Thoughts
It’s now after the fast day of Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur is a time when we can think about things, about life, about ourselves, how we can improve on ourselves, and how we can make things better in the world around us.
And Yom Kippur is a time when we can ponder current events, and think about what purpose these events might have.
I think about October 7, one year ago, and how Israel bounced back amazingly, and are on the verge of destroying Hamas; and, in a space of just ten days, transformed Hezbollah from a powerful threat to a tremendously weakened and leaderless entity.
Iran has now lost two proxies. The Iranian regime is waiting nervously to see how Israel is going to retaliate for Iran’s latest barrage of missiles against Israel.
As I think about these things, I think about G-d and how he conducts our lives and the lives of everyone in this world. I think about the horrors of October 7. And I think about ‘emunah’ — belief, that even though we don’t always understand what G-d does, that ultimately it’s for our benefit, and one day we will understand.
And I think about the miracles that we’re seeing since then. When a farmer ploughs his field and plants the new crops, he looks up at the sky, hoping that the rain will come and make his efforts successful. When a person writes a check, he needs the money to be in his bank account, so that the check won’t bounce. The rain on the field and the money in the account are parables for G-d’s blessings. We can plough the fields. We can write the check. We can prepare a sophisticated army to defend Israel, but ultimately we need the rain. We need the cash in the account, and we need G-d’s blessing that our efforts should be successful.
‘Yisroel bitach biHashem’, Israel trusts in G-d. (Psalms 115; 9) Belief is for the past, and trust is for the future. We believe that October 7 is something that is ultimately for our benefit, even if we don’t understand it right now; but for the future, we trust that G-d will help us and bless our efforts with success.
Our G-d, G-d of our fathers, protected the Jewish people for thousands of years, and has entrusted us with a mission to be a light to the nations. Empires have risen and fallen, but Israel, the Jewish people dispersed among the nations, have survived and thrived, and have taught the world morality.
At Mount Sinai G-d told Moses to tell all the nations the seven Noahide laws. This will bring peace to the world.
Redemption with Moshiach is very close. It will be a time when the world will be peaceful, and when everyone will be cognizant of G-d‘s presence
May the Redemption come very soon.