"Our situation is far from simple."
These were the opening words of HaRav Chizkiyohu Mishkovsky.
How much did the Rosh Yeshiva warn us through the words of the gemara: King Yehoyokim was told that Yirmiyohu had written a holy book.
"What does he say," he asked. "It is a Book of Lamentations. It has written: How was it [Yerushalayim] sitting thus in desolation?
I am the King: I don't care that she sits in desolation.
She weeps copiously at night, her tears lingering on her cheek.
I am the King: She weeps. What do I care? I am protected; it doesn't bother me.
Yehuda is exiled in poverty and from much toil.
She is exiled — but I am ensconced in my home. Why should I care? What else is written there?
The roads of Zion mourn. No one comes at the appointed times.
I am the King.
Her enemies have become the heads. And you will no longer be king.
What?! What did Yirmiyohu say? He darkened all the sheimos and burned the sefer.
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"How do we regard him? He was wicked? Corrupt?" the Rosh Yeshiva asked.
How much must we guard ourselves against this. We often have the feeling that 'everything is fine with me. I feel good.'
But how many Jews are weeping! How many find themselves in life-threatening situations? How can we ignore all this? How can a Jewish heart not be torn apart?
How can we not strengthen ourselves in prayer? We must reinforce ourselves as always, and if we do so, it is like a revolving wheel, for whoever shows pity on Hashem's creations, Heaven has mercy upon him.
The Rosh Yeshiva was always quoting the Gra: There are two gates — one in a person's heart and the other in Heaven. Whoever opens the gate in his own heart will cause the Gate of Mercy in Heaven for him as well.
A talmid of HaRav Chaim Shmuelevitz related how he once entered R' Chaim's room and found him dissolved in tears. Alarmed, he ran off to the Rebbetzin to find out why R' Chaim was weeping so copiously. Had something terrible happened?
She told him to go back and see if there was a copy of Hamodia on his table. [The newspaper Yated Ne'eman had not yet been established.] He rushed off and reported that yes, the newspaper was there.
The Rebbetzin sighed, "That's the way it always is. If he happens to see a paper and reads about the troubles of Jews, he begins to cry. Just from the report in the newspaper!"
Today, before you even look at the newspaper, you begin to cry. You've already heard those troubles.
But we must take stock and think. Are we really living only for ourselves? The call of the times is for our consciences to rally, first through prayer. 'And they cried out to Hashem.' Loudly.
To pray like a man, to plead with Hashem. To ask on behalf of our brothers who are suffering, held captive. And for ourselves as well — because the threat from the north is growing. Heaven is calling out to us: how can we plug up our ears and harden our hearts?
Why are our prayer-cries so vital?
Rav Chizkiyohu Mishkovsky: There is an inscrutable passage in the famous Ramban at the end of Parshas Bo. "The importance of raising one's voice in prayer in shuls and in public prayer is so that people gather together to thank Hashem Who created them. They must publicize through public prayer declaring that 'we are Your creations.' This is what is meant by calling out to Hashem mightily. From here we learn that prayer must be heard. Chutzpah overcomes the embarrassment.
What does this mean? Let us imagine this scene: A man comes to R' Chaim Kanievsky and suddenly loses control of himself and begins shouting. 'I have a sick person at home!' He demands that R' Chaim give him a blessing. Perhaps, as he is being bodily escorted outside, he is reprimanded that one does not address the godol hador in such a tone. But R' Chaim empathizes, detains him and in the end, does bless him.
When a person prays in a loud, demanding voice, perhaps when he replies, 'Yehei Shmei Rabba...' with all his might, one might sensibly ask him why he is shouting? Is that a way to speak before the King? You can be heard without shouting. Aren't you ashamed of speaking thus?
The Mashgiach HaRav Yerucham of Mir said that it is correct that it is chutzpah. But chutzpah overcomes the embarrassment. It is chutzpah because that is not the way we should talk to the King. But the chutzpah overpowers the natural embarrassment.
Just imagine someone whose father was condemned to a horrible degrading public execution. He tries everything he can think of to overturn the decree, but nothing is working. He is told that there is only one possibility: the King must pardon him.
But how can he can he get to the King to petition him? And why should the King pardon his father?
But the son does not give up. He runs around and calls in all the favors of a lifetime. He finally gets an audience with the King.
It is only a few hours before the dreadful decree is scheduled to be carried out. When he gets to the King he can no longer control himself and cried out: My King! Please save my father! I know I should not cry out but I cannot help it. Please. I appeal to you because we are all in your hands. Only you can save him. Have mercy! Save him.
Everyone understands that he cannot control himself.
HaRav Yerucham says that this is what every Jew should feel in front of HaKodosh Boruch Hu. My life, everything I have, is in Your hands. If you do not save me I am lost.
The desperation overcomes the hesitation. And HaKodosh Boruch Hu likes it when a Jew recognizes that he is wholly dependent on Him, as the Ramban explains.
