Four Questions That End Suffering

The
New Year is almost upon us and we prepare to greet it with the usual
pomp. This year however, the celebration will lie as a terrible burden
upon the hearts of many. Our brothers and sisters are mourning across
the planes of our beloved land, Israel.

Entire
families are mourning the loss of Bubbies and Zadies, aunts and uncles,
parents and even (oh G-d redeem us) children. These are the fortunate
families, the ones who have been left alive to mourn. Our nation Israel
also mourns as a collective, for the families who have been slaughtered
whole, the families who have left no immediate relatives to mourn their
loss.

Oh,
who grieves for your nation Israel? Who mourns your children’s loss?
Torah teaches us “Betoch Tzaratam Lo Tzar” He (G-d) is afflicted
amongst their (Israel’s) affliction. indeed my dear friends, as we
mourn so does G–d.

The
Midrash tells us of a celestial cup in heaven into which G-d collects
his Divine tears. According to this Midrashic tale, salvation will
arrive when G-d’s cup fills with tears. If the events of our history
have not yet sufficed to fill G-d’s cup then recent events, in the land
of Israel, certainly should.

During
the upcoming meritorious days of Yomim Noraim (high holidays) there
will not be a dry eye in our Synagogues, there will not be a teardrop
left unshed and, we know beyond the shadow of a doubt, that G-d’s
copious tears will flow as well.

The
torrent of Jewish tears in Canada will merge with the flow of Jewish
tears across the globe. Our collective river will gather momentum and
rush ever faster, reach ever higher, and finally converge upon the
Divine tears of G-d, with a powerful and resounding message.

This
will be a message of request, a message of demand, a message of
beseeching the Almighty with a strong and unified voice: “Enough
already, when will it end?”

I
would like to add a word of encouragement. As we remember our fallen
heroes we also applaud our young men and women in the Israeli defense
forces, who continue to stand bravely against the threat of terrorism.

These
young men fight a solitary war. They brave death and uncertainty every
moment of duty. They stand alone against a community of nations who
ironically brand them as agents of an official governmental policy of
terror.

These
young men and women deserve our prayers. They deserve more then our
prayers alone; they deserve our support, spiritually, morally,
financially and even emotionally. Let us make a commitment, as the New
Year approaches, that we will stand in solidarity and not let them face
the enemy alone.

Each
in our own way. One contributes goods, another funds. One visits the
country and strengthens the economy, another visits and joins the
defense force. The manner of support is immaterial; the support itself
is vital. And every one of us must respond during this heightened hour
of need.

Last
but foremost. We must continue to live, to survive and even to thrive.
We do so secure in the belief that we, the Jewish people, will prevail.
Our enemies are numerous and they always have been. Great nations have
gone by the way side of history but the Jewish nation has persevered.
“These by chariots and those by horses but we will invoke the name of
G-d. (Psalms 20)
 
To
this end let us all strengthen our commitment to Torah and to the
observance of Mitzvot. Every single Mitzvah carries the potential to
tilt the global scale towards the better. Every Mitzvah has the power
to arouse G-d’s mercy towards redemption, salvation and a merciful
conclusion of hostilities.

Secure
in the belief that “the guardian of Israel never sleeps nor slumbers”
my wife Basie and I wish the entire community a “Shanah Tovah
Um’vurechet,” a happy and blessed year.