By Levi L.
After a few years of not going on Mivtzoim in New York City, I left Crown Heights and headed to Manhattan for a few minutes of Mivtzoim.
When I got there, I was taken aback by the “normalcy” around me: people taking the trains, people running back and forth between their offices, cars, and post-work drinks.
There were the people who stopped to politely decline and those who just walked by and ignored us. I got this feeling that many people (if touched at all) have already moved on.
But we can’t.
The Jewish people as a whole just experienced a vicious modern pogrom, a terrible tragedy, and a real emotional blow to each and every one of us. We are not finished yet; we can’t even mourn yet, as many of our brothers and sisters are captive right now in the hands of bloodthirsty terrorists, and many more are actively fighting a serious and dangerous battle for the safety of our people. We can’t just move on.
For many of us, this is a new experience. We don’t know what to do/think/feel about a tragedy on such a large scale. Israel was not in any major wars in the last few decades, and devastation and pain on this level is not something we know what to compare it to. It rightfully evokes images and stories of the Holocaust and the Pogroms of yesteryear.
For those who have been following the Israeli news, we’ve been busy with the judicial system, politics, policy, and legislation. There was talk about peace with the Saudis, a new phase of the Middle East, and what restrictions need to be kept in place for the Arabs. Once in a while, there would be small bouts of terror, followed by mourning, outrage, and a small bit of action.
But nothing prepared us to deal with this tragedy – it doesn’t make sense! On the Derech Hateva level, the questions of how were we caught off guard and how the intelligence missed this attack, keep thundering in the back of our minds, and more importantly, on the real level – Lama Asah Havayeh Kocho? – Why did Hashem allow this to happen?
We know that there is no good answer, and that is meant to be the answer, but that works for tragedies of the past, but how well does that answer work for us today – while we are living through this?
Just a week ago for most of us – things were logical – they added up (at least we felt so). As a people, we were waiting for Moshiach, but for the most part, things were going in the right direction – Jews were not oppressed anywhere, and the scale of anti-Semitism was lower than any generation before. In the realm of Yiddishkeit –– schools and Yeshivos are running and growing, Chabad Houses are still reaching Yidden, and we were moving slowly towards Geulah.
And for many, we looked at the world logically – geopolitics, cultural wars, technological advances – they can all be explained naturally – politicians decide fate, weapons win battles, and culture and advancement drive nations.
But today, logic doesn’t hold up anymore. I can speak for myself, and I thought I had a handle on reality – I really thought I knew where things were going – I thought we would slowly influence the world to be more spiritual – naturally moving towards Geulah. I don’t feel that way anymore – the world isn’t logical – neither should we.
By the large Tefillah Rally on Eastern Parkway, as 20,000 people were dancing together “Utzu Eitzah Vesufar” – it became clear – that our response is illogical.
For the last few decades, we have all been going around quoting the Rebbe’s words of comfort and the Rebbe’s perspective on evil, pain, and suffering. We have been sharing the Rebbe’s call to action – and the Rebbe’s unique response to War and Terror – Lechtchila Ariber – add light.
Does it only work at the theoretical level? As part of a Yom Kippur Yizkor speech, or as an interesting academic approach to philosophical questions? Or does it stand the test of our dark reality?
Do we believe that Tefillin and Shabbos Candles are more critical than weapons? Do we truly acknowledge that when we learn with children, give Tzedakah, and say Tehillim – we are actively protecting the Jewish people?
It may be hard on a rational level to appreciate these truths, but we are not in a logical situation.
Our response needs to be illogical – we need to really acknowledge that the Aibershter Firt der Velt – Hashem runs the world, and that Der Aisbershter is a Gutter – and the Aiberhster is good. And he will certainly return all the hostages and the soldiers safely home.
We need to think good in order for things to be good. We need to be joyous; we need to show Hashem and our brothers and sisters that we are not broken and that we will rise like a phoenix from the destruction.
We need to do an illogical amount of Mivtzoim and work with children. We need to strengthen our own commitment and resolve in our Torah and Mitzvos, and we need to provide the light that expels the darkness.
It is time to start seeing things from Hashem’s perspective rather than from the “rational and logical” side. We don’t need to obsessively read the news and the advancements we see discussed on Twitter and the various platforms. We can better focus on what we’re doing – on our spiritual = real contribution to these efforts, and realize that the ball is, and always has been, in Hashem’s (and our) court.
And it is not illogical to tell the Aibershter that enough is enough, at this point, he better bring Moshiach – he can’t break his promise to his children, and we’ve been waiting for way too long.
Someone just asked me this: why did this happen? I answered: maybe, just maybe Hashem sent hamas as “shluchim” to get back our land. Think about it, if Hamas wouldn’t have started Israel wouldnt have fought or gotten back our land – yet! We read in this weeks parsha about noach how the generation had everything! Why did Hashem send a flood? People weren’t grateful and said we can live without Hashem. Why does humanity have to wait till a tragedy and then we do something, why not before? Thats humans…. so now tragedy was, Hashem is SEEING a TREMENDOUS… Read more »
Jewish people are unreal and yes we just revealed how united and incredible our nation is..yet don’t say reason for it happening , please!!and I don’t think there is any justification. please no Jewish blood Hashem.
Although what you stated is true and many positive initiatives are taking place, the Rebbe specifically instructed us to not rationalize atrocities done to the Jewish People. It is not our job to try and make sense of anything. Our job is to carry out the Rebbes instructions without any answers. Only with Moshiach will then everything be clear, may it be now!
Unfortunate his could never be repaired or be forgotten . Just completely numb.
Beautiful powerful true article!