What needs to change is inside us
So now what? We’ve been in this crazy war for over a year and a half. We’ve had amazing battlefield victories, strategic victories, and progress on the home front. As a nation we have learned that we need to get along despite our differences. But still things come up to divide us. It even feels like it’s intentional by someone who wants to keep us divided (I’m not pointing fingers, but it feels like there are forces that don’t want achdut). We had a period of relative quiet, but now it’s getting bad again; soldiers being killed and wounded, attacks in Yehuda and Shomron, divisions between Jews, parliamentary issues, etc.
What can we do differently?
I realized something on Sunday, during the fast. On the fast days, we say selichot and try to fix our actions. There is always something that each of us can do better, but overall, most of us are pretty good. For the most part people are decent, polite, helpful…
The thing that needs to change is our mindset. We need to realize, to believe, to feel, to KNOW that we are Hashem’s chosen nation. We are the people that Hashem has chosen to spread the Torah, the manual for an ideal society. We need to accept that with all of the rights and responsibilities therein.
Because of our covenant with Hashem we are still alive today. We have witnessed so many miracles of survival and success in the past year and a half alone.
Because of our covenant, we need to stand for Hashem! Like our forefather Avraham we need to call out in Hashem’s name. Without shame! Like King David we need to look at our enemies and proclaim, “So help me God I will kill you for attacking our people!”
And we need to live by the guidelines of the Torah. Which does not mean that we need to all be the same. There are many ways to interpret the Torah, and we don’t have a prophet now to tell us which ways are correct. So we need to figure it out for ourselves, together. There needs to be diversity in a healthy society. But that diversity must be focused towards living within the words of the Torah.
If we do this, together – with respect, honesty, love for each other, and love for Hashem and the Torah; If we unabashedly proclaim the truth of the Torah and say loudly and clearly that the words written there are TRUE and ETERNAL; If we collectively turn our eyes and hope towards the One and Only King of Kings, as it says in the Mishna “and who can we rely on? Only Avinu Shebashamayim” – then Hashem will aid us and fight for us and we will be victorious.
בשם ה’ נעשה ונצליח!