10 Dec As Rockets Rain Down on Our Brothers and Sisters in Eretz Yisroel (Part 3)
The past two weeks, we’ve been reflecting upon the terrible rocket attacks against Eretz Yisroel. This week, I’d like to zoom in on two more important points. First, how these terrible occurrences are a clear fulfillment of prophecy and second, what we could do besides prayer to halt such terrorist activity.
Starting with biblical prophecy, Hagar was told she would give birth to a son and to a nation that would be pere adam, a wild uncontrollable people, which is a perfect description of the Arab situation. The Torah says, “Yado bakol… – Their hand will be upon everyone…” and indeed ISIS and many other Arabic cells wreak havoc and terrorism all over the world. The Torah then continues, “…V’yad kol bo – …And everyone’s hand will need him,” and as we see the global economy turns thirstily to Arabian oil.
In the nevuah of Bilaam, he prophesizes in Parshas Balak, “Mi yichyeh misumo Ei-l – Who could “live” from the nation that has Ei-l in its name?” This is a clear prophecy that Yishmael (the only nation besides Yisroel that has Ei-l embedded in its name) would harass our lives and make them miserable. In Tehillim [120:5] it says, “Oyah li ki garti meshech shachanti im ahalei Kedar? Rabas shachna lah nafshi im sonei shalom – Woe is me as I dwell in Israel with my neighbor in the tents of Arabia. How I have to dwell with those that hate peace.” If only the world leaders would listen to the prophecy of King David, that peace treaties will never be sustainable with a people who innately hate peace.
In juxtaposition to this verse, Dovid HaMelech says [120:3], “Mah yitein l’cha u’mah yoseif lach lashon re’miyah – What can I give you and what can I add to you, O deceitful tongue.” The Metzudas Dovid, one of the premier commentaries on Novi, explains that Dovid HaMelech put this verse in proximity to the posuk describing our hateful Arabian neighbors to inform us that it is the sin of lashon hara, sinful gossip that intensifies the rabid terrorism. We therefore must know that when we avoid talking poorly about other people, whether at our Shabbos table, in the coffee room at the office, or when we are schmoozing with a spouse, we are helping our brethren in Eretz Yisroel.
There is another way we can be of great assistance to them. The Torah tells us that when Hagar married Avram, and became immediately pregnant, “Va’teikal gvirta b’eineha – her [Hagar’s] mistress [Sarah] became light in her eyes.” In reaction to this, the Torah informs us, “Vataneha Sarah – Sarah afflicted Hagar.” Reb Aryeh Levine, zt”l, zy”a, explains that Sarah didn’t actually treat Hagar any differently; rather, the change was in Hagar herself. When she viewed Sarah with respect, the duties that she did for her were considered to her an honor. Now, however, as Hagar viewed Sarah in a new light, the same duties felt like an affliction.
The Ramban however says Sarah actually did some type of affliction to Hagar and he makes a very drastic statement. “Chatah Sarah Imenu b’inu’i hazeh – Sarah our Mother sinned by afflicting Hagar. V’gam Avraham b’hanicho la’asos kein shelo machah – As did also Avraham for not protesting about such behavior.” Ramban then concludes with a truly shocking declaration: Because of this affliction, Hagar was given a child whose descendants would afflict the children of Avraham and Sarah will all kinds of oppression throughout the ages.
We need to analyze this. Why would Ramban speak negatively about our Holy ancestors? We can only surmise that Ramban wanted to clue us in with vital information: That if we are careful not to cause the people around us affliction, we can fix this mistake of our holy ancestors (similar to how we stay up the entire night on Shavuos to atone for the fact that our ancestors overslept on the morning of the giving of the Torah) and halt the terrorism of the Arabs. When we make a conscious effort not to scream in our homes, when we put a stop to verbal abuse even when we are frustrated or in a foul mood, when we are careful not to vent our frustration on our children, we are going a long way to helping put a stop to mid-eastern terrorism.
May it be the will of Hashem that He should hear our tefilos and see our efforts of avoiding lashon hara and creating more serenity in our homes and in that merit may there be shalom al Yisroel, and may we have good health, long life, and everything wonderful.