Chazal say that wherever the word זה (this) appears, it is a case of pointing directly, as at the splitting of the Red Sea, where the people said זה אֵ-לי וְאַנְוֵהוּ, and pointed at Hakadosh Baruch Hu. And in the future, they will say: וְאָמַר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא הִנֵּה אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ זֶה קִוִּינוּ לוֹ וְיוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ זֶה ה' קִוִּינוּ לוֹ נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ. And it shall be said on that day, this is our G-d; we have waited for him, that he should save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad, rejoice in his salvation.
The same re: the half-shekel – יִתְּנוּ זֶה, and Rosh Chodesh – הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם. Similarly, Haman said: וְכָל זֶה אֵינֶנּוּ שׁוֹוֶה לִי – And all this is worth nothing to me. The Gemara explains that Haman’s treasures were etched on his heart, visible for all to see and point at. זה implies pointing directly. The Noam Elimelech then asks what the word means here in our story.
When the spies returned on Tisha B’Av, starting the weeping, Moshe said: בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֵינְכֶם מַאֲמִינִים. What is “this matter”? He showed them the Amud Ha’eish – the pillar of fire. “Can’t it easily burn the giants? You don’t believe it can eliminate them instantly?! In the desert, your clothes didn’t wear out, your feet didn’t swell, you have manna, water and everything. What are you afraid of? Hakadosh Baruch Hu carries you like a father carries his son. The Amud Eish and Amud Anan (pillar of fire and pillar of cloud) level mountains. Why are you afraid?!” The answer is that a person in fear cannot be reasoned with. When someone is in panic, explanations don’t help – they’re in a frenzy. When you show him, he is in fear, in panic, and there’s no talking to him. Since a person is in fear, whatever you explain to him doesn’t help at all.
With that, let us now shift to address our current matzav. A new war broke out right after this shiur last week. There are casualties and many wounded, Hashem Yerachem. A missile hit Soroka Hospital yesterday, where patients were just evacuated days earlier, Rachmana litzlan. Homes collapsed, thousands lost their residences. There are consequences – fear and terror. Sirens rise and fall, missiles and bombs abound – Elokim Yatzileinu. My friends, there’s a problem. What’s the problem? People are scared, losing their human composure. Moshe Rabbeinu spoke to rational intellect, showing the pillar of fire and what it accomplishes for them, but the people were unreachable. There was no one to talk to. The spies told them, “Listen, there are fortified mountains there,” stirring them up into a frenzy, but in truth, there’s nothing there to fear. The Torah warns ten times how much we are forbidden to fear.
Lessons from Yehoshua and David HaMelech
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz wrote an essay about the Yom Kippur War, and he says: Come and see, who was the man who served Moshe Rabbeinu? It was Yehoshua bin Nun, who was side by side with Moshe Rabbeinu fighting against Sichon and Og, the two kings of the Emori. How tall was Og Melech HaBashan? Chazal say, Moshe Rabbeinu was ten cubits tall, and he took a stick of ten cubits, then jumped ten cubits high, and even then, he only struck Og’s ankle! Do you understand his height? Thirty meters and you only reached his ankle! Wow! Og Melech HaBashan! Where is he now?!
Yehoshua was at Moshe’s side throughout that time, but he did not even budge. What are the words of Moshe Rabbeinu in Sefer Devarim? “I killed Og Melech HaBashan and Sichon Melch HaEmori, and to Yehoshua I commanded at that time: ‘Your eyes have seen all that Hashem did to these two kings.’” Rav Shmuelevitz says, Moshe is telling Yehoshua, “Did you see?! Did you see how exactly I killed them all?! Hakadosh Baruch Hu will do the same to all the kingdoms where you are heading. Do not fear. Did you understand everything you saw here? You take a stick, break his ankle, and he goes down – poof! No need for a Tomahawk. No need for the Pentagon, no need for anything. A strike at the ankle, and you finish him!”
How do you deliver a strike at the ankle? Look to how David HaMelech killed Goliath, with a mere five stones? Goliath was even offended that David showed up with a weapon more suitable to confront a small dog! “Are you playing a game of five stones? What are you bringing to battle me? I thought you’d bring some kind of bomb! Five stones, you bring?” David said to him, “You come as you come and I come with the name of Hashem.” He took his five stones, said Shema Yisrael, and the five stones became one.
David HaMelech said, “Ribbono Shel Olam, please do me a favor – let me hit a bullseye on his forehead, and from there, let there be a hole.” Boom! Straight into the head. And what was the double miracle? How did Goliath then fall? He fell forward. Usually, someone who takes such a blow, they fall backwards. But Goliath fell forward so David HaMelech wouldn’t need to do too much jogging until he reached him. “It’s a good half kilometer distance – he’ll come to you! You’ll take his head off right by the door, no need to go far!”
