Many times throughout our history, it has been our enemies who caused us to have unity and come close to Hashem. One instance of this is during the Holocaust. When the Jews were in the cattle cars, they were tightly packed for hours, without any food, drinks, or light. They endured terrible suffering. When the trains stopped, they disembarked in the freezing weather. The Nazis sometimes handed out one blanket to every sixth person to share with the others. The person who received the blanket had the option of keeping the blanket for himself or sharing it with five others. They chose to share it.
Such unity has been displayed in the war in Israel in 2023. The unity amongst the Jewish people as a result of this war is astounding, especially considering the fact that just prior to the outset of the war, the state of Israel was at the brink of a civil war.
Here are just some of the ways the unity was showcased.
- Following the announcement that there were 6,000 families that needed housing due to being evacuated as a result of the war, all were swiftly accommodated within the Jewish community in just 45 minutes.
- Jews waited five hours in the hospital to donate blood.
- Mothers who were nursing offered their mothers milk to those who needed it.
- Since, at first, children were home from school, girls were paired up to help out whose husbands were learning.
- Over 100 Tel Aviv restaurants quickly sought to acquire kosher certification so they could cook meals for soldiers, hospitals, survivors and the evacuees of the Gaza border communities. The city’s Ha’achim restaurant alone managed to serve nearly 20,000 meals daily, with the help of around 300 volunteers. Additionally, various other Tel Aviv restaurants were also providing thousands of meals every day.
- During this war in 2023, Israeli soldiers were thunderstruck at the abundant care packages sent from Jews in Israel and abroad. One soldier wrote, “People are sending a staggering amount of donations. Socks and t-shirts. Home-baked goods. Cases of food from restaurants. And it always comes with a note: ‘We appreciate you. We support you. We love you.’ I am hearing the same messages from my friends in America. Every text and note makes a big difference. And it’s something everyone can do. It really matters.”
- Avreichim and many others davened, learned and recited Tehillim for the protection of the soldiers and the Jewish people. Many were paired up with a name of a soldier or someone who was wounded in the war so that they can daven, learn and say Tehillim for them.
- Many tens of thousands of pairs of tzitzis were requested for IDF soldiers who never wore them in their entire lives. Likewise there was a tremendous request for Tefillin and mezuzos from those in the army.
Based on what we said above, we can explain
ופרעה הקריב — Paroh brought us close to Hashem, through our teshuva, as he and his army instilled fear in us.
Likewise, in the story of Purim, Haman was the cause of our having unity. He is therefore called צרר היהודים, which connects to וצרת הכסף, alluding to our unity which was brought about as a result of him. That unity is displayed with Mishloach Manos and Matanos L’evyonim.
