Q and A

Q&A

QUESTION

Here in chutz l’aretz there is a lot of talk in the frum newspapers and between different people about the situation in Israel. What should be our attitude about it? That we are in the exile of the “Erev Rav”? That we are in ikvesa d’Meshicha (directly before Mashiach)? What can we do to make the situation better? Are we supposed to be davening about it, or should we just take our minds off it and just be immersed in learning Torah?

ANSWER

Don’t be involved with this at all. Instead, just be aware that we are found in the depths of the “50th Gate of Defilement”, and that is why all kinds of tumah (spiritual defilement) and fallacies are all present, in all of the deeds, emotions, and thoughts, in our external world as well as in the more inner dimension. Everything today [all deeds, emotions, and thoughts of both the external and inner dimensions of reality today] is all a giant mixture. That is the very idea of the Erev Rav, which means taaruvos rabbah, “great mixture.”

We need to scream out to Hashem, with mesirus nefesh, for the complete Redemption. However, in whatever place you live in, you still need to how you should go about this practically.

QUESTION

When I hear about tragic news, for example when I heard about... I easily become depressed for many days. I keep remembering these tragic stories, until the next tragedy comes, and then I keep thinking about the new tragedy...What is the perspective I need to have, whenever I hear or read about tragedies? How can I come out of the trauma that I get from bad news which I heard or read about?

ANSWER

1. [You need to have] emunah, faith in G-d.
2. Think about the spiritual suffering that there is today, which is far worse, considering the great spiritual destruction that is taking place in our generation.
3. Think about what you can generally to act kindlier towards others.
4. Connect to the inner good that is within you.
5. Immerse yourself in a world of inner thought.
6. Be happy about the fact that you are able to feel others’ pain.
7. Accept the suffering that you feel, with love.
8. Reflect and conclude that part of the makeup of Creation is that it entails “evil” [anything we perceive as not being good], and that the result of this is all of the suffering in Creation.
9. Connect to a holy kind of joy – in action, and in emotion.
10. In general, it is worthwhile to be aware that it’s better for a person when he doesn’t know that much about any news that happens in the world. This is how the Chofetz Chaim conducted himself. Therefore, one should avoid reading the newspapers and etc. (This is besides for other reasons why a person shouldn’t read the newspapers, but let this reason suffice).