in which the fundamentals of the Jewish faith are inscribed. Connect!
3. Mezuzah - Message on a Doorpost
Every Jewish home should have a mezuzah on its doorposts. The mezuzah contains the Shema and is a sign that the home is sanctified for G-d and enjoys His protection. Protect!
4. Torah
Study a portion of Torah daily, whatever your heart desires. Even a few lines contain the infinite wisdom and will of G-d.
5. Tzedakah
Give charity daily. When you give to the needy, you are serving as G-d's emissary to provide for His creations. The home is a classroom, and keeping a"pushkah" (charity box) in your home -- and contributing a coin to it every day -- will teach you and your children the noble value of regular giving. Try it, you'll see immediate blessing in your life!
6. A home filled with holy books
Furnish your home with as many holy books as possible. At the very least, get a hold of a Chumash (Torah/Bible), Tehillim (Psalms), Tanya and a Siddur (prayer book). A Jewish home!
7. Kashrut
Eating is one of the basics of life. Shouldn't it be done with intelligence? For a healthy and sound soul, eat only kosher foods, for when you eat differently, your Judaism is not just metaphysical, but part and parcel of your very being. Eat spiritually and meaningfully!
8. Love Your Fellow
"Love your fellow as yourself," said the great Jewish sage Rabbi Akiva, is a most basic principle in the Torah. Reaching out to your fellow Jew with patience, love, concern, and unity is among the greatest mitzvot a Jew can do. Acts of goodness and kindness!
9. Education
Every Jewish boy and girl should receive a Jewish education. Teach your children everything you know about your faith, and provide them with a quality Jewish education -- you will be ensuring Jewish integrity, Jewish identity and a Jewish future. Continuity!
10. Observe Family Purity
Observance of the Jewish marital laws allows you to make the most of your marriage, bringing you and your spouse to new, undiscovered depths of intimacy and sacredness in your relationship. Sanctity that can enhance your family!
WE WANT MOSHIACH NOW!!
THE SHEMA YISRAEL PRAYER
Its recitation twice daily (morning and evening) is a biblical commandment.
Indeed, this succinct statement has become so central to the Jewish people that it is one of the first words that we teach children and is traditionally a Jew’s last words on earth.
Cover your eyes with your right hand and say:
Recite the following verse in an undertone:
Cover your eyes with your right hand and say:
Sh'ma Yis-ra-eil, A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu, A-do-nai E-chad.
Whisper:
Ba-ruch sheim k'vod mal-chu-so l'o-lam va-ed.
V'a-hav-ta eis A-do-nai E-lo-he-cha,
B'chol l'va-v'cha,
u-v'chol naf-sh'cha,
u-v'chol m'o-de-cha.
V'ha-yu ha-d'va-rim ha-ei-leh,
A-sher a-no-chi m'tza-v'cha ha-yom, al l'va-ve-cha.
V'shi-nan-tam l'-va-ne-cha, v'di-bar-ta bam
b'shiv-t'cha b'vei-se-cha,
uv-lech-t'cha va-de-rech,
u-v'shoch-b'cha uv-ku-me-cha.
Uk-shar-tam l'os al ya-de-cha,
v'ha-yu l'to-ta-fos bein ei-ne-cha.
Uch-sav-tam, al m'zu-zos bei-se-cha, u-vish-a-re-cha.
Cover your eyes with your right hand and say:
Hear, O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One.
Recite the following verse in an undertone:
Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.
You shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be upon your heart. You shall teach them thoroughly to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be a reminder between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.
CONCLUSION
If you have read this far, I can say something terribly controversial, something I don’t know, but that which I believe with every fiber of my being.
Why G-d wants any of this, I do not know. The Arabs are not doing this. G-d is.
Do not be afraid.
In times of war, there is a special need for holiness. G-d loves every Jew. You should feel that love, and reciprocate that love, translating it into positive action to secure success, blessings, and revealed good for all of us.
G-d loves you.
This calamity makes no sense. Nor should our response. Be positive.