By Rivky Wilansky
I’m sure lots of us have these same thoughts or similar thoughts, so I just want to think out loud here…
What happened in Miami was so scary, so unbelievable, so shocking!
Especially since it feels like the SAME message has been repeated to us 3 times in the past 3 months!
We were literally crushed in Meiron, we were literally crushed in Givat Zeev, and we were literally crushed again in Surfside… one after the other!
It’s impossible not to see it! And it’s impossible to attribute it to “natural” accidents chv!
And that’s in addition to all the crazy changes in the world that we’ve been experiencing with covid over the last 16 months!
It feels like Hashem is talking to us really loudly, and we NEED to hear it, and we need to DO something!
We CANNOT just continue on normally as if nothing happened –
Because the Rambam writes that “if a community does not respond to troubles by blowing trumpets, prayer and repentance, and instead attributes their suffering to “the ways of the world,” this is a “derech achzariyus,” a path of cruelty.”
Because the sooner we recognize the message and the purpose behind it, the sooner we put an END to it!!!
Especially since the crushing here was not by our enemies, and not through any messenger, but by Hashem Himself, and in such a strange and unexplainable way…
The whole Thursday night and Friday, I was so baffled…
‘What is going on with this falling and crushing? What does it mean? Is everything ok up there? Is something messed up with The Plan?’
Thank G-d that we still have a way to communicate with the prophet of our generation!! So I wrote to the Rebbe before Shabbos asking, what is the message here? What are we meant to do?
And the letter that I opened up to was so comforting and reassuring!
The Rebbe wrote that “… in my opinion, the change in the world is that we are getting closer to Moshiach’s coming! And so what we need to do is to get even more busy with Torah and mitzvos in general, and with spreading Chassidus and its ways and customs in particular. And with all other matters, we need to go ahead as usual… “And the guardian of Israel does not sleep nor slumber, and He is watching over His people’ with individual Divine Providence, and protecting them in every place in which they find themselves. And soon He will redeem them from the golus with the true and complete Geulah through our righteous Moshiach.”
It was just what I needed to hear!
Of course, on the one hand, this letter said nothing “new”. The Rebbe has repeated this message to us over and over and over, countless times!!
But on the other hand, it’s been almost 30 years since He spoke these words to us! Even though we are not allowed to have doubts, I still felt I needed to hear Him say it again, NOW, today! To reaffirm that NO, nothing has changed! We are still on course! Every word that He told us STILL stands true! And we are closer to Moshiach than ever before!
The other letter on the page was speaking about emphasizing love for every Jew (regardless of their actions or affiliations etc), as taught in chapter 32 of Tanya –
which is definitely a KEY message to us here too!
And the third letter was about the importance of action and of spreading Chassidus now, because we have merited that there is NO opposition to it anymore, and so every missed opportunity to share the message is really a shame! And that even those who say they are against it, or even show they are against it in deeds – it is only because of a shocking lack of knowledge, and when we explain it to them simply and in a pleasant way, the opposition will be nullified –
Another KEY timely message about the urgency of spreading the Rebbe’s teachings, with the assurance that the world IS ready to hear it…
These letters were so strengthening, but I was still left wondering, why specifically this CRUSHING?!?!
And then suddenly last night, it hit me- there is only one crushing that I know of in Torah – “Kasis La’maor” – crushed to illuminate!
This is the theme of the Rebbe’s most recent maamer of “V’ata Tetzava”!
The crushing of the olives in the Beis HaMikdash which is in order to ILLUMINATE – to reveal the essence of the Jew!
This is the last maamer that the Rebbe handed out to us, telling us that we need to feel CRUSHED by the Galus!
But NOT because it’s physically painful,
Not because there are external pressures,
Not because other nations are stopping us,
Not because we have problems with health or wealth or relationships or children or success…
But because our Neshama, the part of Hashem within us, must feel terribly crushed and pained by the great concealment of Hashem during Galus!
