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We are living in wonderous times. On erev Rosh Hashanah we experienced such a spectacular miracle. Iran fired close to 200 ballistic missiles into Eretz Yisrael, something that had the potential to cause damage of great proportions. Each missile was around three stories high and was carefully pinpointed where it was supposed to land. Our enemies were hoping that this was something that would result in numerous casualties and fatalities, R’hl. However, Hashem saved us from their evil plans. This was in addition to the thousands of missiles being fired into Eretz Yisrael recently, where the impact was nowhere close to what our enemies had in mind.
Other examples of miracles we experienced recently include how just before Pesach, Iran fired three hundred missiles. Then too, the damage was minimal. Also, a suicide bomber entered a busy Shul in Tel Aviv and detonated his bomb too early killing only himself! Another failed terrorist attack took place in Romema on erev Pesach. These two terrorists planned an attack of major proportions yet the casualties were minimal. Two men only sustained light injuries after being rammed into by their car. The terrorists then tried to shoot those who were present yet their gun jammed. After they were caught, the police tested their gun and it worked perfectly!
Hashem is clearly sending us a powerful message. No matter how challenging things have been, He loves us unconditionally and is constantly looking after us. We are His beloved children and despite the fact that we are surrounded by so many nations who want to harm us, He is protecting us in miraculous ways. The Jewish nation is eternal and despite the fact that there have been numerus attempts to annihilate us, we are still here thousands of years later. As we say in the Haggadah, ‘in each generation they rise up to destroy us yet Hashem saves us from their hands’.
The Chovos HaLevavos[1] writes that the fact that our nation has survived and thrived amongst the nations of the world throughout such a long exile is even more miraculous than Yetzias Mitzrayim! We have endured so much and many have tried to uproot us yet Hashem promised we will withstand this exile and see the building of the Beis Hamikdash.
When we think about it, it is really mindboggling. Throughout our history, many mighty nations have tried to destroy us. The Greeks, Romans, Babylonians the list goes on and on etc. Yet where are they nowadays? Miraculously, the Jewish nation is still here and thriving! We are fortunate to have many strong Torah communities with flourishing Torah institutions, shuls etc. We have been in exile for so many years yet we are really thriving!
The story is told of the Ponevetzer Rav, who was once passing through Rome, raising money for his Yeshivah. He saw the Arch of Titus, with etchings of the wicked Romans plundering the Bais Hamikdash, removing our most sacred keilim. He asked the driver to stop. He raised his voice and exclaimed ‘Titus, Titus, you tried so hard to destroy us, 2000 years ago, yet where are you today? In my Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, there are over 500 students diligently learning the holy Torah, not to mention those in Yeshivos worldwide. Yet each day people pass you and don’t know who you are and not everyone knows how to pronounce your name. Your evil schemes and ambitions are just history.[2]
The Alter of Slobadka explains that the geulah will come in different stages, and the fact we have experienced such a revival of Torah and have survived so much persecution is actually somewhat part of the geulah! This is an explanation of why many of the brachos we recite discussing the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash such as boneh Yerushalayim or hamahazir Shechinaso letzion are in the present tense. The Alter writes that this is a fundamental belief of our faith.[3]
A mighty non-Jewish king once summoned a wise philosopher to address an issue that was sitting on his mind. ‘What is a clear proof to G-D’s involvement in the world’ he asked, ‘I want a short straight answer’. Not fazed by the powerful king’s demand, he replied ‘ok I will give you a short answer, the Jews’! His message was clear. Just looking at our nation and how we have experienced so many spectacular miracles and are still here in such a long exile, is a great proof of G-D’s mastery of the world![4]
Hashem protects us so much from the evil schemes of our enemies that often we are not even aware of what they are conspiring to do, and their plans get foiled without us even knowing. We reference this in Hallel when we say את ה’ כל גויים שבחוהו כל האומים כי גבר עלינו חסדו. We are exclaiming that when Mashiach comes the nations of the world will specifically praise Hashem for all the times they attempted to harm us yet their plans were foiled!
When Klal Yisrael were in the midbar, we were surrounded by the ananai hakavod and had such a unique protection from the outside elements. The desert was swarming with dangerous snakes and marauding armies yet we were constantly enveloped in these Divine clouds being protected from these lurking dangers. This was without us even being aware. Rav Moshe Feinstein[5] notes that this special unique protection didn’t just stop in the midbar, and really every Jew is surrounded by the ananei hakavod! Each second, He is looking after us, giving us the gift of life and protecting us from harm that we don’t even know about!
We need to try our best to remember and appreciate these miracles that we are so fortunate to experience. It is a ploy of the yetzer hara, to try and make us forget these miracles and we need to try and constantly review them. For example, in the six-day war a bomb hit the Mir Yeshivah, yet by no logical explanation it didn’t explode, saving the lives of many. Rav Chaim Shmulevitz, the Mashgiach at the time, used to recount this great miracle every day.
One time the renowned mashpiah HaRav Shlomo Brevda was very close to having a serious accident, almost falling off a cliff. Chasdei Hashem he was miraculously saved. Rav Brevda thought that he would never be the same person again after he experienced this tremendous miracle and his life was saved; yet he noticed that these feelings of inspiration began to wear off. Puzzled as to why this was so, he approached the Chazon Ish and asked why it’s so hard to be permanently inspired by the miracles which we experience. He responded that Hashem wants to ensure that we have bechirah how to respond to events. He therefore makes it ‘human nature’ not be moved by miracles. It is our responsibility to use our bechirah correctly, actively choosing to focus on miracles. When we do so, we bring ourselves closer to Hashem.[6]
Klal Yisrael will always be the eternal nation, surviving this long exile against all odds. What we are witnessing in our times are really such tremendous miracles and we need to try and may we be zocheh to witness the building of the Bais Hamikdash very soon.
Compiled by Daniel Shasha. To receive this by email or to subscribe to our weekly newsletter please contact us at livingappreciation@gmail.com
[1] Shaar Bechinah ch.5
[2] Adapted from Chashukai Chemed Haggadah p.143
[3] Ohr Hatzafon vol.3
[4] Ohel Rivka p.112
[5] Drash Moshe p.50
[6] Adapted from Maaseh Ish vol. 2 p.157