Gratitude for the Miracles Happening in the Current War
Although Israel
is going through incredibly challenging times, Hashem’s protective hand can
clearly be found. It may not be easy to see the miracles in the current War amidst
the mourning for the fallen soldiers. Yet keep in mind that despite the massive
international effort to wipe us off the map, it is a miracle that Israel continues
to exist. Yair Ansbacher, an IDF reservist and a research fellow at the Misgav
Institute, explains, “We are not only fighting Hamas in Gaza but a regional war
against Iran and its proxies, which have been systematically built up for 40
years on our borders. This includes Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza, which
surround us with militias and with rocket arsenals.” Ansbacher gives details
regarding the three miracles that happened at the onset of the war by which
Israel was saved from total destruction: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/379443. Although Chamas
launched the deadliest attack in Israel’s history and hurled 9,500 rockets from
October 7-November 9, about 10% were failed launches, which fell in the Gaza
Strip. Many more were intercepted by the Israeli Air Force. I just heard an
amazing miracle story of how Hashem sent His messenger to warn our soldiers,
who were going to search for hostages in Gaza. The story is told by Rabbi
Zecharia Wallerstein, who heard it from a very reliable source: Rabbi Orbach of
Baer Miriam. As the soldiers were going to enter a certain house to search its
tunnels, a holy Rabbi blocked their way and prevented them from entering. When
– in order to obey their commander – the soldiers tried to pass by the Rabbi,
they experienced walking right through him. Realizing this was not a regular person,
the soldiers heeded his warning and left the building seconds before it blew
up: https://youtu.be/9vRcgHXZepI?si=T5xoHkpF7vWKReOC. Yet, the
greatest miracle of all is the awakening of the Israelite spirit. As hard as it
is to live through this war and mourn its causalities, I feel it is a
tremendous elevating merit to live in Israel during this messianic epoch. All
of Israel religious and secular have come together to fight as one united
people against our common enemy. I’m filled with gratitude for the way EVERYONE
is there for one another, working on so many levels to become better people.
This includes the solidarity and care we feel from the Jews of the Diaspora,
who are more connected with their brothers and sisters in Israel in a way I’ve
never experienced before. So within the pain of our bereavement during the
current war, let us not forget the attitude of gratitude and thank Hashem for
the miracles happening whether hidden or revealed before our very eyes.
The Challenge of
Giving Credit to Hashem for Our Personal Accomplishments
When we
experience Hashem’s direct providence in our lives, it is much easier to give
Him credit and feel gratitude. For example, there are several stories of how a
person missed his flight which subsequently crashed. There is no doubt in the
mind of that person that Hashem’s mighty hand protected him. Yet, it is harder
to realize that the regular happenings of our lives too are divinely ordained,
especially when we ourselves put much effort into accomplishing a certain task.
I’m personally struggling with truly and deeply recognizing that – even when I myself
put great effort and skill into attaining a certain goal – the credit for the
attainment is only Hashem’s. When my son met his bashert (Divinely destined
soulmate) on a religious dating site, people asked me who was the shadchan
(matchmaker). I had to overcome the temptation to answer, “I was the
matchmaker” because I published my son’s profile on the dating site, and I saw
the post from the girl he ended up marrying, I found her phone number and gave
it to my son. Yet, when I delved deeper, I realized that it was Hashem who gave
me the idea to post my son’s profile on that dating site, and it was Hashem who
led his soulmate to make a comment. It was G-d who guided me in how to find her
phone number, and it was also Hashem who caused them to give each other a
second chance after the first meeting. It takes constant work to look for
Hashem’s underlying supervision in all the little miracles that happen to us
daily, and even more so it takes conscious work to remember to thank Him
continually for each hidden miracle. I just received a $14,000 donation for our
bomb shelter from a childhood friend from Denmark who became very wealthy. I
had expended a lot of work and effort into receiving this donation, and
additional donations through our bomb shelter campaign. It is a great temptation to take credit and think,
“Although I never received any official training in fundraising – I’m pretty
good at it.” Again, I must remember, that it is Hashem who inspired me to write
fundraising appeals, and He is the one who aroused the Chabad Rabbi of Denmark
to reach out to me to help and speak with my childhood friend on my behalf.
Even my intense prayers are only due to Hashem infusing me with a soul and
stirring me to call out to Him. Finally, it is only Hashem who opened the heart
of the friend and guided him to give such a generous donation to Midreshet
B’erot Bat Ayin.