Our Neshama cannot handle all of the lies!
Our Neshama cannot rest or feel peace until the Truth is no longer hidden from even one tiny corner of this planet, from even one single human being on this earth!!
While previous generations were crushed from the OUTSIDE, our generation was not meant to be!
Our test was to feel crushed from the INSIDE, – even while we enjoy all the material and spiritual comforts in exile! We needed to feel completely crushed even during the BEST of times, even during our most golden years and days and moments!
But it seems we were still a bit too comfortable…
And Hashem chose to squeeze us – in order to wake us up from this bitter dream of Golus!
Covid has already crushed us in such a crazy, mind-boggling way! But somehow it seems that we STILL didn’t connect the dots enough… and that Hashem has chosen to make the crushing of the olives even more obvious…
But NOT to cause us pain chas v’shalom!
NOT to make us suffer chv!
But the exact opposite!
It’s ONLY purpose is to get to the oil!
Hashem just so desperately wants us to reveal our essence – our spark of Moshiach within –
So that HE can finally reveal HIS essence,
So that He can finally send us Moshiach,
So that He can finally gather us in to the Land of Israel,
So that He can finally give us the greatest gift of the 3rd Beis hamikdash – which He has been longing to give us for SO many years already!!
Because the Geulah just CANNOT be put on hold any longer! We were promised from Day 1 that “our generation is the final generation of Galus, and the first generation of Geulah”… and TIME IS UP!
70 years have passed!
It NEEDS to happen!
And it needs to happen NOW!
And it needs to happen through US!
***
But Hashem, we got the message!!
It’s enough now!!! Really!!
We are crushed to the core!
Our yechida is exposed!
WE ARE NO LONGER COMFORTABLE IN GOLUS!!!
WE ARE SO SO DONE WITH GOLUS!!
We are READY for you to reveal Yourself NOW – in this moment!!
We are crying out Ad Mosai from the depths of our souls!!!
Not because we were told to, not because we have to.. but because we feel it!! We need it! We want it!
The ball is back in YOUR court now!
When we saw the Rebbe refer to this year as the year of “Pelaos Arenu” – a year of open wonders, these are NOT the types of wonders which we have anticipated! We need and want You to show us a completely different show of wonders, of open and revealed good! Of the true and complete Geulah!
***
Yesterday we read about Bilaam’s Nevuah of Melech HaMoshiach – how amazing it will be when King Moshiach takes over the world, and influences and transforms EVERYONE – every Jew, and lehavdil, every non Jew as well!! So as the Rebbe told us in 1991, even if there was no exile, even if there was no destruction of the previous Holy Temples, we would STILL desperately want Moshiach with all of our being – because of how incomparably awesome and amazing the world will be in that time!!!
So Hashem,
We are ready!
We are ready to receive You with open arms!!!
We are ready for You to fulfill Your prophecy of Geulah!
We are ready for this 17th of Tammuz to be transformed into the happiest Yom Tov ever!
We are ready to feast on the Seudas Moshiach, literally NOW!!!
Please,
have compassion on us,
Fulfill Your promise,
Fulfill Your ultimate dream,
Take us HOME!!!
Amein!!
I too could not wrap my head around it .. 3 incidents of crushing..
Hashem is definitely trying to send us a message.
I wish we could know forsure what it is
But regardless- its definitely a wakeup call to increase in good ..
Bli neder I will hold myself back from speaking loshon hora today
Amazingly and beautifully said! Thank you!!
MOSHIACH NOW!!
The cable falling on Italy
Just this awareness is making a big affect!
She forgot to mention Eretz Yisroel being bombed
thank you for mentioning the cable car tragedy in Italy..and so much more heartache that we don’t even know about. perhaps I should call my mother-in-law. that for sure is going against my nature…this is what we got to do now. going out of our comfort zone in order to make another person happy. it’s not about us as individuals anymore… it’s about the welfare of the OTHER person………..am arousal from below will elicit
an arousal from Above…………..
great words do not Moshiach bring.
