QUESTION:
Questions asked recently by women in Jerusalem- this response is specifically for women.
QUESTIONS:
1. Should we be affected by the most recent tragic events of the war?
2. What should we strengthen after a year of continuous war?
3. How should we prepare ourselves for redemption?
4. How can each one connect to the Jewish point in her?
QUESTIONS:
1. Should we be affected by the most recent tragic events of the war?
2. What should we strengthen after a year of continuous war?
3. How should we prepare ourselves for redemption?
4. How can each one connect to the Jewish point in her?
ANSWER:
:
1. [Regarding the six hostages who were killed by terrorists recently]. Certainly such a major tragic event like this must have an affect [and be taken to heart] by every single person.
2. We see that Hashem has arranged events in a way that we [in Eretz Yisrael] are found in a war from all sides. This is a message that we are in a war, both externally and internally, from all sides. The physical war taking place teaches us about the internal war we are really in. Just as the physical war is now surrounding us from all sides, so each of us have an internal war that’s coming from all sides. As the Mesilas Yesharim taught: “The war [with the evil inclination] is from in front and from behind.” The evil in our world, and in this generation especially, surrounds a person from all sides. In our times, the evil that’s hidden in every single thing is revealing itself both in the mundane and in what’s holy.
Therefore, we need to understand the concept of the internal war that’s surrounding us. We need to connect ourselves to the good of Hashem’s hidden Light that fills all of Creation. We also need to run away from all the evil that’s found in our surroundings whether that evil is in mundane matters or whether it’s evil that’s disguised as something holy. In every single thing, we must search for what’s pure and clean from evil. That is the way of the Torah. “This is the way, go in it!”
3. Our Sages (Megillah 17b) taught us that “Wars are the beginning of Redemption”. A war is sent to us by Hashem so that we will become clearer about our emunah) – to clarify in whom we really believe in, and on who or what we are really relying on.
We saw clearly that the strength of the Israeli army failed terribly to protect those living here in Eretz Yisrael, on the day of Simchas Torah this past year. We saw that the army does not have the power to fight with all our enemies surrounding us. That is why this war is dragging on for a year already. [Unfortunately, it seems that] by the natural way the army functions, this war can drag on for at least several more years – Hashem Yirachem.
On the one hand, this makes us afraid for the future. It is making us feel insecure both emotionally and financially, and it is making us feel insecure about our physical safety, in addition to other fears and concerns.
But on the other hand, this is the time to clarify our level of emunah. We must wonder: In whom do we truly place our trust? We must clarify what level our heart is on: to internalize our emunah in Hashem to the point that we don’t just ‘know’ about it, but that our emunah in Hashem really makes our heart feel serene and calm from our reliance on Him. This is a very internal and truthful clarification to be made!
In order to do this, all those living in Eretz Yisrael have to set aside regular time every day to learn about emunah and how to internalize it practically! This is the duty we have in these times! When everything has become so unstable, Hashem is asking of us to draw forth a higher kind of stability than the stability we know of from the world. This is by having pure emunah (belief/reliance) only in Him. This is the bliss of a Jew’s soul – to have pure emunah in Hashem, and this is what our G-dly soul takes pleasure in as it is written: “Then you will bliss upon Hashem.”
4. In order for every person to connect deeply to the strongest point of the “Jewishness” within them, every person has to learn about their personal soul, and to try to see which part of their Jewishness is clearly and recognizably their personal strongest “Jewish” area from all of the other “Jewish” parts within them. Every person has a different strong “Jewish” point within them. By some, their strongest Jewish point is having emunah in Hashem. By others, their strongest Jewish point is their love for Hashem. In others, their strongest Jewish point is their fear of Hashem. Others have a strong Jewish point of talking to Hashem. There are also many other possible strong points.
But the common denominator between all of us is that all of us have a strong point in our Jewishness that’s stronger than all the other points within us, and in that point we can feel more our relationship with Hashem each person on their own level. After one becomes clear about their personal strong Jewish point, one should set aside time every day, according to their ability, to further develop this point. It is upon this point that one should build their relationship with Hashem, during this time. And from there, one can discover other additional areas in her relationship with Hashem. But the first thing for each person to do is to strengthen her strongest Jewish point. That personal point in oneself is the root of one’s personal relationship that she has, with Hashem. One needs to treasure it more than anything else to be found in the world. It is upon each person, to strengthen her strongest Jewish point, which is the root of her active and emotional bond to Hashem.
