On Tuesday evening, October 10, Chazaq, Daily Giving, Hakhel, and TorahAnytime hosted a global unity event on behalf of Eretz Yisrael. Robbie Aboff, Chazaq’s Director of Operations, welcomed everyone to the virtual event.
Rav Gav (Rabbi Gavriel Friedman), a well-known speaker, shared his experience on Simchas Torah in Israel when soldiers were called up for duty on Yom Tov. He shared that a cousin of his is at the border of Gaza. Everyone is collecting supplies for the soldiers. We are klal Yisrael and we come together. People are giving and giving. So, what can we do?
“The greatest weapon is your mouth. You can take everything down with your mouth.” The Hebrew word for missile is til. We can recite T’hilim and it has powerful koach. It can bring sirens to go off in Gaza. In a time of trouble, we can daven. He noted how we can fight til with T’hilim. Yidden fight with the kol Yaakov. When the kol Yaakov is strong, then the hands of Eisav are not strong.
“You’re changing the world with the kol Yaakov. And it’s a mitzvah d’Oraisa to daven now.”
Hashem instructed Noach to build an ark, which took him 120 years, and this gave people time to do t’shuvah. He did all this work, yet the flood is called “Waters of Noach.” The reason is because he could have done one more thing: He could have davened for them. Every one of us has the power to do the most powerful thing. “They shoot tilim [missiles] and we shoot back T’hilim. Take advantage and say it anytime during the day. Shoot some rockets back. Load your weapon and fire away!”
Next, Rabbi Paysach Krohn, well-known mohel, author, and speaker, shared that in 1976, a French airline was hijacked to Entebbe, Uganda. The Ugandan military threatened to blow up the plane with Israeli hostages aboard. In the Mir Yeshiva, 1,000 people came together and Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz was going to walk in and speak to everyone. Everyone was frightened for the hostages. Rav Shmuelevitz was crying as he trudged to the front of the room, and all he could say was, “Daven as if it was your father or mother, sister or brother, on that plane.” A man who was there shared that it was the most powerful T’hilim he’d ever experienced.
Rabbi Krohn shared that his sister, who lives in Ashdod, had to run to shelter, and her husband, who is the rosh yeshivah of Kiryat Chinuch L’Banim, had to bring 60 talmidim from elementary and middle schools to the shelter. An announcement went out to bring food to the shelter, because they might have to be in the shelter for 72 hours. “We have to daven as Rav Chaim said we should.”
He shared that his grandson, Rabbi Moshe Dov Heber, who is a rebbi in the Yeshiva of Waterbury, Connecticut, told him that on Simchas Torah a man named Levi, who was a sergeant in the IDF, was told that he was needed back in Israel. He had come back to the yeshivah in Waterbury to learn. The men in shul gave Levi a sefer Torah and they surrounded him, and the whole beis midrash circled around him and sang the song “Acheinu Kol Beis Yisrael.” Rabbi Krohn emphasized, “We are all brothers and sisters.” Daven for Levi Yitzchak ben Dina Miriam and all the other soldiers.
How do we respond to this? He quoted from T’hilim 127. If Hashem doesn’t help you build a home, you won’t be successful. If Hashem is not guarding the city, the watchman is vigilant in vain. For whatever reason, Hashem let them come into Israel.
Rabbi Krohn shared how he takes people to Poland to see the crematoria. Someone once asked what would those people who were killed here want us to hear? The Nazis and Hamas killed anyone who is Jewish. It doesn’t matter if they are religious or not. We are all brothers and sisters. We have to be able to get along. Why do we need these enemies to teach us this? We need people to say that we have to care for each other and focus on ahavas Yisrael.
Rabbi Krohn confided that he believes Hashem is upset with us. We haven’t done enough. Each of us has to try to get closer to Hashem. There is no question that Hashem loves us. We know that the month of Av is called Menachem Av. Av is a father. A father loves his children and sometimes he punishes them to teach them something. Each person on his own can think of what he can do to be more beloved by Hashem. The previous 40 days, from Rosh Chodesh Elul to now, were not enough. It’s a terrible tragedy – a painful nightmare for all of us in klal Yisrael.
He then shared some practical ways to draw closer to Hashem. Stand still when reciting “Asher Yatzar” and think about what it means, and think of the hakaras ha’tov we owe Hashem for how our body works. When bentching, use a siddur or bentcher, and think about what you are saying. Give more tz’dakah. Tz’dakah tatzil mi’maves. He mentioned Daily Giving as a good way to do this. Recite T’hilim every day and think of the people in Israel. Increase talmud Torah. We say “Talmud Torah k’neged kulam” because it’s the guidepost. It’s the ingredient for life.
Cry for the Beis HaMikdash and recite T’hilim 137 (“Al Naharos Bavel”) before Birkas HaMazon. (see the Shulchan Aruch o.c. 1:3 and the Mishnah B’rurah). We have to raise the bar. Take on something small so you can stick to it.
Following this, Charlie Harary, well-known inspirational speaker, shared: “There are no words to explain how we feel now!”
What do we do? The Torah tells us to look out for the stranger and don’t oppress him, because you know what it feels like to be a stranger. Why do we need that explanation? He taught that the Torah is giving us incredible insight in life. When people experience tragedy, we feel sympathy for them and try to help them.
The Torah says I want more. I want empathy. Empathy means feeling with someone, which is more than sympathy, which is feeling for someone. When you feel with people, you imagine how you would feel if you were in their situation. If you are with them, you carry them along with you.
Right now, Israel is at war and we have never lived through a war like this. “Feel for the people of Israel and do something deeper. Feel with them.” Ask yourself how you would feel if your son was going to battle, or your relative was living in the South, or your kids were in a bomb shelter. Take a minute to feel with the people in Israel. If you express that you feel with them, then you are there with them. “It’s not a battle they are fighting alone.”
There has been an incredible rush for people to go back home to Israel. People called up for reserve duty are flying to Israel and leaving their families and their jobs. Reservists in Israel are kissing their young children and going off to battle. “This is our war! All of us have a piece of Israel. This is our battle!”
This war was waged by Hamas against the Jewish people. We know that Hashem wins wars for us. We have to sign up and step up and report to our stations. Feel with the people of Israel. This is our responsibility. For each one of us, fighting means doing more chesed, learning more, praying, making up with a friend. These acts will be next to a soldier at the border.
We can’t go back to life as normal. We have to remind ourselves what it must feel like.
The Ramchal taught that Hashem has a big world, and He gives assignments to everybody. Right now, our assignments can be to increase kindness, learning, and spirituality. Reach into your heart. You will know what your job is. The greatest way to deal with pain is through purpose. Ask yourself, “Where do I enlist? What is my role in this war?” We each know the areas where we can grow. Work on bringing Jews together. Enlist in an army of Hashem. Your deeds can provide protection for people on the front lines. “Don’t watch from the sidelines. Enlist and do your part!”
Never ever forget that we do not win wars with strength. We win wars with our faith. Implore Hashem. Double down on your faith, and remember that Hashem is the Shomer Yisrael.
By Susie Garber
