B"H
THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH OF SIVAN
We are approaching
the Yom Tov of Shavuos. We have almost completed the
Sefira count. Although the terrible events that occurred
during Sefira have caused us to view it as a period of semi
mourning, I cannot help feeling a great sense of impending
joy and elevation during Sefira. We apparently have heavenly
help during this time to improve ourselves according to the
increasing levels of the sefiros, working our way up to the
Great Day on which we receive the Torah. Furthermore,
Sefira is also viewed as a long "Chol ha Moed" between
Pesach and Shavuos, so there is an element of Yom Tov associated
with it, despite the elements of mourning.
"Moshiach Fever" is
in the air. We are beginning to realize that the
only solution to our problems is complete teshuva,
a return to unity on a total scale and a return to our
ancient Torah way of life on every level. We are
beginning to realize that the crises which exist in every
community, both inside and outside Eretz Yisroel, as well
as the prodigious personal challenges faced by so many
of us, will not be alleviated by halfway measures.
On Lag B'Omer over
half a million Jews made pilgrimages to the Kever of Rabbi
Shimon bar Yochai. Bonfires were lit in every Jewish
community. A Rosh Kollel [1] told
me that Reb Shimon bar Yochai is unique, because we sense
that through the revelation of the Zohar he opened up the
path to Redemption for all of us. I am not advocating study of
the Zohar; that is for the select among our holy rabbonim;
I am simply passing on what I believe to be the import of these
words, namely that all Torah Jews feel a sense that Rabbi Shimon
bar Yochai has taught us that there is a pathway open to us
for Redemption. And so Jews by the hundreds of thousands
flock to Meron, and more hundreds of thousands kindle light
to express that "our soul longed for Hashem." [2]
The world rages
at us from every direction, but we are secure in the knowledge
that G-d alone rules the world. As we
prepare ourselves for the holy moment on which we receive
the Torah I want to relate one thought from Megilas Rus,
which of course we read on Shavuos.
As Rus lies at
the feet of Boaz on the threshing floor in the middle of
the night, he says to her, "Stay tonight. When it will be morning,
if [Ploni Almoni, the closer redeemer] will redeem you, good,
let him redeem. If he will not redeem you, I will
redeem you, as Hashem lives." [3]
For some reason
these words always sent a chill down my spine, and now
I know why. I have heard from several sources that
these words have a hidden meaning of the most profound
depth.
This is a message
to all the Children of Israel, to every one of us.
"Stay tonight" in
the darkness of Exile. Do not be afraid. Keep
the Torah and it will sustain you through the night.
"When it will be
morning," when the time comes for redemption, "if he will redeem
you, good, let him redeem." If the heavenly court
is willing to redeem you because of your good deeds, let
it redeem you.
"And if he will
not redeem you," if the heavenly court is not willing to redeem
you because your good deeds are insufficient, then do not despair,
because "I will redeem you," for My own sake, for My Name,
which has been desecrated among the nations when Israel
was downtrodden in Exile. [4]
Just as the Almighty
Himself, "no angel but G-d Himself," took
us out of the seemingly hopeless exile in Egypt, even though
we had sunk to the forty-ninth level of impurity, so the
Almighty will take us out of this seemingly endless exile,
even if we too have sunk to the depths and seem to be drowning
in a sea of impurity and trouble.
Every day we say
three times that G-d will bring a redeemer
to the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for "His Name's sake,
with love."
It's so easy to
succumb to depression. The Yetzer Hara tries to make
us feel as if we can never get out from under the load of inadequacies,
our material desires, our sins. We should know that G-d is
waiting to redeem us and that He will redeem us Himself,
for "His
sake, with love." With that knowledge we can survive
anything that comes our way and prepare for the great day
when G-d will
be "exalted and sanctified within Jerusalem ... for all eternity. May
our eyes see Your kingdom...." [5]
With blessings
for our eternal acceptance of the Torah and the return of the
Holy Temple in Jerusalem, our Holy City, with the coming of
Moshiach ben Dovid soon in our days!
Roy S. Neuberger
