By A Parent
This past Motzei Shabbos, the minute I turned on my phone, I was flooded by notifications. Even WhatsApp groups that generally managed to steer clear of politics were buzzing with activity.
Like by the Yam Suf, the reactions ran the emotional spectrum, from denial (“It was a fraud!”), to despair (“It’s all over now!”), to fighting (“The Supreme Court will save us!”), to prayer (“Only Hashem can help us now!”)
To all of these, I would like to share with you a conversation I had with my daughter last week.
Lat Wednesday, my daughter came home and told us her teacher had them all say Tehillim for her preferred candidate to win. I found it a little strange, to say the least.
I told her that, as Yidden, it is not on us to Daven for one candidate over the other. As Yidden, it is our job to Daven that the leaders of our government, whoever they may be, treat us with respect and lead the country ably; as Yirmiyahu said: “ודרשו את שלום העיר אשר הגליתי אתכם שמה, והתפללו בעדה אל ד’, כי בשלומה יהיה לכם שלום.”
We just went through a very contentious, very toxic, election season. Many accusations were thrown around by scaremongers on both sides. The reality is a lot more benign. To paraphrase a friend of mine: the reality in the next four years will not be as good as the Democrats promise, or as bad as the Republicans fear.
We are fortunate to be living in a Malchus Shel Chessed (a kingdom built on kindness); both parties and both candidates are committed to the ideals of freedom of religious practices, as they should, seeing how these ideals are baked right into the constitution of the land. We have systems of checks and balances and rights to speak up and address our grievances when we feel those rights are being fringed upon.
Of course, that doesn’t absolve us from making a Keli and voting for the candidates we feel will have our best interests in mind. Still, at the end of the day, we have to remember that our Hishtadlus is just that, a Keli and that at the end of the day it’s Hashem who runs the world, not the President of the United States; לב מלכים ושרים ביד השם.
So, like Moshe Rabeinu told the Yidden at the Yam Suf, let’s not run around like Kapparos chickens, and let’s focus on our Avoda, moving forward to prepare the world for its ultimate leader with the coming of Moshiach.
All I can think reading this is how sad it is that your social circles profoundly lack diversity of thought to the point that you don’t mention anyone being happy or relieved with these results! Perhaps we would all benefit from widening the people we socialize with. (There are many frum hidden who are quite happy with these results.)
“ I suspect history will come to think of “social media” as one of history’s more Orwellian terms. What it really should be called is antisocial media. If it has brought people closer together in virtual space, it has also made it easier for them to remain alone and isolated in physical space. If it has made it easier for people to find communities of like-minded people, it has also made them more hostile to anyone who thinks a little differently from them. If it has facilitated various kinds of personal expression, it has also made it much easier for… Read more »
Hashem wrote the script, and everything that is happening is exactly what is needed to bring this world to complete geulah shleima bkarov. All we need to do is focus on the geulah avoda of healing and loving ourselves completely, as magnificent aspects of Hashem himself, to affect the unity of all polar opposites – and Hashem will do His part bkarov mamash, without a doubt!
If HaShem wrote the script why do you daven for your needs? Or for that reason why daven for peace in Eretz Yisrael?
Care to explain?
I voted for mr biden, my wife voted for president trump. I taught my kids that every person does what feels right for them, and hashem will make whoever becomes president, the shliach to do what hashem wants.
Their classmates talk about how bad mr biden is, my preschool age kids are mad at me. But hopefully lessons was learned, starting with the basic respect of calling presidential candidates by their proper titles.
Funny that you would use that mashal!
Under the Democratic leadership you will not be allowed kapparos….
Just Saying
This is classic fear mongering and baseless. DeBlasio nad Cuomo are democrats, so is the mayor of my city (I don’t live in NY) and we’ve always done kaparos.
Last time I checked, it was (then) republican bloomberg who tried to get rid of metztzah b’peh.
Please stop the fear mongering.
Bloomberg was and is a Democrat. he ran as a Republican to be able to run as a main party candidate and then send to become an Independent.
But happy to see your post.
That most frum yidden would daven for a candidate that defunds terrorists and not one that funds them?
Which part is strange?
Ya, we did think it was a given what frum lubavitchers would daven for and assumed that was one point we agreed on and could daven together for.
It’s unfortunate if it wasn’t.
It’s not strange that they davened for candidate x, it’s strange that they’re dragging young children into this
Kids today more than ever are aware of what’s going on whether we like it or not. And since the beginning of our nation we did recruit our children whenever there were tzoros facing us. This isn’t simply a matter of opinion whether I like apples or oranges better that I expect my friend to respect. This is a decision that will affect the security of yidden in eretz yisroel and worldwide. Some may be the type of parents that try to hide the world from their kids forever. And some of us do discuss and involve our kids especially… Read more »
They’re dragged into it already.
