Something seems to be terribly wrong. What can we do? Nobody wants this situation to continue. The conflict in Israel grows more dangerous day by day. What have our people done before us in times of distress?
This is not the first time we are facing an enemy who wants to exterminate us from the earth. The spirit of Amalek was the driving force for the Nazis. Now we see it in the Palestinian terrorists. Even our holy Seder night was violated, with the terrorist murder of 27 innocent civilians as they were celebrating the Passover at a hotel in Netanya. We have helplessly been witnessing daily killing raids followed by funerals, tears and anger. The lives of people who should have been building their future, supporting their families, sharing their joy with the living have been lost. Now, they are gone ? so many. Too many of our people have already paid with their lives. For what? To atone for our sins.
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan writes in his book Handbook of Jewish Thought, ?There are four types of atonement given to us by God: Repentance, Yom Kippur, suffering and death.? (p. 242) Even when a wicked person is murdered or executed all his sins are atoned for, even without repentance and confession, because of the anguish and terror of such a death. Therefore even an apostate who meets such a death should be treated like the righteous. (ibid p. 250)
How much atonement do we need before we are worthy of divine intervention? How long will this bloodshed continue? Is there anything I can do, as a regular believing Jew, to speed up the redemption, to bring God?s help and guidance closer to us? Rabbi Kaplan writes, ?A person can avert suffering by the hand of God by imposing it upon himself in the form of fasting.? The prophet Joel (2:12-13) says: ?Yet even now, says God, you must return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping and with lamentation. Tear your hearts, not your clothing and return to God your Lord, for He is kind and merciful, slow to anger and great in love, forgiving evil.? Fasting can take the place of suffering, strengthening the spiritual in man.
My dear fellow Jews, I have been asking myself, what should I do? Can any of us bear the news of more people being murdered for being Jewish? We are facing a dangerous moment. We can no longer pretend life is normal. It is not business as usual anymore. We are adding tehillim (Psalms) to our prayers, we are davening (praying) with greater devotion. This is all good. Is there anything else we can do?
Not long ago, we celebrated Purim. When Queen Esther and Mordechai realized the immediate danger to their people, they decided to prepare themselves with fasting and prayer. As we know, the outcome was very successful. Our goal of victory and success today must be higher than the mere absence of suicide bombings. Ultimately, we want to understand what Hashem is trying to tell us.
During the month of Nissan we should not fast, but after Nissan ? in the month of Iyar - there is an old tradition to fast three days, on the first Monday, Thursday and Monday. It is therefore called the fast bet,heh,bet or the fast of BeHaB. This year, these days fall on April 15, 18 and 22. The Sabbath before, on April 13, a prayer should be added right before the returning of the Torah in the morning service, for those who will fast on these days. Check with your Rabbi for further details on this fast. Let us re-activate this old tradition and take upon ourselves this fast as we now enter the month of Iyar.
I believe that they all my brothers and sisters who are being murdered for being Jewish bring atonement for our nation. If we can contribute to this atonement with our fasting, which is nothing in comparison, but still pleasing to God, then we might save somebody?s life. We can accept a small part of the suffering on ourselves.
Our fasting will be a prayer for repentance in our personal life and in the life of our people. It will be a prayer of strength and courage in our spiritual life. It will be a prayer of work and parnassa (livelihood) for all. It will be a prayer for the ingathering of all our people, the restoration of prophecy, the sending of Eliyahu, harbinger of the Moschiach. A prayer for deliverance and redemption. Our fasting will be like a red line underlining all our daily prayers to make sure it will come to the attention, so to speak, of God Almighty. At this difficult moment, when nobody seems to have the answer as to what to do, we can add these days of fasting as a prayer for guidance and wisdom for our leaders and unity for our people, as well.
There is a tradition saying that if every Jew would repent and turn to God, even for a single day, the redemption would immediately come. (ibid p.229) Why wait? We read in the Book: ?If My people shall humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin and heal their land.? (2 Chronicles7: 14)
I am looking forward to redemption.