Look how many ‘words’ are written in the Torah
And said by the Rebbe
Of course the goal and the point is action
But it usually must go through thought speech and action before it gets to action
So you can perhaps thank and appreciate words
But unfortunately it end up staying…… just words. The Torah says, the Rebbe says – question is: do the chassidim do? Without the doing, face it, we are 27 years after gimmel tammuz! And the Rebbe said words:DO all that you can! Have we?!
Idk if this is the same person as the first person who commented… but my response to u is: so WHY don’t you do it!
Thanks for making it seem so easy 🙁
Why dont I do it? Because the Rebbe pointed his finger at YOU too! I didnt say it’s easy, I said we have to DO it, instead of pointing fingers at someone else (which has been going on since before gimmel tammuz) . And if no one does it ( since being busy pointing fingers at everyone but themselves and just “words, talking” about it) then the original commenter is correct. ( the truth hurts, I understand but people have to stop talking/whining why is it not here when they dont do anything to make him come. It’s like screaming… Read more »
Looking at how far we are doesn’t bring Moshiach, it makes us do less. What can I do, not my neighbor and not my friend, what will I add at this moment to bring Moshiach is the mindset we must have.
But unfortunately it just stays an idea. People have to want it not just keep it as an idea or words. If I do a mitzvah and I go to someone and encourage the person to do one more mitzvah to bring moshiach, why am i being “slapped” for it? And not just by one person. You see it time and again, then something is highly wrong in the chinuch system. It’s a great mindset but reality tells you otherwise.
And your suggestion is…..?
(We can definitely not ignore these occurrences!)
A desire and yearning for Moshiach does not come from nowhere. One must sow and cultivate a longing for the Geulah, constantly! The first step is to learn. Learning is done through great words.
Hashem doesn’t expect what we cannot do. We each just need to start with something.
THEY CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTE TO HASTENING HIS COMING;THAT IS, IF THE WORDS COME FROM THE HEART, AS THIS SHLUCHA’S WORDS OBVIOUSLY DO. WORDS ARE HOW PEOPLE COMMUNICATE, ORGANIZE, SHARE IDEAS THAT HELP REACH GOALS ETC. ETC. WORDS ARE WHAT THE MINHA’ENUSHI/ THE MIDAHBER HAS OVER OTHER CREATIONS.OF HASHEM. USE THEM CONSTRUCTIVELY AND THEY WILL, INDEED, HASTEN THE COMING OF MOSHIACH. BTW, AS MANY HAVE HEARD AT VARIOUS SHIURIM,,THE WORD “MOSHIACH” IS CLOSELY RELATED TO THE WORD “MAYSIACH” I.E. BY CONSTRUCTIVELY SPEAKING ABOUT THE INYAN OF MOSHIACH WE CAN MOTIVATE PEOPLE TO HANG IN THERE AND WORK TOWARDS SELF-IMPROVEMENT, WHICH, IN TURN,WILL… Read more »
This is all just so crazy. I always think about ahavas yisroel. It’s so important and so lacking. Schools, shuls, everywhere.
Better to see the good in others.
The words you wrote are reassuring – having said that there still needs to be a greater movement to take the words to the corridors of power including all sectors of influence – to me it is a race of how far will Hashem allow us to potentially attribute all the things that are happening to man versus Hashem sending loud messages as you properly stated that Moshiah is desperate to come NOW – we just have to mobilize the “influencers” to elevate the We Want Moshiah NOW outcry and no more disasters
Before H destroyed the BHMK there was a siege on Yerushalayim The deeper meaning is: if you can’t get along, I’ll stick you all together — the solution is togetherness Like being stuck on an island, or in an elevator, with the most annoying person — you’ll have to figure out how to get along The same thing with the crushing We’re being pushed together We’re being told to stop running away from each other and to stick together Just like Hashem bound us together in a siege before destroy BHMK Hashem binds us together in crushing We need to… Read more »
Rivky, I don’t know you, but Yasher Koach on writing so beautifully and expressively from your heart. You were able to give voice to what I (and probably so many others feel) but could not capture in words as poignantly as you, especially as we search to find meaning as to so many tragedies befalling the Jewish people and the world in such a short amount of time. You gave me a “WOW” moment connecting the “crushing” with the olives. Gives me a lot to think about. Wishing you and your family and K’lal Yisrael well and…MOSHIACH NOW!
