The Depth of Tragedy

                                                                                                                                                           בס"ד

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This is a very difficult post to write because there are so many raw emotions and opposing views on the subject that I know it may not be a very popular piece. Yet, I feel that if we look at the big picture, it will help us through what at first glance appears to be a nightmare scenario, one which makes us wonder, "What is going on?"

We have just completed the 'Three Weeks' which, in the Jewish calendar, has been known to be a time fraught with many calamities for the Jewish People. On a national level it is a time of the destruction of the first and second Temples, the foundation of Jewish spiritual life. So many horrible things happened to our people during this period that we have been instructed to be very careful throughout these days. The last nine days leading up to Tisha B'Av, the 9th of the Jewish month of Av, we treat as a time of mourning,  holding by many of the traditions attached to that sad event. So real is the danger, that we are forbidden from swimming as well.

This year, while thank G-d, there was no major catastrophe affecting the Land of Israel, several terrible events permeated our beings. One is the ever-increasing contempt and misplaced criticism between our brothers. There is so much infighting involving different sectors of society that it is hurtful to watch. We are supposed to be as one and yet we treat each other like our own worst enemy. I heard a very true statement that is quite ironic - our enemies don't differentiate between us. They are anxious and willing to annihilate all of our people; national religious, haredi, reform, secular and chassidic Jews. To them, we are one unit. And that is what we are meant to be.  The commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18) obviously lost its meaning even to some who claim to have a fear of Heaven. Sadly, this internal strife reached a pinnacle over the past three weeks. At a time when we should strive for peace and guarding our tongues from loshon hara (evil talk and tale-bearing) instead we bring shame upon ourselves.

Then something less public and more dreadful brought us all into different corners of the ring. As if bickering over our different views would somehow bring back the three precious souls who lost their lives through parental misjudgments. Yes, three young babies in the course of two weeks left this world through pain and suffering, being left alone in the back seat of their parent's hot car. One can say the parents were negligent and failed in their responsibilities, but it is really irrelevant because the torment they will endure the rest of their lives will more than make up for any lack of civil punishment. It's difficult to imagine how one can go on after such a catastrophe. In Israel, despite the squabbling, we are as one family in agony and therefore we are all grieving. 

If we view these instances through spiritual eyes, we may still not be able to comprehend it, but we can come to an acceptance on a different level.

As much as it hurts, Hashem (G-d) decided that those infants were meant to leave this world. Each detail was predetermined so that even the amount of suffering they experienced was somehow beneficial to their neshamas (souls). We will never know or understand the reasons, but this was decreed in Shomayim (Heaven). Even the poor parents, regardless of the turn of events which led to the disaster, are destined to suffer for the remainder of their existence on earth. This too, though it is humanly impossible to fathom why, is somehow the way it was intended to be and for their ultimate good. When someone passes away, we say "Baruch Dayan HaEmet" which means, Blessed is the True Judge". We accept G-d's decision, as painful as it is. When we pass these tests in our material lives knowing that everything  He does is for the best, that is basis of emuna. Acknowledging this can, with Hashem’s help, give the families the strength to go on.

My friend, Jessie, told a related story which may help clarify this concept. There was a great Tzaddik (righteous man) who was niftar (passed away) and when he went to the next world, he was judged as righteous. Just as he was about to enter Gan Eden, an accusing angel told the Heavenly Courts that he had nursed from a non-Jewish mother for two months because his own mother was ill. Therefore, he was sent back to earth and was born to a Jewish mother who nursed him for two months. Immediately, a bat kol (Divine 'voice' proclaiming G-d's Will) came from Shomayim (Heaven) and welcomed the Tzaddik to his rightful place in Gan Eden. But to the new parents of the two month old baby, they were faced with an aching loss. We have no clue. Hashem runs the world in every aspect down to the next meal of the smallest ant on a blade of grass and everything He does is for the good.

