A Post-Tisha B’Av Thought

            As Tisha B’Av 5774 comes to an end, so does Israel’s Operation Protective Edge with the final troops leaving Gaza.

            The camaraderie and unity engendered by this war throughout the land and in truth with Jews around the world was something to behold.  One poignant event says it all.  Some of the hospitals where soldiers were being treated had to announce that visitors should not come before checking with the hospital because it was just too overwhelming due to the multitude of well‑wishes who were coming to be “Makir Tov.”  Other examples include constant Tehillim and extra learning sessions on behalf of the “chayalim.”  This author can further attest to the fact that many “chareidim” attended the funerals of “lone soldiers” that drew thousands from across the spectrum.

            So, perhaps, we are finally headed in the right direction.  One of the major cardinal sins that resulted in the destruction of the Second Beis Hamikdash was “sinas chinam,” simple wanton hatred of Jew to his fellow Jew.  In order to ameliorate this “aveira,” there is a need for “ahavas chinam” – simple love for another Jew.  This feeling was initiated with the horrific murder of three yeshiva boys and continued for the duration of the Gaza defensive.  Yidden were finally looking beyond the pettiness that divides us and instead focusing on the core Torah values that unites us.

            So, where do we go from here?  As we approach Shabbos Nachamu, a surge of comfort and consolation envelops us.  But has anything really changed?  Is it just the tragic events that brought us together that could dissipate in a short period of time?

            The Yerushalmi states:

                        “Kol mi shelo nivneh Beis Hamikdash beyomov, keilui hechrivu.”

Whoever did not merit that the Beis Hamikdash was rebuilt in his day, it is as if he destroyed it.

            The question is striking.  I destroyed the Beis Hamikdash?  What do you want from little me?  I don’t control Klal Yisroel.  I can’t influence the masses to make major changes in their ideology.  The Talmedei Ba’al Shem Tov give a beautiful pragmatic response.  We are told that the Third Beis Hamikdash will initially be built through the deeds of each and every Jew.  We should imagine for a moment that through our mitzvas and massim tovim, we represent a brick in the Beis Hamikdash, as do our fellow Jews as well.  Thus, if we don’t do our utmost to create our part in the great edifice known as the Beis Hamikdash, then in reality, it is as if we destroyed it because it can’t be built without our participation.  In the final analysis, of course, we desire the collective participation of all Jews with a mutual feeling of love and respect for each other.  However, in reality, it’s is not our worry to be concerned how the rest of Klal Yisroel will come together in a feeling of achdus and camaraderie.  We have to be worried about ourselves.           (אם אין אני לי מי לי).  “Our bricks” are the litmus test.  In our day we should provide our bricks for the Beis Hamikdash; if not, it is as if we destroyed it!

            Permit me to present some ideas to help us strengthen ourselves in the realm of “ahavas habrios.”

            We are familiar with the chazal that 24,000 students of Rebbi Akiva perished because they didn’t accord each other proper honor and respect.  To reduce their actions to mundane disrespect such as we know it would be denigrating to the greatest Tanaim of that era.  Rather, as the Baalai Mussar point out, there was an infinitesimal degree of lack of kavod which was magnified and brought with it tragic results because of how great they were.  They were held to a different standard because they were talmidim of the great Rebbi Akiva who taught ואהבת לרעך כמוך as the כלל גדול בתורה.

            To a large degree, we who are B’nei Torah are held to a higher bar when it comes to our actions, especially our outlook and interaction with other Jews.  The Torah Jew is supposed to know better and behave accordingly with ahavas yisroel to others that are perhaps different than us in their hashkafa.

            The reason it is so difficult to accept others that are not like us, has its roots in the middah of ga’avah – haughtiness.  We think that our way and our derech is the correct and only way.  We can’t give credence to others because then we wonder why we are not like them.  So, the only defense is an offense to negate them and what they stand for.  The passuk states:

כמים פנים אל פנים כן לב האדם לאדם

Just as water reflects our face so, too, is the heart of man to his fellow man.

The Gerrer Rebbe זצ"ל asked why is the imagery of water mentioned when speaking of a reflection.  The passuk should have mentioned the reflection of a mirror which produces a much sharper and clearer image.  The Rebbe זצ"ל answered that when you gaze at yourself in the mirror, you stand erect and tall, whereas, looking at your reflection in the water requires you to bend down at the seashore.  This teaches us that only when you humble yourself and bend down can you connect the heart of man to his fellow man.

