10 Oct FOR THESE I CRY

Can it be? It’s happening again… only
worse.
I remember Yom Kippur, fifty years ago. We
were in shul, when we heard the devastating
news. War in Eretz Yisroel. A surprise attack
on Yom Kippur, holiest of days.
All reservists were called up. Chayalei
Yisroel, many still in their kittels and
tallesim, all with a prayer on their lips. They
ran to battle, ready to protect their people,
their nation, their land.
That year, our tefillos took on extra meaning,
as we begged HaShem to protect Am
Yisroel, to guard Eretz Yisroel. Who didn’t
tremble that day as we recited the passages
of Avinu Malkeinu and Shema Koleinu.
That Yom Kippur, there was no “break”
during the day. We remained in shul with our
Tehillim, davening for our people’s safety.
The Yom Kippur War became a distant
memory, a thing of the past. A memory our

children don’t have, and our grandchildren
are so far removed from. We’ve become
complacent with our lives, and comfortable
with the Eretz Yisroel of אoday. Yes, we go
to mekomos hakedoshim, holy places, and
daven for ourselves and our families. At the
same time, we hit the malls, we feel safe in
its luxurious hotels, and enjoy its gourmet
restaurants. We walk Israel’s streets
marveling at all the “progress” that this
modern country has made over the past few
decades.
This Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah we
were forced to remember. Once again, a
surprise attack on Yom Tov. It is with pain in
my heart that I write about an offensive
attack, said to be the worst in Israel’s history.
An estimated one thousand terrorists
infiltrating the country by land, sea and air.
They invaded several communities, going
from house to house, taking hostages,
torturing and even brutally slaughtering
innocent men, women and children, all
while yelling Allah Akbar.
I can’t get the images out of my mind. Young
women pleading for their lives, crying

children and infants being
tortured, and even the elderly
dragged away into captivity.
The terrorists were so brazen
as to video their heinous acts,
posting it in real time on
social media to show the
entire world the full extent of
their murders and brutality.
The Navi Yirmiyahu says in
Megillas Eicha, “Al eileh ani
bochiyah, For these I cry.”
How can we not shed a tear?
Families torn apart. Men,
women and children tortured
and taken hostage. Young lives of soldiers,
border police, and others cut short. For these
I cry. As David HaMelech writes “Eileh
ezkara v’eshpecha alai nafshi, For these I
recall and pour out my soul for what has
befallen me.” (Tehillim 42:5). We owe it to
these holy neshamos to shed a tear for them.
The kidnapped Israelis were paraded
through the streets of Gaza, while being
jeered and spat upon by Palestinians. I
remember my mother a”h telling me of
when the Nazis invaded her home town of
Szeged. Jewish residents were forced to
march through the streets while their
Hungarian neighbors laughed and spat
upon them. Ima would say that she is so
afraid that it’s going to happen again. I
was young and naïve and thought that the
world changed. That somehow “they”
(whomever “they” would be) would never
allow this to happen again. How wrong I
was.

I am in disbelief as I learn of pro-
Palestinian rallies taking place right here,

in our own New York City, calling them
“All Out For Palestine”. And the so-called
“enlightened” students of Harvard
demonstrating in support of the
Palestinians, completely oblivious to the
brutality and inhumaneness exhibited by
these so-called “freedom fighters”.
I was with my daughter and son-in-law for
Simchas Torah. We davened at the
Agudath Israel of Five Towns, led by
Rabbi Yitzchok Frankel. Like in so many
shuls, the rov spoke of the terrible situation
unfolding in Eretz Yisroel. He requested
that each hakafah be somewhat shortened,
and he led the shul in reciting Tehillim.
The rov spoke from the heart, urging that
a proper balance be struck between the
obligation to rejoice on Simchas Torah
with the reality of the tragic events of the
day. Yes, we sang and danced with our
Torah, while having in mind our brothers

and sisters, acheinu kol beis yisroel, in the
Holy Land. Rabbi Frankel reminded us that
it was our duty to feel our brothers’ pain.
As Jews, we must be nosei b’ol im chaveiro,
to feel another’s pain. Rav Yechezkel
Levenstein zt”l the Ponovezher mashgiach
said that nosei b’ol means that a person must
feel toward another just as if the distresses
and pain are exactly his own.
We must do for them. To daven, to give
material and financial support. There are
amazing volunteers who have already flown
to Israel, some to be soldiers, others to offer
medical and other assistance to the injured,
to the grieving families and to so many who
have been traumatized by events of the past
few days.
On Simchas Torah we read the final portion
of the Chumash, V’Zos Ha’bracha. The
story of Moshe’s last day and his final
brachos to his beloved people. We read of
HaShem showing Moshe all of Eretz Yisroel
from atop Har Nevo. “And HaShem showed
him the entire land… as far as ‘hayam
ha’acharon’, the end of the sea (the
Mediterranean Sea).” (Devarim 34:3) Rashi
teaches that “hayam”, the sea, can be read
and understood as “hayom” ha’acharon, the
last “day”. HaShem showed Moshe the full
history of the Jewish nation that would play
out through time, to the end of days, to the
time of techiyas ha’meisim.
Moshe gave brachos, not only for his
generation, but for all time. Brachos that
speak to us today. One of Moshe’s brachos
was “Barzel u’nechoshes min’alecha…,
May your borders be sealed like iron and
copper…” (Devarim 33:25). “There is no
one like HaShem… He rides across heaven
to help you.” (Ibid 33:26).
We ask Moshe…. Please, please plead
before HaShem on our behalf. May your
bracha of secure borders be with us. May we
have the strength to endure these difficult
days.