This being a difficult period obviously needs no elaboration. We are living in troubled times. The Mashgiach of Yeshivas Mir, HaRav Binyomin Finkel expands:
Eretz Yisroel has experienced several wars during these past years. As a child, I lived through the Six Day War; all of us in Jerusalem were terrified while the central part of the country was calm. Then there were periods when things were hot in the north while the south was quiet, and others when the situation was reversed. Now, however, we are all embroiled in war and nothing is quiet; all parts of the country are under enemy fire.
We are experiencing hard times, times of dread. Our people are suffering, with no one knowing what lies in the future. Notwithstanding. we feel a closeness to Hashem for He is showing us very palpably that He wants us to return to Him; we are driven to be close to Him.
The Chofetz Chaim offered us fortifying words for this situation through the words of the Medrash: Rav Huna, in the name of Rav Yosef, said: Hashem champions the oppressed one, the pursued. If a tzaddik pursues another tzaddik, He will aid the pursued one. Even if a tzaddik pursues a wicked one, He will come to the rescue of the latter. Hashem always seeks to help the one who is pursued.
And he continues: If at some time, Jewry distances itself from the true path through assimilation, this raises condemnation against it. The King of Justice will have to pass sentence for its destruction.
However, the Merciful King prefers the repentance of the sinners rather than their destruction. So what does He do? He incites the nations of the world to rise up against the Jews and persecute them so that they will become the oppressed ones, the underdogs, and He will come to their rescue as their Savior.
Jewry is the butt of ridicule in the eyes of the world. They are led to death like sheep to slaughter. We must realize that the hosts of Heaven are up in arms against us and seek to annihilate us totally.
Only Hashem, in His Divine mercy, comes to our aid and our defense. This, then, is the reason why we are being persecuted in such a frightful way: to force Hashem, as it were, to take up our cause and defend us, and enable us to repulse the enemy. They will kneel and fall while we will rise up and be fortified. Hashem will fulfill the promise of making us supreme over all the gentiles He created. This is tremendous encouragement for us in these days.
We must not forget that even through all of this devastation, many wonders and miracles took place. The Rav of Ofakim, HaRav Pincus, told me of the terrible tragedies in his city. The murderers were approaching the beis knesses while the people were in the midst of rousing hakofos. He insists that Clouds of Glory surrounded them. The attackers were advancing and had almost reached the shul when they made an about-face and pressed onwards, ignorant of the prey they could have claimed.
It is also well known that the murderous mob was at the very gates of a shomer Shabbos kibbutz but were prevented from storming in because of the heavy gates closed to all traffic. The kibbutz was saved from disaster.
What must we do?
The first thing to strengthen is emunah. Ein od milevado. This is the ABC of a Jew. He is born with this and it continues until 120.
We read in the haftorah: Assur will not help us. Rashi comments that we must not seek human aid such as from Assur or Egypt.
The Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Chaim Shmuelevitz zt"l, used to say in our yeshiva, "Assur will not help us." Assur is America. We must not rely on America. I wish to add, we have heard the president of the US say nice things. I want to say to you, to rely on America is forbidden. Chas vesholom. We must rely only on our Avinu Shebashomayim. But if the speak nicely it is important. On the Yomim Noraim we prayed that Hashem put in the heart of the rulers and their advisers to look kindly at us. When we hear them say nice things we must thank HaKodosh Boruch Hu that He implanted in the hearts of the rulers to look favorably at us.
We must be nosei be'ol of Klal Yisroel. People are suffering. They live in fear, death looks them in the eyes all the time.
We must not sink to depression or excessive sadness, but from arousal to the plight, from our closeness to Hashem that we feel in these awful times, we must ask that everyone return home soon, and that they have the strength to survive. That all have the ability to live the ein od milevado and thereby be saved from all the trials.
