A Yid from Beitar relates: On Shabbos Parshas Bereishis, the first Shabbos after Simchas Torah, we were in the middle of the evening seudah when we suddenly heard the undulating wail of a siren. We had already grown accustomed to this, to the point that we don’t always see the greatness of the miracle. Every missile reveals our enemies’ desire to kill as many as they can, but by now we’re used to hearing shooting, and dry reports regarding missiles falling in open areas. This time, however, following the siren an announcement was made: Terrorist infiltration, terrorist infiltration!
Now that is terrifying. Tremendous sakanas nefashos. Nothing to do. How would it help us to lock the doors? Just a week ago we discovered that if there are terrorists, nothing stands in their way. They break the door easily. We also have no way of finding out what this announcement actually means. Today is Shabbos, and we have no means of communication to assure us that the announcement was simply a mistake.
I can’t even call my rav. I have nowhere to run.
What can I tell you? That announcement was the greatest gift I’ve received in my life. I told my family members, “Only Hashem can help us! Only Hashem! There is no one but Him! Nothing can help us. We are in the Hands of the Manhig ha’olam, the Leader of the whole world, Who does all deeds – past, present and future.”
We felt completely embraced by Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and no one could detract from this profound experience. We closed our eyes, sang songs of emunah, strengthened our bitachon, and thus merited a full hour of deveikus.
Wow, what a gift that was!
Dear Yidden! There are so many Jews experiencing difficulties with parnassah, shidduchim, health issues and so much more, doing whatever they can, making every possible effort, doing what they need to do, until they discover that they’ve reached the end of their rope. That’s it. We’ve done our hishtadlus, and there’s nothing left to do. There is only the Ribbono shel Olam.
That helplessness, the total giving over of oneself to Hashem’s path, the emunah that He is leading us in the best way possible – that is a special gift from Hashem yisbarach. When there is nothing left to do, there is something to do: learn Torah, sing songs of emunah, strengthen ourselves in mitzvos, live with deveikus to the Ribbono shel Olam.
The nisayon will end, the yeshuah will come, the darkness will be gone and light will spread, and we will take with us the gift we received during this time of nisayon. Closeness to Hashem is the greatest possible gift.
Good Shabbos, Pinchas Shefer
Parshs Vayeitzei 5783 ■ Issue 126