Their parents didn’t stop talking about it for one second.
The least the teacher could do is tell the kids to daven for a ohev Yisrael over the opposite!
It’s so inspiring to see such an amazing father! You’re an inspiration to us all and a light to the world. Your embers glow and shimmer and sizzle.
Its Hashem who runs the world! I’m not convinced this sentence is true through “candidates are committed to the ideals of freedom of religious practices, as they should… ” and if they are not committed (which its obvious which side is not) then we have to go on mesuras nefesh and fight for what’s right, like the maccabim!
( as a practical example to tell children or teens, just view it as Obama days. That is if chv biden stays….)
The foundation of democracy is to respect the opinion of others when they form the majority. This foundation is built (as all morals and ethics in oilam hazeh) upon the directive of the Torah “Acharei rabim l’hatos”. We, Chassidei Chabad, who tasted the bitter results of the imposition of the views of individuals upon the general populace, should be the first to ‘fargin’ a democratically elected President and daven that Hashem lead him to make choices that are good b’tov hanireh v’hanigleh.
Thank you for providing your children with a proper education!
While halacha recognizes those elected, in the words of Rav Braun “Any election that is executed illegally—whether due to voter fraud, bribery or other nefarious schemes—is invalid according to halachah.”
… it is proven in court that the vote counting machine-software was made for Chavez in Venezuela, and that ALL the servers doing the actual counting were in foreign countries; and that the there are glaring statistical anomalies and vote patterns being dug up by forensic scientists … (ALL to be found on statements from Sidney Powell attorney, 3 news sites: The Epoch Times, Newsmax, OAN – One America Network; and more fact ferreters.)
Is a YID Entitled to his opinion that it’s good for EY to give away shtachim?
I mean what was the rebbe thinking when shouting against it in public and against those who advocated for it? Where was the rebbes respect for other opinions?!
Don’t you know that Biden has done and will push for EY to give away land?!
I mean common man!
This election was not about Trump or Biden. This was about the New Democrat/Liberal policies. Of course those won’t directly affect us, but some of those policies are of the low morals of sodom. Should we just ignore the world around us?
When they force a vaccine on us and chip us
And Donald Trump, the menuval, is an example of high morals?? So we put up a ‘leader’ and sing songs for him and have great big rallies for him and make him into a moshiach-character – and we hold him up as our elected leader – someone with the lowest morals of anyone! His whole life was, and is, about himself, his liasons, his cheating and lying, and ‘er barimpt zich’ with all of it! So we’re worried about a philosophy of a party that might tolerate ‘low morals’? How much more is approval than making him the Gadol of… Read more »
Many Jewish boys were named after Alexander the Great. He did not have good moral character but the Jewish nation showed him hakaras hatov.
…nor choose him as my personal morals coach. But I am astounded at his accomplishments as a president, despite the worst and most immense slings and arrows the sitra achra has thrown at him, over and over again. He’s my president: THE right one to do battle with the community organizing polarization propaganda run rampant in this country. And anyone who follows him (whenever that is) will have a tough time measuring up to even half of the success for our country that President Trump has brought about. Even his enemies have no argument with that, other than personal attacks… Read more »
I find that the Biden’s policies if pulled through will be disastrous and horrible for Eretz Hakoidesh. So yes, call me a Trumpie, Magat, or whatever. However, I find that both parts of the political aisle should agree that schools and teachers in the classroom should remain apolitical. Children should not be involved in this. The teacher could’ve said ” Let’s all say tehillim today, so Hashem will Bentch us and this Medinah Shel Chessed with what He knows is good.” Not “Let’s Daven for Trump” or “Let’s Daven for Biden”. With the current state of affairs, I know that… Read more »
Remember what happened when Yidden put their trust in Achashverosh
Just sayin
Wise mother. Children can’t vote and shouldn’t be taught politics. Leave it for adult minds. However, we should daven that Hashem guides the country and its leaders to follow the sheva mitzvos and support he shlaimus of Eretz Yisroel.
Children should be taught how our government functions vs other more oppressive governments. Children should be taught what has happened in history. Children should be taught how to discern political ideologies. Children should be taught to take action and vote when they are of age. If they aren’t taught first, then when it comes time to vote they won’t have a knowledge base of how to determine who the right candidate for them is! It is amazing that people are so passive. Yes we should daven for the right candidate to win and be our still free country’s leader. We… Read more »
DId the Rebbe want children learning about politics? I read the opposite. What children can learn is about why shlaimus ha’aretz is a mitzva and about the sheva mitzvos.
The kid instantly interpreted it to be “daven for trump” because she heard her parents say trump is better for the Yidden.