By all estimations, we are living the birth pangs of Moshiach. We are told it will be a rough ride but we must hang on with all our spiritual might. It is no coincidence that recently we have lost many holy Tzaddikim.... Torah Giants, Scholars, sinless babies plus other upright men and women who have died simply for being Jews. These excruciating sacrifices are the price we pay to bring us closer to our final Redemption. May it be G-d's will that there will soon be an end to all this heartbreak and struggle, bringing us together in song and joy to the newly rebuild Beit Hamikdash!

Damage Control

Tel Aviv - Photo credit: Uri Ovadia

B"H

I realize I am a bit late in writing this. It seems like it should be old news, after all. The truth is, sadly, I fear it is just the beginning. Like a snowball full of dirt and hard stones, this whole episode has become quite an unpleasant and dangerous game. I am referring to the recent occurrences of intolerance and distasteful (to put it mildly) actions within our own people. 

The list of intramural hatred in Israel is endless and I know it won't go down well with many when I say that we should all be held accountable. The frightening thought is that if we don't do something to rectify it soon, the consequences may be devastating. G-d promised to protect our land and our people if we obey His laws but did we forget that also includes “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18)? With thousands of missiles aimed at our heads, we must ask ourselves the ultimate question; Do we deserve HaShem's Divine protection?

The Talmud (Tractate Yoma) tells us that Sinat Chinam, baseless hatred destroyed the Second Temple. According to the Gemora, Tractate Yevamos (62b) it was also the cause of the loss of Rabbi Akiva's talmidim (students), twenty four THOUSAND, to be exact. Their fatal failure was the lack of respect towards one another. This is no small matter.

The media is the worst culprit of all as it feeds the evil inclination's need for gossip and the cultivation of distortion and lies. We are subjected to so much misinformation; truth is ne'er to be found. 

The facts are shameful and embarrassing to write. Men who call themselves G-d fearing, who outwardly reflect the look of righteous individuals, physically and emotionally attack young girls and soldiers, all in the name of Torah. Their actions are counterproductive and reek of hypocrisy with a misplaced belief that what they are doing is 'l'shem shamayim' (for the sake of Heaven). I don't know of any Jewish Holy writings that condone this type of behavior. For a youngster in the formative stage of life, it is not a nurturing message to send. We are not livestock that can be kept in line with the sting of a whip or a cattle prod. Those who have no understanding of the sanctity of religious life will only be pushed farther away. Plus, it creates a whole slew of further sins including loshon hora (slander), taking revenge and holding a grudge, to name a few. Just yesterday I read about a secular man who spit on an ultra-orthodox girl. Other accounts say he allegedly kicked her. Tit for tat? What is going on here? I think it's time to tell people to grow up! This is not child's play.

It hurts. It really hurts to see the dissension and the name-calling. I can only imagine how our Father in Heaven feels watching His beloved children at each other's throats like vultures over their prey. Do we really want to end up as the satan's lunch?

What is even more painful is when I hear about our brothers and sisters being brutally dragged out of their homes by our own 'protective' armed forces, our own sons. What happened to the pride of developing our land, when being a settler was something we longed for, not something to detest? It is bad enough that it is against G-d's Will to remove anyone from their dwellings in this Land, but to do so in the middle of the night without warning and with such venom? It happened in Gush Katif and now it is happening at other outposts. Where is our humanity? Where is our sense of compassion, if nothing else? We treat our enemies with more respect. We have totally lost our perspective.

We each have to take responsibility for the improper actions of the few because we are all one. It is not 'him' or 'her' or 'them', it is US! Since everything that happens is for a reason, we must look within ourselves and find something to change, something to improve. Like a spoken word, the damage caused by hurtful conduct is next to impossible to repair, but we have to try. A smile, a kind comment, a helpful deed - there are so many redeeming ways to erase the darkness.

