RESPONSE TO EVENTS IN AUSTRALIA I want to comment on the shootings in Australia.
Statements following the shooting called on governments to crack down on anti-Semitic activities in the interests of the future quality of life in their own countries. For example, "a world which is unsafe for Jews is unsafe for all decent people and unsafe for civilized values." This is, of course, manifestly true.
But I think we are not seeing the complete picture.
I want to recall the quote from the Malbim which is featured at the beginning of my book, "2020 Vision." The Malbim says that, when Am Yisroel returns to the Land of Israel at the end of history, the nations of the world will form a coalition, a world partnership between Yishmoel and Esav, to drive us out, G-d forbid. But something unforeseen will happen. The belief systems of these two superpowers will collide, until they actually destroy each other. Malbim calls this conflict, "Milchemes Gog Umagog." And then the Redemption will have arrived. B"H may we see it soon!
I believe that this is what we are seeing today. In vain do we appeal to the nations of the world. We have to understand that the governments of the Western Nations, the descendants of Esav, are as much against us as the so-called terrorist groups and the governments of the Moslem Nations. It is not just a ragged mob of terrorists, but the combined forces of our primordial enemies who now believe that the "final solution to the Jewish Problem" is within their reach, G-d forbid. It was only yesterday that the Third Reich almost succeeded in its diabolical plan. These evil beasts have not disappeared from the face of the earth. They have now formed a coalition with Bnai Yishmoel and -- this time -- they think they can succeed.
I realized an amazing thing when I was writing last week's column. In the Shema, it says, "If you listen to my commandments ... then I will provide rain for your land in its proper time... [but if you] turn astray ... then ... He will restrain the heaven so that there will be no rain ...." I had never realized that there is a profound difference between the two clauses here. "If you listen" speaks of Hashem in the first person, but "if you turn astray" speaks of Him in the third person. If we listen to Hashem, then He will be close to us, not just "Malkainu" but also "Avinu!" But if we rebel, then He no longer addresses us directly. He becomes distant; "I" becomes "He."
My friends, we have to become so close to Hashem that He will protect us at every second from the ferocious animals all around us. "Achas Shoalti … one thing I asked: to dwell in the House of Hashem all the days of my life."
The governments are not going to save us.
But, you will say, we must do our hishtadlus.
Our hishtadlus right now is to come as close as possible to the Ribono shel Olam. This is the end of the era in which we can depend on foreign governments. One by one, they are turning against us. Ain Od Milvado. There is only One Address.
In my book, Hold On: Surviving the Days Before Moshiach, I say, "The nations will surround us, either in the Land of Israel … or outside the Land of Israel, where Jews in their communities will be surrounded…. When we are surrounded on all sides, there is only one direction to go for protection, and that is up! If Klal Yisroelturns to Hashem in unity, prayer and repentance, we will be saved."
In last week's Parsha, Yaakov Avinu says to his children, "Why do you make yourselves conspicuous," (Beraishis 42:1) Rashi states that Yaakov was referring specifically to the danger of provoking the sons of Yishmoel and Esav. "Maase avos siman l'bonim." This is a sign for us today. We must try not to increase the hatred of the surrounding nations. Our day of glory has not yet arrived.
I saw in the Pele Yoeitz advice for living in Golus. He warns us not to bring "the attention of the surrounding non-Jews" upon ourselves because this arouses their hatred and jealousy. We have a disease today in which we feel so comfortable in Golus that we are not afraid to conduct our lives in a public way, right in the face of the other nations. We believe that they are our friends and it is normal to live among them.
"Rather," says the Pele Yoeitz, "we should bow our heads like a bullrush and accept the exile upon ourselves." We should not "build large … houses for ourselves with spacious entryways … while residing in foreign lands…" He recalls the Gemara in Berachos which says, "It is forbidden to fill our mouths with laughter in this world …. Rather, we should be distraught, brokenhearted and distressed when we remember Tzion…"
My friends, the nations are looking for every excuse to attack us, G-d forbid. We are mistaken to think they will save us; that is not the source of our salvation.
"It is better to take refuge in Hashem than to rely on man…. All the nations surround me. In the Name of Hashem I cut them down. They encircle me. They also surround me. In the Name of Hashem I cut them down…." (Tehillim 118) Our only hope is to invoke the Name of Hashem. The world of our enemies is not our world, and it is even now crumbling as Mitzraim crumbled in days of old.
"When Hashem will return the captivity of Tzion … then we can fill our mouth with laughter and our tongue with glad song." (Tehillim 126) May we see it soon in our days!
Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia GLOSSARY
Avinu: our Father
Esav: Son of Isaac, one of the two primordial enemies of Israel
Golus: Exile, specifically, Israel's exile among the nations of the world
Hishtadlus: maximum effort to achieve a goal
Malkainu: Our King
Milchemes Gog Umagog: The Final War before Moshiach comes
Mitzraim: ancient Egypt
Ribono shel Olam: King of the Universe, G-d
Tehillim: Psalms
Yishmoel: Son of Abrham, one of the two primordial enemies of Israel
From Sinai to Yerushalayim
The Story of Roy and Leah Neuberger
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