            It behooves us to respect the Torah of others, the mesorim of others, the way of life of others as long as they follow their Rabbonim who instruct them in their “derech.”  It is interesting to note that the letters immediately following the letters of  ר-ע-ך – friend – spell ש-פ-ל – to humble oneself. (ר-ש, ע-פ,כ-ל)

            Someone once pointed out to me that the word in Hebrew for Yedid – ידיד actually is comprised of יד & יד  - going hand in hand with your friend.  A beautiful illustrative story is as follows.  I made annual visits to the City of Rechovot to visit the Chief Rabbi, Rav Simcha Cook, who is a close friend.  From our close relationship and seeing the Rov in action, I was well aware of his effusive and deeply-rooted Ahavas Yisroel.  One Shabbos as we were eating Seudah Shelishis, a man came in screaming, “Kavod HaRav. This Egged bus driver is already in the bus with the engine on and Shabbos is not over yet!” I watched as Rav Kook arose and motioned to all assembled to follow him outside.  Lo and behold, there was the bus with the driver in his seat ready to go! Rav Kook, with his inimitable warmth and love started a nigun and told everyone to form a circle in front of the bus. After a few moments, Rav Kook went to the door of the bus and motioned to the driver to come down and join the group.  The Rav took his hand and lovingly danced with him for a minute or two in the circle.  As soon as the z’man for Motzei Shabbos arrived, Rav Kook looked at his watch and gave the driver a beautiful bracha and said “Sim Shalom” travel in peace, that’s a true ידיד ; when it’s Yad b’Yad.

            As the Jewish calendar reaches “Shabbos Nachamu,” we all breathe a sigh of relief.  Is it because we survived the fast, or perhaps we can now attend that concert that we anxiously awaited for these past few weeks when music was restricted?  What transformation occurred regarding our mourning for the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash?  Has anyone started building the Third Temple?  I believe the true answer to my last question is a resounding “Yes.”  We are the builders.  As we learn the lesson of Tisha B’Av properly, we may rejoice that we are on a new life path of building אהבה, אחוה, ורעות.  These are the rudimentary elements necessary to merit the Third and permanent Beis Hamikdash.

            The passuk tells us  (בראשית מה', יד)  that when Yosef and Binyamin met after years of separationויפל על צוארי בנימין אחיו ויבך, ובנימין בכה על צואריו  -  - And he fell on the neck of Binyomin, his brother, and cried and Binyomin cried on his neck.

            The Talmud in Megillah 16B comments on the fact that the word for neck regarding Binyamin is צוארי in the plural as if he had two necks.  This Gemara explains that this means that Yosef cried on the necks of Binyamin referring to the two Temples that would be destroyed on his property.  Binyamin cried for Mishkan Shilo that would be in Yosef’s portion.  The commentators questioned why specifically at the time of joy and reunion did they cry?  Furthermore, why did they cry for each other’s loss and their own.  A great Chassidic Rebbe, Rav Yechezkel M’Kuzmir זצ"ל gives a beautiful answer.  As stated earlier, the second “Bayis” was destroyed because of “sinas chinam”  The separation of Yosef and his brothers with their eventual journey to Egypt also was an outgrowth of wanton hatred when the brothers reunited and realized what sin brought all this about, they also saw prophetically that this same sin of
“sinas chinam” would wreak havoc in the future; as well for this they indeed cried! Yet, they didn’t just burst out with emotional cries!  They attempted to “fix” the problem and to ameliorate the “sinas chinam.”  For this reason they cried for each other, to display “ahavas chinam” in an attempt to remove once and for all ”sinas chinam” from the midst of the Klal Yisroel.  Furthermore, Yosef not only displayed tremendous love to Binyamin whom he never hated, but he was “mochel” his brothers for throwing him into the pit and selling him to the Yishmaylim.

            It is not sufficient to just talk about love for our fellow man.  We must take affirmative steps and actions to demonstrate our feelings for one another.  Every effort on our part “is building bricks of “ahavas chinam” for which we can truly feel brings with it a sense of “nechama.”

            We need and we must change Hashem’s “Midas HaDin: to “Midas HaRachamim.”   The Belzer Rebbe זצ"ל once said ואהבת לרעך if you love your friend כמוך which is the same numerical value as אלקים  - 86 – representing strict justice, then אני ה' I will display the name of Hashem, which is mercy and loving kindness.  In short, if you give love, you get love.

This then is our key to bring forth the Geulah.  The war in Gaza has galvanized a nation in unity and strength and as a Rosh Yeshiva so eloquently stated   חמאס - stands for Chassidim, Misnagdim, Ashkenazim and Sefardim.

The numerous Kedoshim and, in particular, the three Yeshiva boys, taught us all how to cry and pray together as one tzibbur regardless of our external physical differences. 
Now is the time!  Let’s not procrastinate!

(516) אהבת חינם      =       יבנה המקדש (516)

שנזכה במהרה בימנו אמן.

