Beware of the Black Ice

By Rabbi Avrohom Brashevitzky, Co-Director of Chabad Jewish Center of Doral, Florida

First it gets cold and then it snows. For a short while, everything seems calm and serene, it almost feels wrong to venture out and destroy the beautiful landscape. Then it starts, the black slush, the filth – suddenly everything seems so ugly. However, very soon the beautiful sun comes out, temperatures thaw and all the ugliness melts away. So nice! So beautiful!

This is the time to be cautious.

A little chill can create that dreaded black ice which is virtually undetectable but can lead Chas V’shalom to catastrophic results. Especially on bridges and exposed surfaces, the chill can create a deadly freeze which can lead to unfortunate results.

This true depiction of life in the colder climates is also a metaphor, in my opinion, for the amazing milestone we are currently experiencing in Am Yisroel.

In my lifetime, I cannot recall such an amazing event. All of Klal Yisroel has come together to genuinely help and assist a fellow Jew, Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin. The spontaneous eruption of Simcha could not have been fabricated nor rehearsed. Many are correct in their assessment that this is indeed a taste of what it will feel like when Moshiach finally comes!

Unprecedented Achdus expressed and proliferated by “Simcha Poretz Gedder” brought all kinds of communities and factions together to celebrate a Chabad Chosid. Gone were all the differences, all the past hurts, ideologies and mantra. We all felt like family! It came from deep within, from a place where there are no differences between one Jew and another; not even spiritual or ideological rudiments.

For too long, it was cold. Very cold! It snowed and snowed. Things almost seemed to settle in very well – some even thought of it as pretty. The landscape was clean and crisp in a sense: you stay on your side of the fence I’ll stay on mine… You don’t bother me – we won’t bother you. Yes, there were the occasional footsteps in the snow but not enough to change the entire scenery.

Sadly, for several decades we experienced heavy, dirty slush. Filth flew in faces of the bystanders. Many got dirty and engrossed in the snowball fights. Everybody’s garments were soiled and wet. It wasn’t a comfortable situation for anyone. Regardless of who was at fault, who threw the first snowball; everybody ended up hurt as the filthy snow avalanched even on to the innocent.

Boruch Hashem! The sun came out! All the snow, ice and filth just melted away! Yachad Shivtei Yisroel!

The sad reality is that until Moshiach’s arrival, the Satan is not dead. He’s still very ambitious and determined. Certainly, like everyone else, he wishes to be comfortable. The events of the past week make him very unhappy, distraught. It’s very likely of him to do whatever possible; to pull every trick available to him in order to bring down the temperature. Of course, being the great tactician he is, he will make it inconspicuous; thus the black ice.

Beware of the black ice! We must do everything possible to keep the terrain clear of any such possibility. Salt the surfaces very well i.e. “take everything with a grain of salt.” Don’t allow any misspoken words or assumptions to get in the way of this tremendous Achdus.

Amazing “bridges” have been formed; great passageways. Let’s keep them clear of Sinas Chinam, of any discord. Sure, these events don’t mean that we all suddenly agree on everything and see eye to eye on all issues. That’s okay. In fact, when we crossed the Yam Suf – we did so in 12 separate paths. We saw and appreciated each other through the transparent walls. As a result, we reached Har Sinai K’ish Echad B’leiv Echad! Hashem did not intend for us to all think exactly the same way. He does, however, want us to get along well – like one man with one heart!