A few days ago, the north received a few rockets from Lebanon. Nothing big. Our local sirens didn’t even go off. However, the city went around and prepared all the shelters for those who had the ability to make it there within 25 seconds of hearing the sirens. My older son, of course, was very animated about the whole thing.
I told him not to expect anything. In a week or so, there will be a cease-fire, the world will pour more money into Hamas’s hands, and the north will remain quiet (am I a prophet, or what?). He looked a bit downcast, so I asked him, “You really want there to be an attack here, don’t you?” (I know boys.). He admitted that he “wouldn’t mind” if there was SOMETHING that wouldn’t hurt anybody or do damage. But it would have to only be once and something small, because he knows it’s really not fun and very dangerous. It’s just that "boy" in him that wants to see “axshun.”
I could understand that. So, I comforted him with, “Don’t worry, 30 kilometers away is Hizbollah who also wants to see every Jew in Israel dead, and they are armed to the teeth with sophisticated weaponry and tactics that make Hamas look like little children. And one day, when they decide (G-d forbid) to really let go … we’ll be one of the places they target!”
That gave him something to think about. I believe he’ll daven a little harder for peace. 😊
“And on the day that Moshe finished erecting the Mishkan" (Bamidbar 7:1).
Did not the entire nation play a role in building the Mishkan? Was it not their donations and work that built it? If so, why was Moshe specifically given credit for it? Similarly with the Beis HaMikdash. While Shlomo HaMelech was the one who built it, we see it many times being referred to as “The Temple of David.”
The Medresh explains that when a person puts his whole being into a spiritual project, Heaven rewards him for it, whether or not it is completed, or even whether or not he is successful. In the case of the Mishkan, while the nation contributed to it, Moshe put his whole being into making sure it was done perfectly. With the Beis HaMikdash, it was Dovid HaMelech who brought everything together in order to build it. All Shlomo HaMelech had to do was actually build it. Nonetheless, Dovid HaMelech still gets credit.
A group of well-to-do individuals came to a certain talmid chacham. They wanted him to open a new yeshivah, and they were willing to give a beautiful facility that was all ready and made. Obviously, this sounded like a wonderful idea, but he wanted first to go to Rav Shach. Rav Shach told him to turn it down. He explained, “A yeshivah must be built with self-sacrifice, not with luxurious buildings.”
When a person wants to go on a certain spiritual path, if he is willing to sacrifice himself for that path, he will most likely be given help, if that path is truly good for him. But he himself must show how important that path is to him. How much is he willing to give of himself to see through his goals? We see this concept in play in the business world in many ways, all the more so in the spiritual world.