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NEWS
The Mashgiach Talks about All Issues of Our Times

by C. Henig


3

In a rare talk touching upon all issues of our times, the Mashgiach, HaRav Don Segal, analyzed the events from the view of daas Torah regarding everything taking place around us in defining the obligation of the Torah public at this hour. This is what he said:

It is written, 'You shall bring them and plant then on the mountain of Your heritage, in the place, Hashem, which You made for You to dwell in, in the sanctuary, Hashem, which Your Hands established." This means that after He shall bring you to Eretz Yisroel, and will plant you in the mountain of His heritage, in order to reach the goal of "the sanctuary of Hashem which Your hands established," Jewry must be in the state of machon leshivtecha. Even after tivi'eimo that Hashem has brought Klal Yisrael to Eretz Yisrael, and even after vesito'eimo behar nachaloshecho still, in order to achieve the final state ofMikdosh Hashem koneneu Yodecho, this obligates a reality where Jewry is an establishment of Your residence — machon leshivtecha — and only afterwards will Hashem establish the Mikdosh. It does not state that He will reside "within it" but "within you," inside each and every one.

Who is so foolish as not to understand, so deaf as not to hear, blind as not to see that in this period of 'the birth of the world', that this is the time of preparation of the Mikdosh which Hashem's hands will establish. The time has come to create here a sanctuary for Hashem's residence.

What does this imply? Of whom was it said "and I will dwell in your midst"? Of those who keep the Torah and its mitzvos, of the talmidei chachomim. The rest remain outside. They are the eirev rav, the tag-along who left Egypt together with the Jews. There are many who seem to be Jewish but are no more than the eirev rav, as the Steipler said to me, "Know that this is the last exile, the exile of the eirev rav."

Rav Chama bar Chanina said: "The son of Dovid will only come when the rule of the degenerates is detached from Jewry." Rashi comments, "That they will have no ruling power amongst Jewry, not even a insignificant representation."

Up till now there existed a light and negligible form of rule, but this must also be abolished. Our sages said this, including the Chazon Ish and others. If they said it, this is also enough.

But not only were they the ones who said this. The gemara and Rashi said, "That they won't have even a minimal power of rule." Today we see that this is the direction. Everything is being served on a golden platter. You want this - be my guest. And that as well, it's yours for the taking. Dreadful! Whoever would have voiced this in the past would have been labeled a 'meshuga lemehadrin.' That such a situation should develop here?! But it is coasting along the road of 'until it is dissipated'.

I heard from HaRav Chaim Brim that the Chazon Ish would sometimes comment on events that 'this is the way of the world.' But at other times he said, 'This is part of the Divine plan, a prelude.'

Today as well, our view should be that this is not incidental. What we see now is, 'He is coming to judge the land.'

The truth is that I wonder why people do not shake the world with prayer. The Rambam says in Hilchos Taanis: "This is one of the ways of teshuvoh. When there is trouble they should cry out about it and sound Shoforos. All should know that it is due to their bad deeds that they are in trouble.

"But if they will not cry out and sound Shoforos, but rather they say we are just suffering from the normal course of events. and this trouble just happened, this is a cruel way and it will cause them to persist in their evil ways. And this will bring one trouble upon another. As it says in the Torah, `If they walk with Me in happenstance, I will walk with them in the wrath of happenstance.'

Since the start of the pandemic they say all the time, let us do this and that. The yetzer hora is working hard to make people feel that, yes there are hard times, but that is part of the normal scheme of things.

Can anyone fool himself to think that this is chance? There is a clear direction. The Baal Habayis is pressuring us! To what end is He pressuring us? For more material efforts? Certainly what we should do we must do, but is this the point?

Upon whom does Klal Yisroel rest? Only those who keep Torah and mitzvos and those who learn Torah. Therefore, if Hashem is speaking, to whom is He speaking? To the street? To those who have no ears to hear and no grasp of the reality?

So therefore go and think — and I am sure that I am not speaking to the people to whom this applies — how hard the yetzer is working to attack the most holy places with all kinds of instruments of tumah because he knows well the power of Am Yisroel. Now there must be preparation, as Yaakov Ovinu told his household when they came back from Lovon and before they went up to Beis Keil: "Get rid of the foreign idols."

How obvious it is that at this time we have to strengthen ourselves. In emunah! Emunah in Hashem Yisborach. Emunah in hashgocho protis, they He has done and does and will do everything.

Chazal say of the time preceding the coming of Moshiach: "Upon what do we have to rely? Upon our Father in Heaven." How do we rely on him? When we ascribe everything that happens to Him. Emunah finds its expression in tefilloh and brochos and we have to pay attention to that.

We must also strengthen ourselves in Torah study. These are not normal times! Whoever is fortunate that Hashem enabled him to be amongst those who study Torah and fill the botei medrash, should consider himself blessed. Even one who is not considered a lamdan but studies Torah nonetheless, is contributing much value. Everything is according to one's capacity, even when there are times when one cannot study at peak performance, he should nevertheless do his best under the circumstances. The gates of excuses are sealed.

One should also fortify himself in matters of interpersonal relations. If it is lacking, it can be a serious defect while if it is improved, it can be a great merit, as is written, 'Go with this strength of yours and bring salvation to Jewry.' Chazal explained: "...in the merit that he advocated for Jewry."

It is also stated in the gemora, 'Why is it written: and they did not approach one to another (zeh el zeh) that whole night?' The ministering angels sought to sing praises but Hashem stopped them, saying, 'My handiwork is drowning in the sea and you seek to sing?' Where do we learn that the angels wished to sing? Since it is written 'one to another', namely that unity is the greatest praise.

'I am responsible for the terrible storm.' We are the cause for everything; it is in our power. Let us not blame others because they do not determine anything. Only the Torah-observant and the Torah scholars are responsible, and Hashem only concerns Himself with the four cubits of Halacha.

If we bolster ourselves, assuredly Hashem will not abandon His people, and we will surely enjoy Heavenly assistance regarding all of mankind, also regarding Heavenly illumination. And together, all of Jewry will merit Divine protection, healing, salvations, success and the coming of Moshiach, speedily and in our days, Amen."

 

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