What Mitzvos Can One Fulfill at the Time a Siren is Sounded

One of the great things about Yidden, is that in whatever situation they find themselves in, they look to see what mitzvos can be fulfilled. When a siren is being sounded, and everyone is running to their bomb shelters what mitzvos can we fulfill?

There are many mitzvos that one can fulfill: Emunah in Hashem, tefillah by saying Tehillim when rockets are falling, having thoughts of teshuvah, thanking Hashem for all the good he does, לא תעמוד על דם רעך, and the mitzvah of hachnosas orchim by inviting others into our bomb shelters.

R’ Yitzchok Zilbertstein shlita once wrote that when a siren is sounded, one can fulfill five mitzvos de’O’raisa:

1. To enter into one’s heart that everything is from Hashem, and that every bullet (rockets) has an address, and have bitochan only in Hashem. With this one fulfills a mitzvah de’O’raisa like it says in Shaarei Teshuvah of Rabbeinu Yonah (Shaar 3, ois 32), that if one sees a tragedy befalling him, he should think in his heart about the salvation Hashem will bring, and trust in it, like it says in Neviyim and in Tehillim.
2. At the time a siren is being sounded, one should say a Perek of Tehillim, and daven that the rocket shouldn’t harm any Yidden and that the rocket is successfully intercepted. With this tefillah, one fulfils the mitzvah de’O’raisa of tefillah, as davening to Hashem at a time of tragedy is a mitzvah de’O’raisa of tefillah (Hasogas HaRamban, Sefer HaMitzvos, Mitzvah 5).
3. In these moments one should have thoughts of teshuvah, like the Rambam writes: There is a positive commandment to cry out and sound trumpets any time a tragedy befalls the community. This is one of the steps towards teshuvah, that when a tragedy befalls one screams out and sounds trumpets, and everyone should realize that due to their bad deeds this tragedy is befalling them. This is what will cause the tragedy to be removed (Rambam, Hilchos Taanis 1:1-3).
4. After the rocket is intercepted or falls into an open space and no one is harmed, there is another mitzvas aseh one can fulfill. That is: To thank Hashem for all his constant kindness. Like it says in the Sheiltos (Vayishlach, Sheilta 26) “Those who are part of Klal Yisroel, are obligated to thank and praise Hashem at a time that a miracle occurs”. The Netziv in his commentary He’emek Sheilah learns that it’s a mitzvah de’O’raisa. R' Zilberstein adds: The pasuk (Tehillim 35:18): אודך בקהל רב ,בעם עצום אהללך, is the numerical value of 5774 (a year when there were lots of rockets being fired).
5. One should open his door and provide protection for those who are stranded on the streets and need somewhere to go. If one sees someone stranded on the street, looking scared and for somewhere to go, and one opens up his door and lets him in, one fulfils the mitzvah of לא תעמוד על דם רעך, as well as the mitzvah of hachnosas orchim.

(If we learn that the pasuk ונשמרתם מאוד לנפשותיכם , is a mitzvah de’O’raisa for one to protect himself from danger, then we have a sixth mitzvah de’O’raisa one can fulfill.)

Additional Insights from R’ Gamliel Rabinovitz

In the sefer Hilchos Azakah he brings a letter he received from R’ Gamliel Rabinovitz. First, we will bring it in Hebrew, then we will translate it:

Translated into English:

1. Once R’ Gamliel wrote to me: When there is a siren one needs to run to a maamad (ממ''ד) [safe room] and when there is no siren, then where should one run? One needs to run to rooms where Torah is learnt. This is hinted at in the word ממ''ד, which has the gematria [numerical value] of דף, which hints to the fact one should learn.
2. We can add, ממ''ד is roshei teives מ׳זמורי מ׳לך ד׳וד, which hints to the fact that one should increase in the recital of Tehillim, which are the mizmorim which Dovid HaMelech recited.
3. ממ''ד is roshei teives מ׳תח רט מ׳עבר ד׳ר כו - have regret from the way one has acted in the past, i.e. a hint to the fact that one should do teshuvah from his previous sinful ways, and fix up his actions.
4. ממ''ד is also roshei teives מ׳פריש מ׳מונו ד׳ל – separate from your money and give to the poor, hinting to the fact that one should increase in the mitzvah of tzedokah and give more money to the needy and the poor.
5. ממ''ד is also roshei teivesמ׳תפלל מ׳אד ד׳ – one should daven a lot to Hashem, hinting to the fact that each individual needs to increase his tefillos to Hashem, and daven that Hashem should save him from all danger.

In the merit of these five things, Torah, Tehillim, Teshuvah, Tzedokah, and Tefillah, may all of Klal Yisroel merit unbelievable salvation, with great mercy and open kindness, and may we merit the final redemption very soon in our days. Amen.