QUESTION:
1) There is a lot of confusion now in America (to say the least) with the uncertain election results, and there a lot of questions about what happened. Clearly Hashem has caused something extraordinary to happen here that is unprecedented. It has never happened before in America that elections happened and we don’t know who the next President will be. We can also notice how much evil and falsehood is lurking behind the scenes in our government, and we cannot really know all the details because we can’t trust the media who reports all the news to us. There is fear and uncertainty about the future of this country like never before, and it hasn’t been this way since 9/11. Many people feel that it’s time to make to Eretz Yisrael. However, our Gedolim aren’t telling us to move. Is it now the time to get up and leave America and head for Eretz Yisrael? Is it false now to have emunah and bitachon in Hashem that it will all work out for us here, or should we just strengthen our bitachon that Ain Od Milvado (there’s nothing other than Hashem), and we can wait for Mashiach to bring us to Eretz Yisrael?
ANSWER:
It is appropriate now to make aliyah to Eretz Yisrael.
QUESTION
2) How can we deal with all of the darkness, confusion and lies that we live with in America at this time? Is Hashem trying to awaken American Jews to do teshuvah and to leave America and go to Eretz Yisrael? Or should we just await Hashem’s salvation and we should not be afraid at all?
ANSWER
Both [be awakened to do teshuvah, and also strengthen your bitachon that Hashem is taking care of you and don’t be afraid].
QUESTION
3) Can we find Hashem amidst all of the darkness that we find ourselves in America? Can we use the darkness as a way to find the light of Hashem? And even more so, the Rav explains that Mashiach will reveal the holy power of darkness that is above light, which is essentially the concept that even concealment of Hashem’s Presence reveals Him to us since it is ultimately Hashem’s concealment from us which inspires us more to search for Him….?
ANSWER
Yes. Utilize the darkness and confusion you are in as a way to find the “holy darkness”, and also by awaiting Hashem’s light, as it says, “For as I sit in darkness, Hashem is a light to me.”
QUESTION
4) In order to avoid checking the Internet to follow the news, can a person buy the “Chareidi” newspapers and magazines (i.e. Yated, HaModia, Mishpacha, Ami) to find out the news so that he doesn’t feel too out of the loop? Or, since all of the papers are getting all of their news from media outlets, none of the news can be trusted anyway?
ANSWER
Every person needs to act according to his level. However, at the same time, no one should believe everything they read in the papers. Rav Hutner would read the papers not because he wanted to know what was happening in the world [since he didn’t trust the newspapers anyway] but because he wanted to know what people thought about what they were hearing.
QUESTION
2) How can we deal with all of the darkness, confusion and lies that we live with in America at this time? Is Hashem trying to awaken American Jews to do teshuvah and to leave America and go to Eretz Yisrael? Or should we just await Hashem’s salvation and we should not be afraid at all?
ANSWER
Both [be awakened to do teshuvah, and also strengthen your bitachon that Hashem is taking care of you and don’t be afraid].
QUESTION
3) Can we find Hashem amidst all of the darkness that we find ourselves in America? Can we use the darkness as a way to find the light of Hashem? And even more so, the Rav explains that Mashiach will reveal the holy power of darkness that is above light, which is essentially the concept that even concealment of Hashem’s Presence reveals Him to us since it is ultimately Hashem’s concealment from us which inspires us more to search for Him….?
ANSWER
Yes. Utilize the darkness and confusion you are in as a way to find the “holy darkness”, and also by awaiting Hashem’s light, as it says, “For as I sit in darkness, Hashem is a light to me.”
QUESTION
4) In order to avoid checking the Internet to follow the news, can a person buy the “Chareidi” newspapers and magazines (i.e. Yated, HaModia, Mishpacha, Ami) to find out the news so that he doesn’t feel too out of the loop? Or, since all of the papers are getting all of their news from media outlets, none of the news can be trusted anyway?
ANSWER
Every person needs to act according to his level. However, at the same time, no one should believe everything they read in the papers. Rav Hutner would read the papers not because he wanted to know what was happening in the world [since he didn’t trust the newspapers anyway] but because he wanted to know what people thought about what they were hearing.
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