With Hashem’s help, all those who merit this will merit both a life of happiness on This World, and an eternal life of bliss in Hashem and in His Splendor.
“And as for me, closeness to Hashem is good.” (Tehillim 73: 28)
1. [Regarding the six hostages who were killed by terrorists recently]. Certainly such a major tragic event like this must have an affect [and be taken to heart] by every single person.
2. We see that Hashem has arranged events in a way that we [in Eretz Yisrael] are found in a war from all sides. This is a message that we are in a war, both externally and internally, from all sides. The physical war taking place teaches us about the internal war we are really in. Just as the physical war is now surrounding us from all sides, so each of us have an internal war that’s coming from all sides. As the Mesilas Yesharim taught: “The war [with the evil inclination] is from in front and from behind.” The evil in our world, and in this generation especially, surrounds a person from all sides. In our times, the evil that’s hidden in every single thing is revealing itself both in the mundane and in what’s holy.
Therefore, we need to understand the concept of the internal war that’s surrounding us. We need to connect ourselves to the good of Hashem’s hidden Light that fills all of Creation. We also need to run away from all the evil that’s found in our surroundings whether that evil is in mundane matters or whether it’s evil that’s disguised as something holy. In every single thing, we must search for what’s pure and clean from evil. That is the way of the Torah. “This is the way, go in it!”
3. Our Sages (Megillah 17b) taught us that “Wars are the beginning of Redemption”. A war is sent to us by Hashem so that we will become clearer about our emunah) – to clarify in whom we really believe in, and on who or what we are really relying on.
We saw clearly that the strength of the Israeli army failed terribly to protect those living here in Eretz Yisrael, on the day of Simchas Torah this past year. We saw that the army does not have the power to fight with all our enemies surrounding us. That is why this war is dragging on for a year already. [Unfortunately, it seems that] by the natural way the army functions, this war can drag on for at least several more years – Hashem Yirachem.
On the one hand, this makes us afraid for the future. It is making us feel insecure both emotionally and financially, and it is making us feel insecure about our physical safety, in addition to other fears and concerns.
But on the other hand, this is the time to clarify our level of emunah. We must wonder: In whom do we truly place our trust? We must clarify what level our heart is on: to internalize our emunah in Hashem to the point that we don’t just ‘know’ about it, but that our emunah in Hashem really makes our heart feel serene and calm from our reliance on Him. This is a very internal and truthful clarification to be made!
In order to do this, all those living in Eretz Yisrael have to set aside regular time every day to learn about emunah and how to internalize it practically! This is the duty we have in these times! When everything has become so unstable, Hashem is asking of us to draw forth a higher kind of stability than the stability we know of from the world. This is by having pure emunah (belief/reliance) only in Him. This is the bliss of a Jew’s soul – to have pure emunah in Hashem, and this is what our G-dly soul takes pleasure in as it is written: “Then you will bliss upon Hashem.”
4. In order for every person to connect deeply to the strongest point of the “Jewishness” within them, every person has to learn about their personal soul, and to try to see which part of their Jewishness is clearly and recognizably their personal strongest “Jewish” area from all of the other “Jewish” parts within them. Every person has a different strong “Jewish” point within them. By some, their strongest Jewish point is having emunah in Hashem. By others, their strongest Jewish point is their love for Hashem. In others, their strongest Jewish point is their fear of Hashem. Others have a strong Jewish point of talking to Hashem. There are also many other possible strong points.
But the common denominator between all of us is that all of us have a strong point in our Jewishness that’s stronger than all the other points within us, and in that point we can feel more our relationship with Hashem each person on their own level. After one becomes clear about their personal strong Jewish point, one should set aside time every day, according to their ability, to further develop this point. It is upon this point that one should build their relationship with Hashem, during this time. And from there, one can discover other additional areas in her relationship with Hashem. But the first thing for each person to do is to strengthen her strongest Jewish point. That personal point in oneself is the root of one’s personal relationship that she has, with Hashem. One needs to treasure it more than anything else to be found in the world. It is upon each person, to strengthen her strongest Jewish point, which is the root of her active and emotional bond to Hashem.
With Hashem’s help, all those who merit this will merit both a life of happiness on This World, and an eternal life of bliss in Hashem and in His Splendor.
“And as for me, closeness to Hashem is good.” (Tehillim 73: 28)
Categories