Because her parent – the writer of this article – believes that to be true and definitely once said it.
Or grandparent aunt uncle or sibling.
Imagine if people directed the same chayis towards yiddishkeit as they did towards a bunch of pruste self-serving goyim, who by and large have no material affect on our lives. Unfortunately, we are being influenced by the wrong “ rebbeim” – Rush, Sean, and Mark, and have become so emotionally wrapped up in the proverbial soccer match, to the point that even our children have a strong emotional reaction to something they understand nothing about.
This is quite concerning.
Imagine if Yiddin gave a sod to yiddin getting killed in eretz yisrael (and dealing with already ongoing attacks on religious freedoms.)
Moshiach is coming and will rule the world, and we will settle in our holy land.
Donald Trump will become King of America and the dynasty will pass through his sons forever and ever.
The Presidency is not enough of a reward for his treatment of the Jews and Israel.
Everyone should keep in mind that the world is being ran by Hashem and whatever happens is for the ultimate good. In fact we should be happy because Hashem is running the world and whether Trump or Biden win, we know who is really boss and we should continue living our lives as usuall biderech torah and biderech mitzvos.
Biden is better for benefits which we are all relying on to survive!!!
Your concern for eretz yisroel which means security for yidden all over the world should trump that.
Don’t you want a job: a chance to have the satisfaction of providing for your family?
Of course there should be benefits as a safety net, or if you are disabled, c”v.
But to “rely on” benefits rather than relying on the sweat of your brow?That’s the bread of shame. I am sorry to have to remind you of that, but someone has to do the dirty work here!
There are parts of your article I agree with, and parts that I do not. I agree that children should NEVER be brought into this. I was quite upset with my young children coming home and asking me if “Biden is bad for the Yidden”. I never said such a thing in front of them, but other kids’ parents clearly did, and those kids then came to school and pronounced it loudly to their classmates. However, you are too easily dismissing the Democratic, now Far-Left agenda. I would like to see you come back with your explanations once your childrens’… Read more »
Thanks for your post. I’m in total agreement with all the points you made and suppose that most frum Yidden think the same. From the inaction of the mayor and governor last winter when Jewish people were being attacked, to the way we were treated during the covid crisis, shows us that the “checks and balances” aren’t working. As Lubavitchers, the shenanigans of this election prove the Rebbe’s point, that any laws created by humans will sooner or later fail. The founding fathers designed a seemingly fool proof system, but because it was human made it failed. Only when laws… Read more »
Yiddin survived two thousand years without chevron and the golan heights, we can survive another two thousand without them.
How much did the rebbe scream against him for that!
How many comments are about accepting hashems will, with regards to telling our children that it’s all in His hands…
That is not what is being said on the previous collive post about the presidential win…
When a good thing happens we say ברוך הטוב והמטיב, when a bag thing happens we say ברוך דיין האמת
President Trump might not be perfect, but שם שמים שגור על פיו, he freed SMR and is courageous stand up for Israel
However one may vote
One must remember
Everything is Hashem’s hands
So it is inappropriate to despair or gloat
Moreover, many of our fellow chassidim
Are in disagreement about politics
Don’t make sweeping generalizations
We really don’t know
If the Democratic Party will be ruled
By its extreme elements
Which is really not good for us as Orthodox Jews
Or go center right Which is not so bad
We need a wonderful miracle
To save us
Peloeas arenu
Moshiach now
Think positive but still react to what ever the future holds
The day after chanuka suddenly the news came that Sholom mordechai was pardoned and was now a free man. Having followed every back and forth of his case and said many hours of tehilim for him, I was estatic a clear miracle. I danced that night until the wee hours of the morning. I came into school and the principal got the children together and announced that our dear president Donald J Trump has freed rubashkin from prison. I right away felt uneasy why was the focus on the president, the focus should have been that this was a miracle… Read more »
This will be a Great Victory for Good. Trust in G-d!
President Trump will be re-elected. WATCH!
I asked the rebbe if goyim have free will. The rebbe answered 50 50 read chapt 24 of tanya. There it explains how bilaam could not go beyond the will of hashem. He wasnt allowed to curse the jews. So too whoever is elected cant go beyond the will of hashem. However bilaam and pharoh they got punished for thier wrong choices. This is all to bring us to tshuva and to beg for mishiach. Hashem wont let fraud win and destroy the usa and israel. The fraud will be revealed and trump will be president. What i am concerned… Read more »
I don’t get it. When Trump won everyone said it’s Hashem’s desire that Trump win. Even though his character was the lowest possible. But now that he lost, it’s not Hashem’s will??
You rejoice next time a Yid gets killed in Israel! I mean don’t we have to be happy that Hashems will was done?