What should the response be to a series of tragedies in a community?
A Community Responds:
In 2011, the community of Sanhedria HaMurchevet in Yerushalayim was hit, R"l, with nine tragedies in a short period of time. As Torah Jews do, they tried to find ways to show the Ribbono shel Olam that they know nothing is by chance. They tried to make takanos to use the tragedies to improve.
One of the tikunim they accepted upon themselves was to invite a weekly guest speaker to deliver divrei hisorerus. One Shabbos I was asked to deliver a message.
My initial preparation was easy. I actually have a mesorah of how to respond to a series of tragedies that take place in a local community in a short period of time. I was able to share with the Sanhedria HaMurchevet community a story that took place in the early 1980s in Far Rockaway.
There, too, the community was rocked by a series of tragedies in a very short period of time. In Far Rockaway, as well, the community was spurred to do something in light of the tragedies. Different proposals were made, but they could not unite on one mutually acceptable idea.
A suggestion was made that we go to the z'kan haAdmorim at the time, the Bluzhover Rebbe. A delegation was organized. Rabbanim and baalei batim were chosen, representing a cross section of the shuls in the neighborhood, and an appointment was made.
An Audience With the Bluzhover Rebbe:
When we arrived, we were ushered into a sparsely furnished room with a regal chair in the middle. We sat and waited for a few minutes. Suddenly, the door opened and the obviously weak Rebbe, supported by two grandchildren, walked slowly to the chair. When the Rebbe settled in, he greeted the assembled and indicated that he was ready to listen to the presentation as to why we had come.
The representative of the group began to relate the different tragedies that had befallen the community. As he was speaking, you could see the concern and anguish on the face of the Rebbe as he empathized with all the pain. When he finished the list, one of the representatives, as had been pre-arranged, offered his proposal. He suggested that every morning, every member of the community give a kofer nefesh of 18 cents to tzedakah. A second person suggested that each shul accept a takanah not to speak during Chazaras HaShatz. A third person made a suggestion that I cannot now recall.
The Rebbe faced each one and explained why each of the suggestions would not work. To the first he said, "Eighteen cents, so cheap? You talk about such a serious situation and you think with 18 cents it can be solved?" To the one who suggested a takanah to not talk during Chazaras HaShatz, he said, "Are you going to check and guarantee that no one talks? Is it not worse to make a takanah and then not have people keep it?" He similarly explained why the third suggestion was also not the right response.
At that point there was an uncomfortable silence, until one of the group's representatives asked, "And so what should we do?" Again silence. The Rebbe was deep in thought. Finally, he lifted his eyes skyward and said, "We have a Tatte in Himmel — a Father in Heaven — and when you beg from your Father, He responds."
Upon hearing that, I asked, "Does the Rebbe mean that we should gather the members of all the shuls together and declare a yom tefillah?" He looked at me with his sharp eyes and said, "Don't make a circus. Sit in your makom kavua in shul and talk to the Ribbono shel Olam like you are talking to a Father. Pour out your heart to Him and He will answer."
Why Tefillah?
Many times have I repeated this story to numerous individuals and groups, but never did I analyze the reason why tefillah is the proper response.
Why not limud HaTorah?
Why not gemilus chesed?
Of all of the 613 mitzvos, why did the Bluzhover Rebbe (and, incidentally, many other roshei yeshivah and Rebbes, including R' Elyashiv, in this recent incident) choose tefillah as the answer?
In preparation for my speech, I found a maamar Chazal which I believe addresses that question. The Midrash Rabbah Shemos 21:5 describes the reaction of Bnei Yisrael when Pharaoh and the Egyptians caught up to the Jews at Yam Suf. The people said to Moshe, "Now the Egyptians will do to us what we did to them. They will kill our firstborn and will take our money." When they saw their predicament, they lifted their eyes to their Father in Heaven and cried out to Him.
Then the Midrash asks, "But why did HaKadosh Baruch Hu put them in that predicament?" The Midrash answers with a mashal.
There once was a king who was traveling on a road and he heard a princess in distress. She was calling out to be saved from robbers. The king heard and saved her.
At a later time, the king wanted to marry the princess. He wanted to talk to her but she refused.
What did the king do?
He called the robbers and sent them after the princess so that she should call him once again.
HaKadosh Baruch Hu wants Klal Yisrael to be close to Him and to talk to Him. When they are not and do not, He sends tragedies to encourage us to talk to Him again.
We don't live in a time when the world is perfect. On our madreigah, there will be sickness and tragedy. Sometimes, though, the Ribbono shel Olam bunches together these tragedies within a short period and often in a particular city or neighborhood. He is saying, "Talk to Me. I want to hear from you."
If that is the message, then it is obvious that the response has to be to fulfill His request and to talk to our Father in Heaven.
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