Moshe Rabbeinu says to Yehoshua, “Did you see what I did? I’m telling you now, Hakadosh Baruch Hu will do the same to all the kingdoms where you are heading. Do not fear them, for Hashem is the one fighting for you. The Ohr HaChaim writes something powerful: Even though Moshe Rabbeinu spoke to Yehoshua, he used the plural form in his message. Why? To include all of Bnei Israel, and to say that not even member of the nation should fear them. At the war of the thirty kings, Hakadosh Baruch Hu says not one should fear, for He fights for them. These are the words of the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh.
The Dangers of Fear in War
Rabbotai, Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz says in his essay, do you know what fear is? Fear is the most terrible thing in war. A person is forbidden to fear during wartime, because a person who fears is confused, and he sows destruction and ruin. The beginning of failure in war is fear. The Torah says in Sefer Devarim:
כִּי־תֵצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה עַל־אֹיְבֶךָ וְרָאִיתָ סוּס וָרֶכֶב עַם רַב מִמְּךָ לֹא תִירָא מֵהֶם כִּי־ה' אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ עִמָּךָ הַמַּעַלְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם׃
When you go out to war against your enemy and see horses and chariots, and a nation more numerous than you, what’s next? Do not fear them, for Hashem is with you. This means, trust strengthens. That you trust in Hakadosh Baruch Hu gives you strength. That you trust in Hakadosh Baruch Hu gives Hakadosh Baruch Hu strength to protect you.
I would like to elaborate on this at length, but we don’t have time because I want to put forth one key point, with your permission. My friends, we all know there are sirens. There are sirens, there are impacts, and the troubles are many. But it is forbidden to fall into complacency and into fear. These two things go together. You need to do what we are told to do – we need to follow the directions given to us. But at the same time, we must not be afraid. You see people scaring their children in the middle of the night, lifting the children and dragging them to the shelter, five floors down. Do you know what kind of trauma this causes a child?
And when you go to a protected space – whether you go down to the shelter or enter a safe room – you don’t need to go into panic. Try to enter calmly. You can sing with the children, sing for them. Don’t go into panic. With such panic you’ll survive physically but be ruined mentally. You can do the same action with a trace of joy. Have you ever tried entering a safe room while singing? Sing הַטּוֹב הַטּוֹב הַטּוֹב כִּי לֹא כָלוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ – The good, the good, the good, for Your mercies are not exhausted. Enter with songs. Sing עוֹד יוֹתֵר טוֹב וְעוֹד יוֹתֵר טוֹב. Why scare everyone? Why instill fear? Fear is not a good thing – it is self-induced terror, says the Gemara.
I hear from parents that the kids are being scared in the middle of the night, trembling. Rabbotai, I want to say something frightful (נורא) – please write down what I’m telling you; take it with you; let it be for generations.
David HaMelech’s Faith and Calm
David HaMelech, the sweet singer of Yisrael, composed words recited every day during Elul (and by Sephardim every day). Let us learn it together.
לְדָוִד ה' אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי מִמִּי אִירָא ה' מָעוֹז־חַיַּי מִמִּי אֶפְחָד׃ בִּקְרֹב עָלַי מְרֵעִים לֶאֱכֹל אֶת־בְּשָׂרִי צָרַי וְאֹיְבַי לִי הֵמָּה כָּשְׁלוּ וְנָפָלוּ׃
Hashem is my light and my salvation, Hashem is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers approach me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and enemies, they stumble.
My friends, let’s learn something wonderful. What does David HaMelech say? Hashem is my light, and He is my salvation. Hashem is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? I’m not afraid of anyone! Why? If I trust in Hakadosh Baruch Hu, I’m not afraid of anyone. There’s a saying like this: Trust in the One and don’t fear.
Great, trust in Hakadosh Baruch Hu. And what’s the next step? What does David HaMelech say?
אִם־תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה לֹא־יִירָא לִבִּי אִם־תָּקוּם עָלַי מִלְחָמָה בְּזֹאת אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ׃
Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, in this I trust.
The Arizal says, when you go to shul in the morning, you first wake up and recite “Modeh Ani,” giving thanks for Hakadosh Baruch Hu restoring your soul with compassion. And when you go to sleep, what do you say? בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי – Into Your hand I entrust my spirit. You say, “Ribbono Shel Olam, I entrust to You my Neshama.”
Please tell me the truth – when you go to sleep, do you really think you’re going to die overnight? From the silence here in the room, I see that you do. You all agree unanimously, right? Do you say sorry to your spouse before you go to sleep? Do you go over a last will and testament? Do you review the life insurance benefits? No. You definitely don’t. You go to sleep and everything’s good. “Good night. Sleep well. See you in the morning.”
When you leave to shul in the morning, do you go through a similar return in case you don’t make it back? Do you talk about how your spouse should raise the children or how they should remarry? Of course, not. But maybe you won’t come back. We all know who went to shul and never returned home. You might think you’re ok and all your medical tests come back normal and you’re in near-perfect health, but who really knows, right? So, do you have that conversation? Once again – no, you do not.
