OUR COUSIN YISHMAEL

Dear Friends:
            My wife and I spoke recently at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.  Erev Shabbos, the front page feature in the local paper was headlined "An Education Based on Islam," with a prominent picture of small children, heads bowed almost to the ground, "giving thanks to Allah in Arabic during midday prayer."  The paper offered viewers an online video tour of the local "Academy," and showed a sign illustrating "one of the first [phrases] learned by students studying Arabic," which translates as "peace be upon you."
            My friends, this is not Saudi Arabia.  It's not even Borough Park or Flatbush.  It's Madison, Wisconsin, in the bucolic heartland of America. 
            About a decade ago in Israel, a demographer told us that, according to projections, Copenhagen, Denmark would become more than fifty percent Moslem by the year 2010!
            Guess what!  2010 is next year!
            What's going on here?  A hundred years ago, you would have laughed if anyone had told you it would be this way.  What do we have to do with nomads living in the faraway deserts of the Middle East!  Now we find them even in Madison, Wisconsin!
"Peace be upon you"?  I doubt it. 
 
          We met our cousin Yishmael last week in Parshas Lech Lecha.  He is called "pe're adam" for a reason.  Rashi describes pe're adam as "a bandit.... All hate him and attack him."[1]  In this week's Parsha, he is called "ro've kashas," which Rashi defines as "one who shoots arrows with a bow.... He would dwell in the desert and rob the passersby."[2]
            Why is this pe're adam now a multitude in every corner of the earth?
            Let us hear the words of Rabbi Chaim Vital: "At the end of Days, Israel is destined to experience the Ishmaelite exile.  This fifth and last exile will be the most difficult of all.  It is the exile of ... 'pe're adam,' a wild man."[3]
            The Ramban, quoting the words of Ibn Ezra, states the following: "'His hand against everyone' means that [Yishmael] would first conquer all the nations, but, after that, 'everyone's hand will be against him' means that he would be defeated in the end."[4]
 
            My friends, we have to take the present era very seriously.  This is not a time for complacency.  "Stop the world, I want to get off" is not an option.  How do we deal with this climactic period in history, the prelude to the culmination of our seemingly-endless Golus? 
            I would suggest, with as much humility as possible, that every single one of us Bnai Yisroel think very deeply on a constant basis about our closeness to the One Source of our existence and the fact that our lives hang in the balance at every moment, increasingly so as the Final Geulah approaches. 
            It is widely known that "ma'ase avos siman l'banim," the events in the Torah are a sign for us, the children.  Rashi tells us that only one-fifth of Am Yisroel left Mitzraim, because "there were among Israel of that generation wicked individuals who did not wish to depart from Egypt, and they died during the Plague of Darkness."[5] Rashi actually calls those who did not want to leave Mitzraim "rasha'im," a very strong term!  It appears that those individuals did not yearn for redemption from Egyptian slavery.

            It is possible to be in the depths of Golus and not regard it as slavery!
            This is very dangerous!
            My friends, the world is changing.  It appears that the Geulah Shelemah is imminent.  With all due respect to the culture that has sheltered us so long and considerately, it is time for us to understand that only the culture of Torah will save us, the learning and the living of Torah and total submersion under the wings of the Shechina.  This is a battle for survival.  As Moshe Rabbeinu said, "Whoever is for Hashem, join me!"[6]
            The time is now!
            With G-d's help we will soon see the ultimate redemption!  The events of our times appear to be fulfilling the ancient prophesies and the words of Chazal, but we are called upon to live in accordance with the high events that are opening up before our eyes.  If we are to participate in the fulfillment of prophesy, then we must try to behave so as to merit that exalted madrega. 
          At least twice every day we say, "Hashem Echad." 
          There can be only ONE focus for our lives, ONE source of strength.  
          There is only ONE Who will save us! 
          "Avinu Malkeinu, be gracious with us and answer us, though we have no worthy deeds, treat us with charity and kindness, and save us!"
           "Ana Hashem, hoshia na!  Ana Hashem hoshia na!"
            The Ribono shel Olam hears our tefillos.  If we cry out to Him from the depths of our beings, we will soon see the day when the world recognizes that Hashem is One and His Name One!
            Let us strengthen ourselves in His Torah!  Through that invincible power, sanctity will return to this tortured world, the Shechina will be restored to the Holy City and the Bais Ha Mikdosh will shine forever in majesty upon Har ha Bayis, illuminating the entire creation!