B"H
THOUGHTS FOR THE THREE WEEKS
Dear Friends:
We find ourselves once again in that awesome period we call "The
Three Weeks." How does the meaning of this season become
real to us? How do we derive spiritual benefit from it,
using its unique power to bring healing into the world?
Life, after all, is not just simcha, despite the "have
fun" philosophy of the Western world. While the month
of Adar in the spring is characterized by simcha, the
Three Weeks is characterized by the opposite of simcha. Until Moshiach comes,
both play their part in our lives.
Recently, we spent a few days in England. In the crowded
Manchester Airport, over fifty percent of travelers were Arabs,
with dozens of planes bound for the Middle East. We have
heard about the Moslem influx into Europe. We have also
heard the words of our Rabbis, who tell us that the last Exile
before Moshiach will be the Exile of the Children
of Ishmael (the Arabs) [1] , but to see it in person is truly
powerful.
We live in a dangerous world. Only days after we left
England, a bomb was detonated at the Glasgow Airport; powerful
bombs were discovered in London. In Manchester, upon
our arrival, police were searching in and under all incoming
vehicles; clearly, they knew something was imminent. Is
America so different?
England is shaking from the Moslem threat, but who is blamed?
Recently, the British Broadcasting Corporation publicly apologized
for its "error" in having referred to Jerusalem as "the capital
of Israel"! British trade unions and universities want
to boycott Israel. After Friday night services in Manchester,
policemen guarded the synagogue lobby and a patrol car stood
by as we walked to our respective homes.
The threat comes ever closer; the net tightens. Are
we to scream to the British, indeed to the world, "Don't you
see who is threatening you? Why do you blame the children
of Israel when we are the victims to a greater extent than
you?"
Indeed, my friends, our screams would fall on deaf ears.
We cannot rely, either inside or outside Israel, on the friendship
of other nations, no matter how protectively they may have
sheltered us up to this time. We must take very seriously
the threat to our established way of life. The nations
are not our security, but neither are they the source of our
problems. It is not to them that our cries should be
directed.
My friends, if we would only realize our danger, perhaps we
would pray with the fervor of one who knows his life is at
stake! Will you talk in shul when a sword is
at your throat? Will you discuss business or sports
when the shouts of the enemy resonate at your gates or the
sound of gunfire rattles your front door?
The holy Baba Sali is reported to have said, in answer to
the question why the Sephardi community largely escaped the
Holocaust, "They do not talk in shul."
And what about Sinas Chinom, gratuitous hatred between
Jew and Jew, which our rabbis identify as the cause of our
terrible exile [2]? What are we to do about this? Apparently
this plague is still rampant; otherwise Moshiach would already
have come. But aren't we working on shmiras ha loshon?
Consider the following scenario: two Jews pass each other
on Shabbos. One says, "Good Shabbos," with
an enthusiastic smile; the other ignores him. Or the
second Jew answers in a barely audible grunt, without even
looking at his brother.
I submit, my friends, that in this scenario we have the churban,
the Holocaust repeated! If we are to repair the curse
of "sinas chinom," unwarranted hatred among us, then
we must ACT as friends, ACT as family, ACT with love toward
one another! I would think it is not sufficient to refrain
from speaking loshon hara, but in fact to act positively
toward each other as a loving family who need each other to
survive.
Let's remember what caused our downfall: it goes back all
the way to the hatred of the brothers toward Joseph, the act
of selling their brother, the jealousy, the rivalry, the refusal
to speak to each other in peace. If we are to rectify
the sins of the past and the curses of the present, then we
must realize each second that our very lives literally depend
on unity among us! If we cannot greet each other with
a smile, respond with warmth, then how can we hope that the
Master of the World will rescue us and send our Redeemer?
This demands constant work. One smile, one "Good
Shabbos," one "Shalom Aleichem" could tip the
balance and instantly bring Moshiach ben Dovid!
My friends, we cannot blame the other nations, no matter how
much they hate us. It's easier to blame others, but it
just doesn't work. It's up to us to end this exile. We
started it, and we have to end it! Just as in learning
Torah, there is no shortcut. Only by constant, ceaseless
application of all our powers, with ceaseless cries for help
from Above, is it possible to acquire Torah. The same
goes for character refinement, which is indispensable for healing
our self-inflicted wounds. Only by ceaseless effort,
with constant appeals for help from Above, can we conquer our yetzer
ha'ra and return to the family unity that will herald
the coming of our Redeemer, Moshiach ben Dovid.
The footsteps of Moshiach are reverberating, and
the entire world is shaking! May our eyes open. May
we greet our brothers and sisters with enthusiasm and love. May
we greet our Redeemer, Moshiach ben Dovid,
soon in our days, with love. May we give nachas to
our Father in Heaven and see the day soon when we return in
unity to the Holy City of Yerushalayim, never again
to leave the hallowed sanctuary of our Holy Temple, may it
be rebuilt soon in our days! May G-d soon wipe away all
our tears!
With blessings for a speedy Redemption and a Tisha b'Av filled
with joy!
Roy S. Neuberger