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Shlomo Brunell lives in Ra?anana.
This is not the first time we are facing an enemy who wants to exterminate us from the earth. The spirit of Amalek was the driving force for the Nazis. Now we see it in the Palestinian terrorists. Even our holy Seder night was violated, with the terrorist murder of 27 innocent civilians as they were celebrating the Passover at a hotel in Netanya. We have helplessly been witnessing daily killing raids followed by funerals, tears and anger. The lives of people who should have been building their future, supporting their families, sharing their joy with the living have been lost. Now, they are gone ? so many. Too many of our people have already paid with their lives. For what? To atone for our sins.
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan writes in his book Handbook of Jewish Thought, ?There are four types of atonement given to us by God: Repentance, Yom Kippur, suffering and death.? (p. 242) Even when a wicked person is murdered or executed all his sins are atoned for, even without repentance and confession, because of the anguish and terror of such a death. Therefore even an apostate who meets such a death should be treated like the righteous. (ibid p. 250)
How much atonement do we need before we are worthy of divine intervention? How long will this bloodshed continue? Is there anything I can do, as a regular believing Jew, to speed up the redemption, to bring God?s help and guidance closer to us? Rabbi Kaplan writes, ?A person can avert suffering by the hand of God by imposing it upon himself in the form of fasting.? The prophet Joel (2:12-13) says: ?Yet even now, says God, you must return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping and with lamentation. Tear your hearts, not your clothing and return to God your Lord, for He is kind and merciful, slow to anger and great in love, forgiving evil.? Fasting can take the place of suffering, strengthening the spiritual in man.
My dear fellow Jews, I have been asking myself, what should I do? Can any of us bear the news of more people being murdered for being Jewish? We are facing a dangerous moment. We can no longer pretend life is normal. It is not business as usual anymore. We are adding tehillim (Psalms) to our prayers, we are davening (praying) with greater devotion. This is all good. Is there anything else we can do?
Not long ago, we celebrated Purim. When Queen Esther and Mordechai realized the immediate danger to their people, they decided to prepare themselves with fasting and prayer. As we know, the outcome was very successful. Our goal of victory and success today must be higher than the mere absence of suicide bombings. Ultimately, we want to understand what Hashem is trying to tell us.
During the month of Nissan we should not fast, but after Nissan ? in the month of Iyar - there is an old tradition to fast three days, on the first Monday, Thursday and Monday. It is therefore called the fast bet,heh,bet or the fast of BeHaB. This year, these days fall on April 15, 18 and 22. The Sabbath before, on April 13, a prayer should be added right before the returning of the Torah in the morning service, for those who will fast on these days. Check with your Rabbi for further details on this fast. Let us re-activate this old tradition and take upon ourselves this fast as we now enter the month of Iyar.
I believe that they all my brothers and sisters who are being murdered for being Jewish bring atonement for our nation. If we can contribute to this atonement with our fasting, which is nothing in comparison, but still pleasing to God, then we might save somebody?s life. We can accept a small part of the suffering on ourselves.
Our fasting will be a prayer for repentance in our personal life and in the life of our people. It will be a prayer of strength and courage in our spiritual life. It will be a prayer of work and parnassa (livelihood) for all. It will be a prayer for the ingathering of all our people, the restoration of prophecy, the sending of Eliyahu, harbinger of the Moschiach. A prayer for deliverance and redemption. Our fasting will be like a red line underlining all our daily prayers to make sure it will come to the attention, so to speak, of God Almighty. At this difficult moment, when nobody seems to have the answer as to what to do, we can add these days of fasting as a prayer for guidance and wisdom for our leaders and unity for our people, as well.
There is a tradition saying that if every Jew would repent and turn to God, even for a single day, the redemption would immediately come. (ibid p.229) Why wait? We read in the Book: ?If My people shall humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin and heal their land.? (2 Chronicles7: 14)
I am looking forward to redemption.
----------------------------------
Shlomo Brunell lives in Ra?anana.