My apologies for the three-week vacation, but the country was on "vacation." Thankfully, it was filled up well. We started with waking up to the muffled explosions and the sounds of aircraft from a big Hezbollah attack. It was somewhat like some comedy. Getting up. Explosions. No big deal. Making coffee. Explosions. No big deal. Getting dressed. Explosions. No big deal. Walking out the door to shul. Explosions. No big deal. Two Iron Dome missiles flying overhead. No big deal. You know … just a regular day.
We then took our (slightly delayed) October 9th vacation and went away for Shabbos to Beitar, and then two days in an apartment right in front of the Old City in Yerushaliyim. After that, some smaller day trips and activities. Then we rented my friends' 7-seater so I could take the kids for some light hikes.
On the way to Mt. Tabor (where Devorah fought Sisra), I heard something like an explosion (it WAS a big deal), as I saw in the rear-view mirror, a large chunk o' car fly off. Thankfully, nobody was behind me. It turns out that the structure was weak from a previous incident my friend had, and the entire bumper is now somewhere resting off of Route 65.
And now, thankfully, we're back to normal. Hezbollah is doing what they are doing. My oldest daughter is living in Yerushaliyim for seminar, my oldest son is in Bnei Brak in yeshivah, and the rest are at home getting settled into their studies. And me? Safe at home in the Beis Medresh where I belong.
"It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the Kohens shall approach and speak to the people, and shall tell them, "Hear, Israel, you draw near this day to battle against your enemies: don't let your heart be faint; don't be afraid, or tremble, or be scared of them, for Hashem your G-d is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you" (Devarim 20:2-4).
The Gemara (Sota 42a) quotes Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai saying that even if one is empty of mitzvos, and only has the merit of saying Shema every morning and evening, they will not be delivered into the hands of their enemies.
This is a bit of a statement, since we have other sources that say the opposite, such as a person who sins and speaks between putting on the tefillin of his arm and of his head, should not go to war, since this sin will put him in danger.
Rebbe Yaakov Yosef, the Maggid from Vilna explained that there is a difference between the individual and the nation. Perhaps the individual, when he goes to war, might have sins work against him, however, the nation as a whole is judged more lightly. So, in times of war, if the Jewish people take upon themselves even "light" mitzvos, even when coming from nothing, they could bring victory to the entire nation.
In fact, says Rav Yitzchok Elchanan m'Kovno, we have a hint to this. Every morning in our davening we say, "Watch over Israel, watch over the remnants of Israel, and do not let Israel perish, who says 'Shema Yisroel'"
An interesting story went public shortly after the war began, which I mentioned previously, regarding a young couple who were at the Nova festival. Needless to say, they did not seem to have much connection with Judaism on October 7th. He was covered with tattoos and she was not covered with clothes. I saw one of the videos recording the story said by the couple themselves. It's amazing and emotional. As he was telling over the story of their miraculous escape, he described how they were in the car driving, approaching a group of terrorists firing on their car. He pushed his wife's head down, and out of nowhere yelled, "SHEMA YISROEL…." He had no idea where it came from. Nor did they have any idea where their decisions to go or not to go came from.
Needless to say, they survived, not ONE bullet hitting their car.
Today they are fully religious.
Today, unfortunately, the State seems to be split again. The government is doing their best to act like idiots. Not because of their stance on hostage negotiations. While it's highly emotional, it's not such a simple black and white issue. But it seems they have no interest in LEADING and bringing people together. And then you have the left, who seem to have forgotten who the real enemy is, and also have no care in bringing people together.
However, a few weeks ago, there was another protest in Israel. Certainly not covered by the press at all. It seems a group of several hundred people created a protest in a city (forgot which one), where they took control of several major intersections.
However, instead of blocking traffic and causing a commotion, they stood on the sides, waved flags, and signs calling for the unity of the nation. There was no politics involved. Not demand to do this or do that. Simply focusing on the importance of loving and respecting each other. It was attended by a wide spectrum of Jews.
Another two-sided photo also went around, again, not mentioned in the news. In one photo, a Chabadskir sat by an intersection, with a yellow blindfold on, tied to a chair, to represent the hostages. In another photo, he was putting tefillin on a secular man. It turns out that they made a deal, each one would participate in the "protest" of the other.
Tell me something: What brings more merit in Hashem's eyes? What goes on nearly every night in Tel Aviv? Are these examples of "small" mitzvos?
We don't understand, since it's hard to believe, that even on a national level, small mitzvos can bring in large dividends for the entire Jewish people.
Have a wonderful Shabbos!