We must stop this cycle of madness. If our enemies choose to act like barbarians they will simply self-destruct. Do we want to be on that level? They would probably like nothing better than to witness a civil war within Israel. But that is not the endgame of the Jewish People. Our purpose is to be a source of G-dliness, a Light unto the Nations. Through love and unity we can surely accomplish that goal. Once we master that tenuous and challenging task, HaShem will gladly be our strength and our shield, as He has been always.

As we say in our morning prayers, “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah, attach our hearts to Your commandments and unify our hearts to love and fear Your Name….may we exult and rejoice in Your salvation”.  Please, may it be soon. Amen.

David's Shield - A Call for Unity

from Breslev.co.il

(This article first appeared on Breslev.co.il)

If you are a Jewish male, you either wear a kippa (yarmulke, skull cap) or you don’t. If you do wear a kippa, it may be crocheted, suede, colorful or just plain black or white. Or maybe you just wear one for that special occasion; your son’s Bar Mitzvah or your nephew’s Brit Mila (circumcision), or possibly not at all. If you’re a married Jewish woman, you either cover your head or you don’t. It may be that you wear a hat, a headscarf, a ‘sheitle’ (wig), or a ‘snood’ but it could be that you only cover your head when going to ‘shul’ (synagogue) or maybe not at all. Your head coverings and clothing styles may classify you by what you have taken upon yourself, and the path you have chosen, but by definition, we are all Jews. Whether Chassidic, Charedi, National Religious or non-observant, we are all one big family.  And like any family, it requires a lot of tolerance, understanding and emuna to keep peace in the home. If we want HaShem’s blessings and protection, we must make peace amongst ourselves a top priority.

The Jewish People is somewhat like mushroom, bean and barley soup. All the ingredients are very unique, special and necessary. Together they incorporate the proper flavor, texture and nutrients, maximizing the end result. Without each and every item, it just wouldn’t be mushroom, bean and barley soup. Similarly, without every element of the Jewish People, we would not be able to complete the task at hand, that of being a “light unto the nations” (Isaiah 42:6). Everyone, despite their background or present level, has something invaluable to contribute. It is therefore incumbent upon each of us to look for the good in others and appreciate our differences.

 

Regardless of one’s religious or political affiliations, there is one sign which is universally accepted as a Jewish symbol ~ the Magen David, Star (or Shield) of David. Jews the world over, wear this emblem on a chain close to their hearts.  As well, many Jewish items proudly display this logo of old. On the surface, this symbol is simply a representation of the shield that King David used in battle. But when one delves deeper into its significance, the results are very profound.

 

The Magen David is made up of two triangles, one over the other with six points. If one compares these conjoined triangles to the Jewish People, it illustrates how we are melded together as one, yet with each sector maintaining its own ‘point’. Our views and interpretations may extend in different directions, but the center, The Torah, is where we unite. The Star of David is representative of the number seven by counting 6 points plus the center. The number seven is very important in Judaism, one central reason being the commandment to observe the Sabbath (Shabbat): six days of Creation followed by the seventh day of rest.

 

The Magen David is often blue in color, as on the Israeli Flag. While the blue of the flag was chosen by man, blue is essential to the Biblical directive for the tzitzit (fringes) that men wear, one thread of each corner to be dipped into the extraordinary and rare blue techelet dye. “And they shall place upon the tzitzit of each corner a thread of techelet.  And you shall look upon it and remember all of the commandments of Hashem and you shall do them," (Bamidbar 15:38, 39). As well, the design of the Israeli flag with two blue stripes on either side of the star was inspired by the “Tallit” (prayer shawl) which Jewish men of all persuasions wear during prayer. And when the time comes, in preparation for burial, this same Tallit, if it fits the specifications, may be used to wrap his purified body.

