Jewish Survival

The readings connected with Tisha B’Av, are known as “Kinot.” Usually a small pamphlet is handed out to be read both at night and in the morning.

The Kinot is a collection of lamentations depicting the long and bitter exile, suffered by the Jewish people. It speaks of the pogroms and crusades aimed at the Jewish people.

In recent years, a chapter was added describing the horrors of the Holocaust, and most recently a chapter was added in connection with the tragedies of October the seventh.

When one looks back at all of the sufferings of our people at the hands of various enemies, he should be awe struck by the fact that these enemies no longer exist. Yet, the Jewish people have survived.

Rav Yakov Emden once commented that this survival of our people against all odds, is a greater miracle than the splitting of the Red Sea.

The secret of our survival is absolutely connected with our unshakable faith in the Al-mighty, and our strict adherence to the Torah and its laws. What may have been most important is the continued diligence in Torah study.

Despite the conditions and the threat of serious punishment for Torah study and its observance, Jews pushed forward and realized that an abandonment of our tradition, would mean an end to our people.

This should be our focus at this time. We must learn the lessons of history. Our secret weapon of survival is very simple. “Fear G-d and keep the commandments, for this is the essence of man.”