Another miracle! On Monday night, missiles were fired at the Tel Aviv area, central Israel. Sirens were sounded and people ran for cover. Parts of a missile landed on the Ramat Gan-Bnei Brak border, resulting in fires just a short distance away from tall office buildings. And only five light injuries reported from shrapnel, with some damage (light by comparison) to the nearby buildings. And I don’t need to tell you that there are no open areas in that place! In other less-densely populated areas, there have been direct hits, and many more fatalities, wounded, and tremendous damage caused by missiles (including on Monday). We need to recognize the great miracles which happen there, and thank Hashem appropriately! Mizmor l’soda (l’toda for the Sephardim)!
Many people have been asking the following question. Should we be saying mizmor l’soda because of Trump’s re-election? It’s great news! He’s already making appointments for his government, and they seem to be great choices for us. Right wing, pro-Israel, pro-Jewish, etc. However, he’s not president just yet. There’s still some time and a lot could happen until then. Many people are excited, nervous, and concerned about what could happen until he takes office. There are many speculations over what exactly will he do after he takes office. Should we thank Hashem now for Trump’s victory, or should we wait to see what happens?
An answer to this question can be found in this week’s parshah, Chayei Sara. In a quick summary of this part of the parshah, Avraham Avinu sends his loyal servant Eliezer to find a wife for Yitzchak Avinu. Eliezer arrives in Choron, where he prays to Hashem to send the right girl, and devises a test by the well. Rivka arrives, passes the test, and Eliezer gives her gifts. Lavan, Rivka’s brother, runs out and invites Eliezer to their house, eagerly anticipating the gifts he would receive. Eliezer enters the house, and Besu’el, Rivka’s father, offers him food. Eliezer insists that he must speak first. After speaking and explaining why he came, he asks for Rivka as a bride for Yitzchak. Lavan and Besu’el said, “This is from Hashem and take her!” Eliezer heard that, and bowed to Hashem.
Over here, Rashi brings the medrash that says: From here we learn that you say thank you (to Hashem) upon hearing good news. Good news that has potential to happen, even though nothing has actually happened yet! Eliezer thanked Hashem upon hearing their agreemen, even though they hadn’t actually handed her over just yet. That would be in the morning. They even tried to kill him before that.
The Yalkut Shimoni says that Besu’el wasn’t just another person in Choron who happened to be related to Avraham Avinu. He was a king, a person of power! He claimed divine power and respect from the people. He didn’t want to send away his daughter to a far-away land, even to such a famous relative as Avraham Avinu. Also, he had his eyes on all the wealth Eliezer had brought with him. To outright kill Eliezer wasn’t the best option though, even with all his power. They had all just watched as Eliezer lifted a camel in each hand and carried them across a river! So, they planned to serve Eliezer some poisoned food, and rushed him to eat so he wouldn’t notice the taste. He’d die, and they’d take all the wealth and keep Rivka! When Eliezer insisted to first speak, a malach switched his food with Besu’el’s. In the morning, only Lavan was left to deal with Eliezer.
Rav Tzadok Hacohein writes that the first time something shows up in the Torah is the main place that we learn it from. We learn from here that it is incumbent upon us to thank Hashem for hearing good news that only has potential to happen! To thank Hashem upon hearing good news for things which have happened already is a must. Hopefully, that is more obvious, although hakaras hatov also needs encouragement. The great novelty here is to thank Hashem for something good that has potential to happen, even if there are still obstacles until it happens.
Therefore, we must Hashem for the great hatzlachah that we had in the U.S. elections! Mizmor l’soda! We put in our efforts, our hishtadlus to vote, and we saw great results. Now, it’s more than a victory for re-elect President Trump and Republican control in both houses. It’s a victory for the right, for the more ethical and moral side of society. Even though there is still a big gap between that and the Torah worldview, it is much better than where things were headed. And even though there’s a lot that could happen between now and later, and we don’t know exactly what will happen, thanking Hashem is the key to make it happen in the best way possible!
Rav Tzadok Hacohein writes that when something seems like it almost happened, it’s a sign that there’s a judgement happening Above at that moment about us. We say the brachah “Hagomel” after being in certain situations, for example traveling in a dangerous place, even though nothing happened. The fact that you were in a place that something could have happened shows that there was a much bigger trial happening Above about you at that moment. The way to assure that the verdict is good is to thank Hashem for being saved from bad.
It’s the other way around as well. Upon hearing good news that could happen, it means that Above there’s a judgment happening to see what will be. Giving thanks upon hearing the good news is the key which gives the push that it should happen.
However, we must mention (again) another very important point here. We must avoid the trap of relying on someone other than Hashem. When we are working on our bitachon in Hashem, we are working to rely on him for everything. If we begin to see signs of hope in the form of someone or something, it’s natural that our bitachon begins to slide. When that happens, we end up losing out. It’s when we begin to think this person will take care of me - that’s when the problems crop up.
A perfect place to work on both aspects mentioned here is in the prayer of “Aleinu.” Thanking Hashem for everything He does, and by declaring that we don’t rely on anyone except for Him! Besides for Him, there’s no one else who could help us - hu elokeinu ein ode!
Thank you, Hashem, for the many miracles that You keep doing for us! May we merit to go from hearing good news that has potential, to actually seeing that potential come to fruition! May we merit to hear of Moshiach’s coming, and arrival, very soon!
Adapted from shiurim given by R’ Yisrael Altusky shlita, Yeshivas Torah Ore, Yerushalayim. Shiurim can be heard at the Kol Halashon website.