But we have to practice what we preach. People have to WANT the hisgalus of our Rebbe MHM. And for close to 30 years they have learned every single sicha, mamaar etc… but do they WANT IT?! Our Rebbe in koach nissan left it upto us – to do all that WE CAN! Obviously we didn’t otherwise we could have been with our Rebbe again. We left it upto our Rebbe before gimmel tammuz and our Rebbe left it upto us. Conclusion: nothing changed! face it, just in the parasha of shidduchim, what is REALLY going on?! Are we REALLY… Read more »
Judaism is much much much more focused on actions, rather than beliefs. The need for Torah and mitzvos, gemilus chasadim etc. is everywhere. It is not a hidden challenge, it is not something impossible to do or figure out what is needed. Learning in depth, doing mitzvos will definitely help people grow in their faith, but a pashut faith in Hashem, while accepting not understanding everything but knowing Hashem asked us to have ahavas yisroel, study torah, do mitzvos is not what is holding up moshiach, on the contrary. Also, it is not all or nothing, Hashem put us in… Read more »
I salute the passion and effort of this post writer. I also acknowledge that we are hungry for reasons, and that we must be able to influence things that seem beyond our control. But the fact that we are desperate to be able to control, and that we then conjure up some super force to which we decide we have connection, does not necessarily make those things factual. It does create within us the desire to try, and often the human can do things we thought we couldn’t. And since nature includes things we consider bad and good, both happen.… Read more »
So very well written, as usual! Rivky, u can mamesh write books! Bh.
Thank you for sharing!
Thousands of police and soldiers are gathering in evyttar as we speak to uproot Jews from the land of Yisroel, which the Rebbe said to settle….while Arabs are building on every inch of land without paying and without prohibitions. So yes, there is a little more you could be doing besides writing words that stoke emotions but in the end, have no substance or ability to effect change. Too bad we have to be crushed and can’t merit the geulah without being crushed. The words are not the problem….let’s think though about shouting them in these hallowed news sites before…and… Read more »
I am unsure why this commenter writes there is little one can do.
There is plenty to be done and that each individualcan take upon themselves!!
The mission is to bring Moshiach!
This is accomplished through Tefila and Tzedaka and Ahavas Yisroel.
If one is doing aveiros with their mouth and harming a fellow Jew by speaking about them – we are not only not moving forward we are bringing tragedy upon Klal Yisroel. The same mouth that is used to hurt people their Tefilos are not easily accepted.
#Think B4 U Speak
#Mission Ahavas Chinam
“ותלחץ רגל בלעם אל הקיר”
ותלחץ can be translated as pressed or crushed.
Thank you Rivky. It’s important that we take to heart these horrific tragedies in our midst. Ahavas Chinam is our goal Eradicate Sinas Chinam, which is why our holy Beis Hamikdash was destroyed. If we want to bring Moshiach we must focus on how we treat our fellow his, and mitzvos Bein Adam l’chaveiro. We had a terrible mageifa, we had to cover our mouths. What more do we need a sign that it is long overdue to study and practice Shmiras HaLashon. We are united by tragedy. How sad that Hasheem sees people talking behind their neighbors, brothers, mothers… Read more »
All what was written may possibly be true, but it is in addition to what should be obvious. Before we go looking for deeper and hidden reasons, we need to see the Pshat. What is before our eyes,what is obvious. We just need to be much more careful!! Midat Hazehirut! All of these terrible accidents could have been prevented! If only people would listen to professionals, to engineers! Take advice! In 2018 the building in Surfside was deemed unstable. In Meron for years people have been warning about the dangers. People weren’t careful enough about the Corona virus either… Etc.… Read more »
These tragedies are sent from Hashem. Dont look to blame and say it could have been prevented.