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

The Kedusha of Eretz Yisroel and The Not So Secular Jew

 

            In Parshas Maasei, we read about the three cities of refuge that were established in “Ever Hayarden” that served the tribes of Gad and Reuvain and half of the tribe of Menashe, who resided there. The other three cities of refuge were erected in Eretz Cannan to serve the other nine and a half tribes who lived there.

            The purpose of these cities was to serve as a safe haven for an individual who killed someone unintentionally.

            The question is glaring and obvious.  The mathematical equation is disproportionate.  Why were three cities needed for three and a half tribes and the same number needed for nine and a half tribes?  The Talmud answers and explains that “Ever Hayarden” had more murders that killed deliberately with intent.  How does this fact answer the question? What difference is there that there are more murderers when our singular issue deals with unintentional murders which should not have the same statistic as Eretz Yisroel. The Baalei Musar explain that in an environment of murders per force there will be more individuals who will kill unintentionally as well.  The influence of life being cheap and disposable has a profound impact on the populace in general in terms of how careful they are on a daily basis in their interactions with other humans.  Hence, in “Ever Hayarden” there was a need for three cities of refuge because of the abundance of unintentional murders as opposed to Eretz Yisroel.

Living in Eretz Yisroel these past few months, I see the fulfillment of this concept in the converse.  There is no doubt that the secular Jew in Eretz Yisroel is vastly and inherently different than the secular Jew in Chutz L’Aretz.

Without a doubt the spiritual ambience of the Holyland leaves an indelible impression on all Jews in many different forms.  I do not speak of the political rhetoric and boisterous outcries when it comes to financial allotments, the chareidim, army service, or the like.  I believe Israel and the Israeli political arena is a nuclear world unto itself which I will not address at this time. I speak of the simple Israeli Jew in the street, the cab or bus driver, or the average working person who is influenced for the good because of the surrounding holiness that pervades our special homeland.  To the degree the surrounding environment is more spiritually intense, so is the influence on its inhabitants. Hence, a non-religious Jew of Bnei Brak or Yerushalyim is vastly different than a similar Jew living in Modein or Beersheva. 

I recall a beautiful incident that dates back some 30 plus years. We were spending the summer in Yerushalyim, and I had an appointment with Reb Shlomo Zalman Auerbach,זצ"ל who lived in the Shaare Chesed neighborhood.  I called a cab and a nice irreligious man in his 20s, who sported a ponytail was my driver.  He asked me where I wanted to go, and I responded that I was going to Rehov Porush Eser.  He turned around and said in Hebrew, “Betach, Ato Holech L’Rav Auerbach.  Slicha, zeh Rehov Porush Ahad Esray.”  “For sure you are going to Reb Auerbach.  Forgive me, but it’s Rehov Porush 11.”  I was astounded to say the least,.  I could not imagine a Jewish cab driver on the lower east side of Manhattan correcting a passenger as to the correct address of Reb. Moshe Feinstein זצ"ל, or for that matter the address of any great Torah personality.  But the story does not end there.  As we approached Rehov Porush, Rav Shlomo Zalman זצ"ל was walking up the street from the Gra Shul, where he davened regularly.  The driver was ecstatic and excited and exclaimed “Zeh Reb Auerbach” and proceeded to exit the taxi (forgetting about me the passenger) and put his head down to receive a brocha from this great sage. Secular Israelis are somehow exposed to prominent Talmedi Chachamim and Gedolim who are either occasional passengers of theirs or such as my driver, have the zechus to see and get a brocha from a tzadik directly.  I can recall so many times those taxi drivers who were irreligious but beamed with pride as they told me that they had the merit to drive various Gedolim and Tzaddikim. 

More recently, I had  decided to visit some of the wounded soldiers from Israeli’s recent “Protective Edge” war in the Gaza Strip.  Although there are unfortunately soldiers with all types of injuries throughout Israel’s major hospitals, I chose to visit some of the soldiers who were light to moderately injured and being treated in Hadassah Hospital in Ein Kerem.  There were some young men from Hesder Yeshivas, but the overwhelming number of soldiers were chilonim.  As I entered the rooms they were a bit baffled as to who this rabbi is with a beard whom they don’t recognize coming to visit.  I immediately told them that I was from America, currently visiting Eretz Yisroel, and that I came to visit them on my own but in truth I represent so many other Jews that would have come were it not for the geographical distance.  I was received by all the soldiers with tremendous warmth and gratitude.  As I asked for their Hebrew names, so that we could say Tehillim on their behalf in the various shuls in Eretz Yisroel, I pointed out that many yeshivos in Eretz Yisroel were cancelling their Bein Hazmanim vacation and were continuing their regular studies as a merit to the soldiers fighting on the front.  Needless to say, these young men, who were devoid of religious life, were touched beyond words by this magnanimous gesture.  These valiant and courageous young chayalim  spoke of strong comraderie but above all, real miracles that they saw on the battlefield.  Some said  they recite Tehillim and occasionally pray with some of their religious comrades prior to a decisive battle.  Many told me that they admire their religious friends who are chayalim but at present they are just not ready for such a lifestyle.  Bar none, as I spoke of Hashem, they all acknowledged that He runs the world and that we would be lost without Him.  But they can’t make the transition because it is a quantum leap in their life from what has been until now.

