Question: Dear Rabbi Mandel, thank you for the incredible work you do for Klal Yisroel and for me and my family! I have gained tremendous connection to Hashem through the weekly email and the hotline.
I find myself thinking all day about the hostages who were taken by the most barbaric animals, and I am having a very challenging time getting past these thoughts. It is the backdrop of my mind an entire day and night! And it is leading to terrible thoughts and questions... like questioning how can Hashem let beautiful Jewish humans suffer so much from torture; things that were described in the Shoa as "Gehinom on Earth". While I sit in North America, I have taken on various Kabalos, like sleeping less comfortably, having tremendous Hakaras HaTov to Hashem for my family's safety, fresh drinkable water, and so on and so forth. However, I need some help in understanding how these people are suffering so much. I try to keep telling myself Bitachon messages that apply to my daily life; e.g., that the challenges I go through are good for me, they will make me great, keep focusing on thanking Hashem for my challenges instead of only davening for a Yeshua, etc. But I can't wrap my head around applying these ideas to these suffering human beings. Please help me get through this!
Answer: People have to realize that there is a big Yetzer Hara to be sad. It’s nothing more and nothing less, all your sadness is coming from the Yetzer Hara. Therefore, you have to take your focus off of all this, and be happy all day. Do not read the newspapers, and don’t get involved in any of the news; just focus on being positive. The Chofetz Chaim says that to be saved from Chevlei Moshiach and Milchemes Gog u’Magog, one has to have Bitachon. Now, Bitachon means Simcha. So, you have one Mitzva, and that is to be B'simcha, and you should go all out. Read Seforim on Simcha and Bitachon, distract yourself, and be B'simcha. And you should know that working on being happy is the biggest Zechus, and will help these hostages more than anything. The truth is that you really do care for them. Your Simcha is not coming from lack of caring, or apathy and heartlessness; rather your Simcha is coming from Avodas Hashem. Hashem wants you to be happy, and this is the biggest Teshuva in the world, as it says: תַּ חַּ ת אֲ שֶׁ ר ל ֹא עָ בַּ דְ תָ אֶׁ ת ה' אֱ לֹקֶׁ יךָ בְ שִׂ מְ חָ ה וּבְ טוּב לֵ בָ ב תבא כח מז all Tzaros in the world come from the lack of Simcha. Never listen to the news, and if someone wants to tell them the latest news to have Tza’ar, tell them: “Not my Mitzva, keep me out of this!” They are not allowed to tell you. It’s an Aveira for you to get involved. You are playing with fire.