Hashem is sending a loud and clear message to each and every one of us.
The Rambam said it clearly that we should not see a tragedy as Happenstance. It is a wake up call.
Do Teshuvah!!
Well written and and the spot. Here is my weekly article of last week: BS”D REESTABLISHING THE CROWN TO ITS FORMER GLORY…AND MORE Rabbi Yeheskel Lebovic WHY KING DAVID? “I will see him, but not now, I will look at him, but not at a proximity, a star will shoot from Yaakov and a scepter will arise from Yisroel, and he will smash the corners of Moav and eradicate all the children of Sheth” (Numbers 24:17, in this week’s Sidra of Balak). The Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 11:1) writes that the repetitive, double terminology of this verse is… Read more »
Beautiful.
Youre words are heartwarming.
We must take a stand as a community and do all we can to bring Moshiach now.
Golus is not for us.
Beautiful answer from the Rebbe
All of the incidents happened because there were physical problems that should have been corrected. We have to care about the physical world and not ignore what needs fixing in it. This is not attributing the suffering to the ways of the world. It is a mitzva of putting a fence on one’s roof. It is the summertime. People will be going on trips and going swimming. B’ezras Hashem, everyone should be safe but people have to be careful. Moshiach now!
There is nothing wrong to be vigilant in safety. It is not contradicting that there is inner work to be done. When a tragedy occurs it is for a purpose.
Nothing happens without Hashems will.
Every person should open their eyes to tragedies befallen Klal Yisroel and look to end Machlokes. Be careful not to say s/t (or text s/t) that causes pain to another yid.
We must improve on our midos.
It says “B’Shalom Teepadeh”
We will merit the Geula through being united.
#United against Lashon Hara
#Ahavas Chinam
May we merit Moshiach NOW!
I would also put a large emphasis on Ahavas Yisroel. Moshiach will come regardless of whether or not everyone is perfect, but by improving in Ahavas Yisroel and Shalom, we likely will avoid other such tragedies. It is a fact that Shalom brings Brachah!!
… can one atribute 45 people being crushed to anything? … can one atribute 2 people dying to a message? ….can one atribute a building collapsing and killing individuals to anything. Although hashem has a plan who are you to say why people died? how can you say that Ploni Ben Ploni dies because of E.g.? What gives this individual the right to justify death by saying hashemn is sending a message. the reson hashem let these people die is for a reason i will never know and neither will you till moshiach. i pray everyday that moshiach will come,… Read more »
It is very tragic and painful for our brethren to have such a calamity strike. We do not have prophets anymore. And no one is saying what caused it. However, the Rambam specifies that when tragedy occurs to our fellow jews, it is incumbent on every jew to look into their own deeds and not take it as Happenstance and to realize that a tragedy in our midst is a message from Hashem. The Rambam further states that one should look to improve on Mitzvos between man and G-d and Mitzvos Bein Adam L’Chaveiro, especially to focus on Ahavas Yisroel.… Read more »
I understand your frustration that it soun6like people are justifying that people deserve this calamity due to specific Aveiros. That is not what is being said. Every occurence in someones life is Hashem’s will and no one can claim to know why s/t tragic happened. Yet, there still is a message being sent. The message is to take a message from the tragedy. Your own personal message on what needs improvement. Ahavas Yisroel is a good suggestion but it may be that you exemplify in this midah. So basically, open your eyes, heart and mind to take the horrific event… Read more »