I left the hospital room exhilarated and exalted from my visit and pondered what one solider by the name of Tal had told me previously.  In various battalions, they have lost some of their comrades, and as part of a pluga,  the pluga wondered what they could do in memory of their lost comrades, whether they were religious or not. In his group, the Golani Bridgade someone of them undertook to put on Tefillin every day, even if for just a few moments.  I hugged him without realizing that I pressed on his chest where he had had two bullets extracted the day before.  We shed some tears together as he told me that he hopes to leave the hospital in two days and go back to Gaza to rejoin his friends once again.  You see, he said, “I’m not Dati but here and there I try to do the right thing.”   

            As I walked down the corridor of “Komah Chomesh” in the Davidsohn Pavillion, I said to myself I must go back to Tal, Iti, Shalim, Orad and the others.   I didn’t give them enough “Idud” – Encouragement.  I went back and told them that they are like the Macabbim in the story of Chanukah, the valiant courageous soldiers fighting Hashem’s war.  Don’t get caught up I said in your expertise and the overarching strength of the IDF and IAF.  Remember Yehuda HaMacabi’s battle cry of “Mi L’Hashem Eilay.”  This is Hashem’s war against Amalek, and we all are fighting together.  You’re on the front and others are fighting with Tefila, Tehillim, Limud HaTorah and Mitzvos.  You are all Hashem’s children and we need each and everyone of you! I bid my new friends farewell and walked down the hall once again towards the elevator.  As I passed the nurses’ station, I said to them “Shemor Al HaChayalim;” they are fighting Hashem’s war for the holiness of Eretz Yisroel.  They (the non-religious nurses) smiled and said “betach,” -for sure -  “Zeh Milchemes Hashem,” This is Hashem’s war.

If we just open our eyes, we see a myriad of such incidents daily.  One more recent event that left me inspired was as follows:

I was standing on the platform of the light rail train at the Mt. Hertzel station.  I appeared a bit lost trying to figure out on which side of the track I needed to be on in order to get to town.  Suddenly, a secular man in his sixties who was a train supervisor approached and said “Ulay Ani Yechol L’Azor Le’cha?  Maybe I can help you? I told him where I was headed and glad to hear I was on track.  We spoke about the day’s sad news with the death of a number of “chayalim” from the Golani Brigade.  With tears in his eyes, he said I also lost a son a number of years ago.  As I pondered which war it could have been, he said not in battle but from drugs.  Before I could try to comfort him in some way, he continued “You should know none of these parents whose children died will ever recover from their loss.”  You know why?  I stood unresponsive knowing that I have no understanding of his or these parents’ plight.  He quoted the passuk in the Torah that speaks of Yaakov’s refusal to allow Binyomin to go down to Mitzrayim where it says “V’horadatem es Sayvosi B’yogon Sh’eolem.” “You will bring down my gray head in sorrow to the grave.”  You see from here he said that losing a child is an event you can never ‘get over.’ Figuring that he was a “Tanach buff” of yesteryear, I told him I understood his point and then came a startling statement “Without Hashem and his Torah, we wouldn’t be able to exist.”  I was shocked hearing such a clear bold statement from a secular Israeli.  Suddenly, I saw my train approaching, and I knew I had but a few moments.  All I could say was “Hashem should strengthen you and your family, and I quoted the passuk in Tehillim “Im Hashem Lo Yishmor Ir Shov Shokad shomer.”  “if Hashem doesn’t guard the city, for naught is the watchman.”

Racing through Yerushalyim on the “rakevet hakala” and gazing at all the different types of Jews, I couldn’t help but think of how much the kedusha of Yerusahalyim has permeated these people’s lives in one way or another.  Indeed, this influence of spirituality can’t be replicated anywhere else in the world.  Each and every Yid has that spark ready to ignite when it’s connected to Kedusha in the proper fashion.  This is the uniqueness of the Israeli Jew.

May we merit speedily in our day to see the fulfillment of the words of the Navi

ומלאה הארץ דעה את ה' כמים לים מכסים

The world will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem as the water fills the oceans.

Great Video...
Rabbi Weinberger introducing the Munkatcher Rebbe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucL9pM0G7wU