Cherishing life.
In Parashas Bereishis, we learnt how Hashem created a magnificent world, filled with extraordinary beauty and remarkable attention to detail. Yet, as we learn in Parashas Noach, mankind became so steeped in sin that Hashem brought the Flood, destroying the very world He had so lovingly created. Only Noach and his family survived.
Imagine, then, how Noach must have felt when, after spending over a year enclosed in the teivah, surrounded by the raging waters of the Flood, he finally stepped out onto dry land. Before him stretched vast expanses of untouched land, a fresh, pristine world, washed clean by the waters of the Flood. The world he had once known had completely disappeared, and he and his family now stood at the beginning of an entirely new chapter in human history.
Yet rather than rushing off to explore his new surroundings, Noach’s first thoughts were of gratitude. Hashem, in His great kindness, had spared him and his family, granting them the precious opportunity to begin life anew.
With his heart overflowing with gratitude, Noach’s first act was to build a mizbeach and bring korbanos to Hashem, expressing his heartfelt appreciation for the precious gift of life and the extraordinary kindness of having been spared from the flood. As the Torah tells us, “Vayiven Noach mizbeach laHashem”—“And Noach built an altar to Hashem.” (Bereishis 8:20)
Noach's perspective serves as a model for all of us. The Chovos Halevavos (Shaar Cheshbon HaNefesh 19) teaches that when we hear of a calamity, even somewhere far away, we should reflect upon Hashem’s kindness in sparing us from such suffering and feel grateful for the blessings we enjoy.
Naturally, our hearts go out to those experiencing hardship, and we hope and daven for their well-being. At the same time, such moments can gently awaken within us a deeper appreciation for the goodness that we are fortunate to experience.
The Pele Yoetz (Ahavas Hashem) takes this idea a step further. He teaches that we should appreciate not only the difficulties from which Hashem has visibly saved us, but also the countless troubles from which He has protected us without our ever knowing. From the moment we entered this world, Hashem has surrounded us with kindness, much of which remains completely hidden from our eyes.
A remarkable incident that occurred this past Sukkos brings these thoughts vividly to life. It reminds us how, even when we are completely unaware of the dangers surrounding us, Hashem can protect us from unimaginable tragedy.
On September 30, 2026, during Chol Hamoed Sukkos, a plane was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board, including 27 children. None of the passengers could have imagined the terrifying ordeal that awaited them.
The co-pilot had planned to hijack the aircraft and deliberately crash it into Ben Gurion Airport, potentially claiming thousands of lives. During the flight, he suddenly attacked the captain with an axe, seriously wounding him. The aircraft then plunged approximately 16,000 feet in just thirty seconds. Despite his terrible injuries, the captain courageously managed to unlock the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to enter and overpower the attacker. Shortly afterwards, the wounded captain lost consciousness.
Amid the chaos, one passenger, whose familiarity with aviation emergencies came from watching documentaries about aircraft disasters, helped pull back on the controls to stabilize the rapidly descending plane. Remarkably, two additional pilots were travelling on the same flight. They were able to take control of the aircraft and guide it to a safe emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. A devastating planned attack that could have claimed many innocent lives had been thwarted. What an extraordinary escape from a tragedy of unimaginable proportions!