 

G-d Himself has been referred to as David’s Shield as seen from the Blessings of the Haftarah recited on Shabbat and Festivals ‘Blessed are You, HaShem, Shield of David’. When HaShem shielded David in battle and during his flight from Saul, King David was inspired to write these verses of Tehillim (Psalms) ‘Thou hast also given me Thy shield of salvation’ (18:36) and “He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in Him” (18:31)  

 

It is no coincidence that the connection between our People and David’s Shield, the Star of David, is one of vast proportions. It is through David HaMelech’s progeny that Moshiach will arise and save us. Today, when the need for G-d’s protection and salvation is immeasurable, we must unite together in a mosaic of sweet harmony. As Rebbe Nachman, of blessed memory, said, “Every single Jew has in him a portion of God above” (Likutei Moharan 35:1). If we can just put our differences aside and gather all those sparks of holiness, the results will be astounding!

 

We each believe our way is the right way, which is acceptable as long as our goals are for the sake of Heaven. But if each one of us will commit to reaching out to someone with a differing view, and internalize that we are all brothers and sisters, we will merit altering the universe. In the end, when Moshiach comes to redeem us, he will bring with him all the answers we so desperately crave and we will finally unify in a world of Peace, Truth and HaShem’s Eternal Light. G-d willing, may it be soon in our days, amen!

Think Again!

Our enemy has done it again. They are trying to achieve their goals by using insane, inhuman, reprehensible and cowardly acts. The so-called relative calm has once again been shattered with yesterdays bombing in our Holy City of Jerusalem. One beloved soul has been returned to her Maker and many others are injured, some seriously. The truth is, there was never any quiet in the first place since terror has been constant within our Land for years. Countless attempts at violence occur on a daily basis but rarely make the news thanks to our amazing security (with G-d’s Help, of course) by foiling any attempts before they actually do damage. This may have been the first explosion in the heart of our Capital in several years, but we are not strangers to these nightmare occurrences. We are barely recovering from the shock and outrage over the horrific murders of five members of the righteous Fogel family, leaving three precious orphans to fend for themselves. To call these executioners animals is far too kind as there are no words in the English language to adequately describe such monsters.

As difficult as it is to say, despite all the pain, we can find some good in these events. Just knowing that HaShem is running the show and it is all for a purpose can give us resolve to push on and continue to live our lives without fear. The best part is knowing that our enemy is losing their battle. They think that by maiming us and planting panic into our hearts we will give up one of HaShem's sacred gifts that is so dear to us, our treasured Homeland. They think that by murdering us and causing our souls to ache with grief, we will be forced out of the Land that we are destined to settle. Well, they can think again!

Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel, is our G-d-given Land, our Birthright and our life. Our bitter cousins, the offspring of Yishmael, are willing and even anxious to go down fighting in order to take it away from us, gladly destroying us in the process. While they eagerly sacrifice their own lives to satiate their need for revenge and bloodshed, we do anything in our power to preserve the sanctity of human life.

Their seriously misguided tactics are like a sharp, metal boomerang ready to rebound and cut off their own heads. The more they push us, the stronger we become. They more they relentlessly strive to divide us, the more united we grow. Where we once bickered over trivial differences, we now devotedly care for one another with a re-born intensity. Sadly, it takes a crisis to bring us together. G-d willing, we will build, we will prosper and we will firmly defend our right to our Home. And most importantly, we will attain this objective as one loving family, united under G-d.  Perhaps that is all HaShem really wants!

Be strong and courageous; for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I swore unto their fathers to give them.(6) Be strong and courageous; be not frightened, neither be thou dismayed: for the L-RD thy G-d is with thee wherever thou goest.'(9)  (Joshua 1:6 and 1:9)

(This blog post is dedicated to the memory of those who have lost their lives just for being Jews living in the Land of Israel)

On the Bus

I know my blogging is very sporadic with blog posts few and far between, but G-d willing, that should be changing soon. As soon as I can, I will try to write a blog about what is going on in my life (some changes), but for now I just want to share a nice, little incident that happened on the bus today. If it wasn't so over-used, I  would call this blog post "Only in Israel" since it surely wouldn't take place anywhere else in the world.

