(Hakhel)
For those who did not hear of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, Shlita’s reaction to the tragedy, these were his words after an initial period of silence: “Shezachu HaBachurim, Hashem Yinkom Damam, L’Zechus Gedolah Me’od Vechizuk HaGadol VeHahishorirus VeHakabalos HaTovos Shekiblu Ahm Yisrael B’Zechusam. Zehu Zechus Gedolah Me’od.” HaRav Kanievsky repeated these thoughts several times. (Translation: The boys will merit, may Hashem avenge their blood, on behalf of the great merit and encouragement and tremendous inspiration, acceptances of new good deeds, that the nation of Israel accepted upon themselves – that this should be for the boys a great merit.” )
“Yeisheiv Badad V’Yidom—let one sit in solitude and be submissive” (Eicha 3:28): We should consider–and act upon–something we can now do personally as a zechus for them, whether it be the study of Mishnayos, the giving of Tzedaka, and/or a personal act of Teshuvah.
The Toulouse murders of Rabbi Sandler and the three little children, the Bulgaria murders, the Fogel family massacre, the Mumbai atrocity, the Sbarros bombing, the bombing of Bus Number 2, the Leil HaSeder attack, the Mosad HaRav murders, the drive-by murders, the tractor terror, the hundreds of other terrorist attacks, the murders and maimings, the mortars and bombs, the soldiers and the children all under attack.
The most recent shock of this bitter Galus, can once again lead us in one and only one direction–to HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
Each and every one of our Tefillos, and each and every one of our zechusim that we generated, and each and every act of Achdus, Ahava, and Achava had its meaning and its everlasting effect for the bochurim and for K’lal Yisrael in ways we cannot currently in the least bit fathom or appreciate.
Let us remember that Karov Hashem Lechol Korav–Hashem is close to all those who call out to Him–and we need to feel his closenessso much more now.
Rabbeinu Yonah in the Sha’arei Teshuvah (2:5) writes that a Botei’ach BaShem–one who trusts in Hashem–who is in the midst of at’zara, a difficulty, or even only a challenge, must view the situation differently than the millions of people surrounding him.
The Pasuk in Micha (7:8) as explained in Midrash Tehillim (22) teaches, “If I had not fallen, I could not now stand, if I had not sat in darkness, I would not now have light.” The common perception that one “passes through”, “recovers”, “rebounds” or “survives” his suffering is foreign to the one who truly trusts in Hashem. Rather, the one who trusts views his suffering as an opportunity ordained by G-d–only FROM THE FALL comes the rise, only FROM THE DARKNESS comes the light.
It is not the Ribono Shel Olam pushing him down, letting go, making it difficult for him–it is a fall created by Hashem Himself to enable him to rise, a nadir of darkness required in order to attain the truest of light.
As we have noted in the past, Rav Matisyahu Salomon, Shlita, may Hashem bentsch him with a Refuah Sheleima BeKarov, explains that the Botei’ach BaShem does not say “Hashem will get me out of this” or “There is a light at the end of this tunnel.” Instead, he acknowledges and understands that the purpose of the tunnel is for him to arrive at the light. One must, as a given, acknowledge and understand that the All-Knowing, All-Present, Creator and Supervisor has intentionally designed the process by which one can attain the goals he is to reach in his lifetime. The trials, tribulations, and difficulties are not established out of cruelty, disdain or indifference, but arise because He, in His Omniscience, knows (infinitely more than us) who are we are really and what we really need.
Taking a look back at our history:
Esther, a descendent of royalty, wife of a leader of the generation, and a Neviah in her own right, is forced to live in the most repulsive place imaginable, away from her family and her people–in a literal prison without walls–for nine (9) long years, without any seeming rhyme or reason. What had she done?! Can we fathom what her suffering could have been? What emerged was the saving of all of K’lal Yisroel, and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash as a direct result of the few discussions she had with Achashveirosh, as recorded in the Megillah.
Similarly, in Mitzrayim, hundreds of thousands of B’nei Yisrael suffered from “Avodas Perech”–in all its definitions, systematic torture–for scores of years. What went wrong? How did all this happen? And the Torah supplies a two-word answer–[We were placed in Mitzrayim as a] “KUR HABARZEL”–a smith’s oven, used to refine metal. Why were they there under these horrific conditions? So that K’lal Yisrael could survive from then-on and bring us to the Moshiach’s times and forever thereafter.
L’ilui Nishmos:
Yaakov Naftali ben Rachel Devorah
Gilad Michael ben Bat Galim
Eyal ben Iris Teshurah
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