לְדָוִד ה' אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי – David HaMelech says, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is my light and He is my salvation; He is the stronghold of my life. If I trust in Hakadosh Baruch Hu, I’m not afraid. And not just David HaMelech. Also Danny, Shimon, Roni, Devorah, Sarah, Tziona, and every else. Everyone’s included in that approach. Why? Because ה' מָעוֹז־חַיַּי מִמִּי אֶפְחָד – Hashem is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? I go to shul, and I return home. I even prepare a meal before leaving, fully expecting to eat a fresh breakfast when I walk back in through the doors. But who told you you’re coming back?
ה' מָעוֹז־חַיַּי מִמִּי אֶפְחָד – Am I afraid of something? Everything’s fine. Wonderful, Hashem is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid.
Continuing on, אִם־תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה – Though an army park against me, says David HaMelech. If you park in a parking lot (תַּחֲנֶה), park in a parking lot. What does a parking lot have to do with this theme? On a regular day, you wake up at 7:00 in the morning, wash your hands – the hands work, the legs work, the eyes see, Baruch Hashem. You reach out to your nose, proving to yourself you haven’t suffered a stroke, and everything’s good. Everything works as it should, Baruch Hashem. Well, you woke up in the morning and then went to work. Are you calm? Of course you’re calm. Why would you be? Though an army parks against me, my heart shall not fear. On a regular parking day, I’m not afraid. Why? Because everything is fine. David HaMelech comes and says, the same Hakadosh Baruch Hu who is in the encampment, or parking lot, He is in the war too. אִם־תָּקוּם עָלַי מִלְחָמָה בְּזֹאת אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ.
What is the “this” (בְּזֹאת) being referred to here? The same זֹאת I have in war. Hakadosh Baruch Hu doesn’t change. He is the same Hakadosh Baruch Hu. So why are you afraid? If you’re afraid, it’s a sign that even the Hashem you called out to at the start is not genuinely your אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי – light and salvation. Hashem, the stronghold of my life – if you’re afraid during wartime, it’s a sign that He is not the stronghold of your life. This means, we need to show that we are calm.
Stories of Calm in Crisis
I once read a story about the Imrei Emes, who was traveling in a carriage drawn by horses. The coachman sat in front, behind him the Rebbe, and behind him a group of Chassidim sat in the back. Suddenly, the horses went wild, galloping out of control. The coachman tried to brake, but nothing helped. Not only did he not stop them, they gained strength against his braking and ran toward an abyss. All the Chassidim grabbed their seats, recited Shema in loud voices, not wanting to crash. They called out to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, but they danced as they did, out of fear. The Rebbe, on the other hand, sat calmly, murmuring something softly. They reached the end, and suddenly the horses stopped. All the Chassidim flew forward and backward and then sat back down as if nothing had happened. One of the Chassidim asked the Rebbe, “Rebbe, how did this happen? How are you sitting so calmly, like everything’s perfectly fine?” Do you know what the Rebbe said to him? “One who walks on stable ground and is calm because the ground is stable – when the ground is shaky, he panics. But one who walks on stable ground because Hakadosh Baruch Hu is with him – that same Hakadosh Baruch Hu is there on shaky ground too. Even when the horses go crazy and start racing toward an abyss, the same Hakadosh Baruch Hu that walked straight and pleasantly with them is present and true.”
You have no reason to panic. Do you know who said this? Yonah HaNavi. When the waves were crashing against the ship and it was on the verge of breaking, where was Yonah found? He was sleeping in the depths of the ship. Everyone on the ship sways right and left, sea sickness upon them all, and Yonah sleeps quietly. The captain approaches him, and what does he say? “What is your occupation, and where do you come from? What is your country, and from what people are you?” Yonah answers:
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם עִבְרִי אָנֹכִי וְאֶת־ה' אֱ-לֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם אֲנִי יָרֵא אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה אֶת־הַיָּם וְאֶת־הַיַּבָּשָׁה׃
And he said to them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the G-d of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.
He said to them, “I don’t understand. Why are you getting so excited? Why are you getting excited that the sea is dancing? Who made this sea? Why when you walk on dry land, aren’t you excited? It is because the ground is stable. But do you know what the ground stands on? רוֹקַע הָאָרֶץ עַל הַמָּיִם – He spreads the earth over the waters. I don’t understand why you are all getting excited! The G-d of the heavens and the earth, who made the heavens and the earth, made both the sea and the dry land. The same Hakadosh Baruch Hu who guards the dry land, guards me on the sea.”
That’s how a person should walk, with such a feeling. Do what needs to be done, follow all the instructions. But not with fear or dread – with joy. Do this work with joy and bring the children into the safe rooms with calm and joy.