I was on my way home from work, and I was sitting directly behind the seats with four grouped together; two seats opposite each other. An older man whose back was facing me was a very friendly man, talking to everyone who came and sat down in his section. He even gave a pen to a little boy sitting across the aisle with his Abba (Daddy), instructing him to use it for his limudai kodesh (religious studies) homework. When a young man in an army uniform came on the bus, there was an empty seat next to him, so the older man stopped him in the aisle and asked him to sit there. It seemed like he knew him already, but it's not certain as he treated everyone as a good friend. 

This sociable older man proceeded to take a bouquet of greenery out of his bag and gave a twig to each of the men sitting in his quartet. All of them were smiling and talking and smelling the little sprigs. I tried not to listen or watch too closely as my manners taught me, but I couldn't help feel the sense of camaraderie among these strangers on the bus. There was no way he could have seen me admiring this whole event, but he suddenly handed me a twig of my own without even turning around. I was barely able to say "thank you", when he was giving another to the girl beside me. Upon closer inspection, it was apparent that it was a small branch of Hadass (Myrtle), one of the four species we use on Sukkot as part of the Lulav. I said a bracha (blessing) and deeply inhaled the beautiful and natural fragrance.

After awhile, two of the passengers departed and left the two seats facing my direction unoccupied. Before long, a couple of high school boys got on the bus and as they began to pass by, our friendly 'Goodwill Ambassador' caught their attention and asked them to take the two seats across from him.  Glad to have somewhere to sit, they happily took their places as directed. After a bit of chit chat, the nice older man handed them each their own piece of Hadass.  They looked at their gift curiously and accepted it with a smile. Knowing that the boys were secular, the older man and the religious soldier were anxious to help them out with a kippa and a prayer. The soldier lent them his own kippa as they took turns being guided word by word in reciting the blessing over the greenery. It has been some time since I have seen such a beautiful sight.  Here were so many worlds connecting - an older religious, Sephardic man, a young observant soldier and two secular young men, all joined in a mitzvah, on a bus no less. What an irony that the center of this unity was the Myrtle Branch, the same plant used in the Lulav which itself represents a coming together of our People. 

Eventually they each went their own way and I was left with a feeling of contentment and joy. I only wish I had asked the older man his name. If I didn't know better, I would have thought he was Moshiach!

May each one of us strive to accomplish in our lifetimes what that man did in a short bus trip home.  May we soon merit to witness the true Moshiach, in our days, Amen.

And to Jerusalem, Your City

This is probably not going to be the most well written blog because I am writing it more quickly than I usually do. But I really need to just say what I want to say and get it out there. Enough is enough.

I just returned home from work after spending well over two hours in the scorching heat after weaving through a medley of transportation routes and methods. And it's not the first time. A few weeks ago, also on a sweltering day with temperatures well into the 30s, I walked for block after block in order to get a bus home. Why? Because there were demonstrations going on in Jerusalem and many streets were closed to traffic.

No, I'm not upset or angry per se. I understand that it is all from HaShem and whatever happens is meant to be. But we do have some free will in all this and my heart is simply breaking from what I am seeing.

The major points in condensed form are that many Haredi (orthodox) men and women were arrested because they refused to send their daughters to a school in Emmanuel which was not up to their standards. In protest of these arrests, the Haredi sector sent busloads of supporters to Jerusalem to block the streets in order to rebel against this atrocity. I don’t really want to get into who is right or who is wrong. The truth is, mistakes were made on all sides. I understand all points of view but I don't agree in the least with how it has been handled all around. Can people not get results by doing things in a civilized manner? Agreeably, the arrests were not appropriate but protesting out in the streets like that only creates more loshon hora (bad talk) and a chilul Hashem, a desecration of G-d’s name. These men in black and white represent the most pious sector of society so perhaps they should have given more thought to this public outcry. But they do it because it works. That in itself is a grievous mistake. As a mother, I can tell you that giving into a child with a temper tantrum only begets more of the same. If I could sit down with my child and work out a solution to the problem, it would save endless aggravation and tears. And most likely this didn’t happen overnight which leads me to the conclusion that this should have been dealt with over the course of time rather than just letting it simmer until it finally boiled over. This is the END of the school year, not the beginning.

