The second featured speaker at the recent Hakhel Flatbush Labor Day Yarchei Kallah Event was Rabbi Elya Brudny, Rosh Mesivta of Yeshiva Mir who began his shiur by noting that the Gemora says that the first brocha (blessing) recited at a chasana (wedding) has nothing to do with the chasan and kallah (bridegroom and bride). Rather that first brocha is a blessing to all of the people who came to share in the simcha of the couple.
Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher) commands us to uncover the spiritual blocking of our hearts that prevent us from coming closer to Hakodesh Baruch Hu. Rabbi Brudny says one way to overcome this spiritual blockage is to come closer to the rabbis in order to gain vital mussar (proper moral conduct) and tochacha (divine admonition) – whether it be orally (either listening to Torah talks in person or via tapes or online or by reading special seforim (books).
This is especially important during these 40 days from Rosh Chodosh Elul to Rosh Hashanah that we should aim to go to such gatherings of mussar and tochacha like this Hakhel Event in Rabbi Reisman’s shul in Flatbush.
An Electrifying Ability to Inspire the Jewish Neshama
Rabbi Brudny said that the shofar has an electrifying ability to inspire the Jewish neshama (soul.) When Jews implement a strategy (like blowing the shofar), this can help them to overcome the plan of the Yetzer Hora (evil inclination). That is why when Moshe Rabbeinu went up the mountain (Sinai) a second time, the Jews blew the shofar. This action gave the nation the ability to overcome any devious stumbling blocks that might have been thrown at us by the Satan.
As we prepare for the Yomim Hanoraim (the Days of Awe,) we need to reflect on what possible spiritual obstacles and confront us. A lot of the potholes that we trip on are the results of our not reflecting on the dangers of a ruchnias (spiritual) nature that we have to deal with.
Rabbi Brudny explained that there are two type of dangers that confront us Jews living in America, a Medina shel Chesed (a kindly country that doesn’t persecute us.) The first is the more traditional danger of serious physical harm that has always threatened our people since the Churban Beis Hamikdosh (destruction of the Holy Temple and the start of our current golus, exile.) For the most part, this is not a threat that we have to worry about.
The second and more common danger facing us Jews in America today is that of having to deal with non-Jews who wear the begadim haachim (the clothes of a friendly brother).
The Greater Danger of the Friendly Non-Jew
And such a goy can be much more dangerous than the overt anti-Semite. Rabbi Brudny recalled that he once heard from Rav Moshe Feinstein that he doesn’t believe that when the Gemora recalls that when the golus ends the non-Jews will come to Hashem and claim that they should get a reward for helping the Jews. Hashem will deny their arguments by stating that everything they did which might have helped the Jews was really done for their own benefit. Rav Moshe said that he doesn’t know if that Gemora applies to the goyim in America.
The friendship of the goy in America has caused great harm to the Jews. Almost 80% of the American Jewish community have unfortunately intermarried as a result.
Similarly, if our children think that it is worth a long wait in line in order to ask for a signed autograph of a non-Jewish sports hero celebrity; what can we as parents do?
We have to figure out how to remove ourselves from those global (non-Jewish) values. Do we take at least 30 seconds after reciting Havdalah to ask our children if they actually know the significance of the words that we just recited? Do we promote the concept of the importance of being proud to be a part of Am Yisroel (the Jewish nation?)
Teach Your Children Disgust of the Internet
Rabbi Brudny challenged those attending the Flatbush Labor Day Hakhel Event if they have tried to teach your children that when they are tempted to use the internet to declare in disgust, “Och! That’s goyish!”
The greatest danger can be when as today so many of the highest-ranking officials in the President of the United States of America’s Cabinet are zerie Yisroel (Jews). Today Jews are serving as the Chief of Staff, the Secretary of Treasury, Secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and CIA Deputy Director.
One of the questions we will be asked is did we anxiously anticipate the imminent arrival of Moshiach (the Messiah.) Or are we feeling too “comfortable” among the “friendly” goyim.
Reprinted from the September 22, 2022 edition of The Flatbush Jewish Journal.
