In the past, people realized there was a special expert for every field, but nowadays, everyone has become wise and knowledgeable about every topic. Yidden hold parliament outside shul, and one of them says, “It’s all because they didn’t send a thousand missiles to Gaza. I’m telling you, we should have finished them off ages ago.” The second guy gets excited and proposes an even more original idea, and it seems like all that’s left to do is to invite the people in charge over to the shteiblach so we can finally start doing something that will help.
I myself saw a serious Yid in tallis and tefillin saying that in his opinion, we need to sing thanks and praise to Whoever is running this whole war. He’s doing it in the best way possible, and there are no claims or complaints against Him. Such well-thought-out processes, such perfect execution – no one can do what He is doing. And everyone, the zealous ones and the patient ones, nodded and agreed and, in unison, they all said the same things.
It’s not only this Yid who said this, and not only yesterday, and not only in the shul where I daven; they’re saying this in all the shuls. Millions of Jews are announcing this, day after day, in the brachah of Yotzer Or, in clear and pleasant words: “For He alone...performs mighty acts; He is the Master of battle!” The angels in Shamayim constantly praise and glorify and admire Hashem, for indeed, “Hashem is Ish milchamah – the Master of war!”
The Gemara relates (Avodah Zarah 2b) that in the future, Hakadosh Baruch Hu will call upon all those who occupied themselves in Torah to come to accept their reward. Then, immediately, the idol worshippers will gather and ask for their reward as well. First the Roman Empire will come and say, “We built so many bathhouses, we engineered so many bridges, we established so many marketplaces, all so that Am Yisrael would be able to occupy themselves in Torah!” Hakadosh Baruch Hu will answer them, “Fools! You did all these things only for your own benefit!” The Persian empire will then come and say similar things, and they will add, “We captured many cities. We waged many wars, and we did all this only so that Yisrael could occupy themselves in Torah.” Hakadosh Baruch Hu will then tell them: “I waged the wars!”
Regarding other things, Hashem tells the empires that the things they did were for their own benefit and for their own honor, but regarding wars, Hashem answers them: It’s not you at all; I made the wars. You only actualized those decrees that I already decreed. They are not your plans and not your strategies.
How intensely we are pleading to be redeemed. Yidden, from the depths of pain and suffering, are crying tearfully: Redeem us! The Midrash (Tehillim 31) tells us that at the time when Am Yisrael ask for the geulah, Hakadosh Baruch Hu says to them: Are there righteous people among you? And the Yidden answer: Indeed, we are trying, learning Torah and doing mitzvos, but great tzaddikim like our holy Forefathers, the nevi’im, Tanna’im and Amora’im, we do not have. The spiritual level of each successive generation is lower. We are so weak.
And Hakadosh Baruch Hu answers them: My sons, trust in My Name, and I will stand by you! For anyone who trusts in My Name – I will save him!
Because we believe with perfect faith that this war will be the final war, we cite here the words of the Midrash, “Kumi Ori” (Pesikta Rabasi, 36): Rabi Yitzchak said: In the year that Melech haMashiach will be revealed, all the leaders of the nations of the world will be fighting with each other. The leader of Persia will be fighting with the leaders of Arabia and Edom [i.e., the Arabs and the Christians who rule over the Western countries]. All the nations will shudder and will be confused, and they will fall on their faces and will be overtaken by pain, like that of a woman in childbirth, and Am Yisrael too will shudder and will become confused and will say: Where can we go and where can we hide? And Hakadosh Baruch Hu will say to Am Yisrael: My children, do not fear. Everything I have done, I have done only for you! The time for your redemption has come! And after the final redemption, you will no longer experience pain or subservience to other nations.
It is told that a Gentile once wanted to partake of the Jews’ leil haSeder. He dressed up as a Jew and sat near the table. The Jews spoke a lot and drank one cup of wine, spoke a lot more, and drank another cup. When finally he saw them starting to eat, they brought out a piece of dry matzah, followed by bitter herbs. The Gentile was hardly able to breathe from the sharpness of the marror, and he became angry. “Is this what I waited for all these hours?” He got up in anger and fled from the home.
How foolish is this Gentile! Wait another few moments for Shulchan Orech, and you’ll enjoy a feast like a king! This is our situation today. There is a Seder, and there are bitter herbs, but soon, very soon, Shulchan Orech is coming. We have endured almost 2,000 years of galus, we’ve come so far, and we are so close to the complete redemption. Let us hold on, overcome the fear, hold on to bitachon, strengthen ourselves in emunah, anticipate salvation, and be zocheh very soon to see how the words of the Creator of all worlds come true: Trust in My Name and I will save you!
Excerpt from shiur 325 in Shaar Habitachon. To listen to the shiur, press 4 after selecting a language, or dial directly, 02-301-1904