Prophecies tell us of the battle for Jerusalem, when our enemies will try to lay claim to our Holy City. But what of the battles IN Jerusalem, WITHIN our own People, BY our own People, BETWEEN our own People? This disunity is what is keeping the Geula (redemption) away. How can we expect to make peace with our enemies if we can’t even have peace between ourselves? We cannot be “A Light unto the Nations” if we are blocking the Divine Light with all this unnecessary dissent. We are only bringing darkness and pain into the world by these actions. The expression “Charity begins at home” can also refer to being charitable as a human being; that is being accepting and tolerant of one another. We are all family and as such we need to respect our brothers and sisters especially within the Home G-d gave us (Israel).

It’s a known fact that when tragedy strikes our People, we always pull together and stand strong in unity and brotherhood. With the winds of war looming eerily over our heads, let’s not wait until it’s too late show our love for one another. The time for harmony is now.

(another post on the same topic by a friend)

Love Your Fellow as Yourself

The Sage Rabbi Hillel said, "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn"

This is not my usual style of blog, but it is something which I feel is very important, and at this juncture in time it is of the utmost urgency. I am the least likely person to write these words as I am as guilty as the next person, but I feel obligated to pass on my thoughts nonetheless. The views contained herein are not new, but I believe that these ideas can never be overstated.

Before any action or any spoken word…. Think!

So much damage can be done by acting impulsively. If someone says something you don't agree with, think twice before automatically responding with negative harsh words. If someone hurts your feelings, take a deep breath and gently ask for an explanation. Let them know it was hurtful. If someone starts out in a fierce tone, respond as calmly as possible in order to change the atmosphere. As it says in proverbs 15:1, a soft reply turns away anger.

I could go on and on about the dos and don'ts of verbal abuse. And I won't even get into the subject of physical abuse but to say that hurting another person, physically or emotionally, is a major Torah transgression. For more on the topic, read this article by Rabbi Shalom Arush, The Danger of Verbal Abuse.

By hurting those we love, we are also hurting ourselves. Not only is it forbidden to harm our family members, but to cause injury to any Jew is a grave sin. The store clerk, the bus driver, the telephone repairman.... all must be treated with respect. To quote Rabbi Akiva, one must 'love your fellow as yourself'. Imagine how you would feel if someone did to you what you intend to do to them? To take it one step further, each one of us holds a spark of HaShem within, and by wounding another human being, we are in essence causing pain to the Holy One, Blessed Be He! Who would dare do such a thing?

It is no secret that the world we live in has become dangerously out of control. There is no reason or logic to many of the events unfolding each day. Madmen have power over countries that own weapons of mass destruction which they have no qualms about using. They threaten the very existence of our Holy Land of Israel. We must unite as one people in order to bring about Divine intervention. Tisha B'Av will soon be upon us when we will mourn the destruction of the 1st and 2nd Temples. Our sages say that the Temple was destroyed because of sinat chinam, baseless hatred among Jews. Unfortunately, not a lot has changed since then. It is our duty to remedy the situation and bring light into this dark world of exile.

We must increase our love for one another, do kindness beyond the norm and end the abuse and loshon hora (evil speech). Loshon hora is said to be one of 'the causes of our exile and until we rectify the evil, we will not be deemed worthy of redemption'. (from Guard Your Tongue by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin - based on Chofetz Chaim).

For those readers who have not yet taken on the yoke of religious observance, there is no better time then the present. Just let G-d know that you believe that He is in control and the rest will fall into place, one step at a time. (Click for more information on Tisha B'Av and Laws of Shabbat.)


It is only a matter of time until we will have no one to rely on but our Father in Heaven. Don't wait until it is too late to call out His Name!