Recognizing
Divine Providence in Our Daily Day Occurrences
Ya’acov is a
great role model for realizing how not only the revealed miracles but even the
regular happenings of our lives are divinely ordained. In Parashat Toldot,
we learn the famous story of how Yitzchak ended up imparting his blessing upon
Ya’acov, rather than his firstborn Esav. When Rivkah heard that Yitzchak
instructed Esav to hunt and prepare food for him, promising to then grant him
his blessing when the food was served, she immediately sprang into action to
ensure that the blessing would be granted to Ya’acov. Rivkah prepared a meal
from the goats of the family flock and had Ya’acov bring it to Yitzchak, disguised
as Esav. When Ya’acov first came before his father with the food his mother had
prepared, Yitzchak asked him how he managed to complete his mission so quickly.
After all, Yitzchak had asked Esav to go out and hunt and then prepare food – a
process that he naturally expected would take far longer than it took Rivkah to
prepare meat from a goat in the family’s stable.
ספר
בראשית פרק כז
פסוק כ וַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל בְּנוֹ מַה
זֶּה מִהַרְתָּ לִמְצֹא בְּנִי וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי הִקְרָה הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְפָנָי:
“Then Yitzchak
said to his son, ‘How is it that you have found [it] so quickly, my son?’ And
he said, ‘Because Hashem your G-d made it available before me” (Bereishit
27:20).
Ya’acov explained
that whereas normally hunting an animal would take a good deal of time, G-d
helped him and made an animal easily accessible, such that he completed his
mission with unusual speed. Rav Shimshon Chaim ben Rav Nachman Michael Nachmani
explains that Ya’acov here was not speaking untruthfully. Ya’acov
recognized G-d’s hand in providing the goats in the family herd no less than he
would have recognized G-d’s providence in making an animal instantly and easily
trappable in the field. There was no difference, in Ya’acov’s mind, between the
animals in the pen adjacent to his home and an animal that would miraculously
fall into a trap without any effort on the hunter’s part. Both were
manifestations of “hikra Hashem Elokekha” – divine providence. (Zera
Shimshon, Parashat Toldot, 12). We all have a tendency to take for
granted what we are accustomed to having and only feel grateful for the unusual,
unexpected blessings that come our way. We don’t think twice about ‘the
goats in the family pen,’ the beautiful blessings that have long been part of
our lives, about which we haven’t had to think twice, such as health, family,
and our basic necessities. It is only when we receive some exceptional,
unforeseen good fortune that we feel a deep sense of gratitude. Ya’acov
teaches us to feel appreciative and enthusiastic about even the ‘ordinary’ blessings
in our lives that are part of everyday existence, recognizing them as precious
gifts lovingly granted to us by the Almighty (Rav David Silverberg, S.A.L.T. – Parashat
Toldot). It is this recognition that made Ya’acov worthy to inherit the
ancestral blessing of the Holy Land, where Hashem’s providence is experienced
to the greatest extent.
Gratitude
Focus for the Week of Parashat Toldot
Ramban teaches us to believe that everything
that happens is a miracle. Therefore, it is important to commemorate the
revealed miracles that testify to the everyday hidden miracles (Ramban, Shemot
13:16). The more we recognize divine miraculous providence the more we attract
Hashem’s miracles to happen in our lives. When we make efforts to cling to Hashem
perpetually, never taking our mind off Him, even when we are engaged in worldly
pursuits and in the mundane conduct of life such as eating and the like), we
will be constantly protected even from natural events. The divine protection we
receive is in direct proportion to the extent that we recognize Divine providence.
Whereas someone who is more distant in his thoughts and actions will be more
subject to the natural course of events.
- Recognize G-d as the Source of Your Success – How often do we fall into the trap of thinking our success comes from our own efforts? Let us remember that without G-d’s gifts of health, intelligence, opportunities, and resources, we would never be able to accomplish anything.
- Request Forgiveness and Recite a Prayer of Thanks – Avinu (Our Father), forgive me for the times I fall into the trap of thinking I have accomplished something on my own. I realize that without You, I am nothing. Help me to praise You for the many ways You help me each and every day.
- Praise Hashem for Your Accomplishments – As you step into emunah praise Hashem for His strength and guidance in leading you in the right path. As you succeed in helping others, give G-d the credit for giving you the right words to say, and for guiding your actions.
- Thank G-d for Helping You Overcome Your Fears – As you overcome your anxieties and fears by strengthening your emunah, thank the Almighty for granting you valor and for infusing your heart with courage.
- Believe the Torah that Hashem will Grant us Victory – Recite positive affirmations to strengthen your emunah in the forthcoming victory and repeat this encouraging Torah verse three times:
ספר דברים פרק כ פסוק ד כִּי הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַהֹלֵךְ
עִמָּכֶם לְהִלָּחֵם לָכֶם עִם אֹיְבֵיכֶם לְהושִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם:
“For
Hashem your G-d is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your
enemies to give you victory” (Devarim 20:4)
Thank you, Rebbetzin. May we hear good news and have a great victory, and thank H' for each step along the way!
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