31 Oct SHABBOS POWER

Am Yisroel is now entering week 4 of a
most difficult war. Week 4 of much pain and
heartache, of many tears being shed; for
lives lost, for the injured and for those who
were barbarically taken hostage. So many
families in pain, so many lives in upheaval.
But amidst all the darkness, there are
shimmers of light, stories of miracles,
heroism and tikvah.
One such story is that of Natalie, a young,
vivacious mom who lived in one of the
communities struck by Hamas terrorists.
Natalie tells of waking up on that fateful
Shabbos – Simchas Torah morning, to the
wailing alarm of Tzeva Adom – Red Alert.
She took a quick look out her window and
realized that this alert was different. Besides
for the missile barrage from Gaza, numerous
terrorists had infiltrated her community.
Filled with fear and trepidation, she ran to
the kitchen and grabbed some knives. One
for her, and one for each of her children.
Armed with their knives, Natalie and her

children entered the “safe room”.
Moments later, Natalie heard the sounds of
machine gun fire, and felt the walls of her
home shake. From the depths of her
neshama, she cried out to HaShem. “Borei
Olam, it’s just You, me and my children. I
am mekabel, accept upon myself, to keep
Shabbos with kedusha.”
Natalie shared that “B’otah shniyah”, at
that very second, there was a lull in the
gunfire. She ran to look out the window, and
saw a group of terrorists passing over her
home.
Natalie believes with her full heart that it
was Borei Olam, HaShem, who saved her
and her children.
The story doesn’t end here. The following
day, after the massacre and the arrival of the
IDF to clear the community of terrorists,
Natalie and her children went to Sderot, and
it was there that she kept her first Shabbos.
Following Shabbos, Natalie returned to her
home and realized that she had merited a
second miracle. While in Sderot, a Qassam
rocket made a direct hit on her home,

landing in her bedroom.
We can only imagine
what could have been,
had she remained in her
home. Natalie has no
doubt that the z’chus of
her commitment to
shmiras Shabbos saved
her life, and the lives of
her children, not once,
but twice.
Every Leil Shabbos, we
sing the beautiful tefilla
of Lecha Dodi. “Likras
Shabbos l’chu v’neilcha, Let us go and
welcome the Shabbos, kee hee mekor
ha’bracha, for it is the source of blessing.”
Additionally, one of the zemiros commonly
sung at the Shabbos seuda is “Kee eshmera
Shabbos, keil yishme’reinee, Because I
keep the Shabbos, HaShem will protect
me”
We are living in special times. Times that
are called Ik’vesa d’Meshicha, the Heels of
Moshiach. The footsteps of Moshiach are
coming closer and closer. We don’t know
how long it will be, it can be years or very
soon. One thing is certain, “Ahchakeh lo
b’chol yom sheh’yavo, I await his arrival
every single day.”
The Kabbalists teach that in the days
preceding the final redemption, we will
experience the birth pangs of Moshiach.
Why birth pangs? For just as a woman in
labor endures painful contractions prior
to seeing the miracle of life – her beautiful
baby, so too, we must endure pain and
difficulty before the arrival of Moshiach,
which will be followed by blissful and
peaceful times.
Each week, come Shabbos, we are given
a special gift. It is stated in the Talmud
that fulfilling the three Shabbos meals
spares one from three misfortunes: the
travails that precede the coming of
Moshiach, the judgment of Gehinom, and
the pain of the final war of Gog and
Magog.
It’s no challenge to enjoy the first two
Shabbos meals. Who isn’t hungry and
looking forward to a delicious meal on
Friday night. And, after shul, everyone
looks forward to the Shabbos lunch
seudah. But it’s that third meal that we
are at times ready to skip. Especially at
this time of the year, as the days are
getting shorter, we may still feel satiated
from the Shabbos lunch. Yet, we sit down
to the Shabbos table once again, this time

for Shalosh Seudos.
Shalosh Seudos, Seudat Shlishit,
Shaleshudos, or simply the Third Shabbos
Meal. No matter how you say it – what
makes this meal so special?
We are drawn to the table, not for the food
but for the spirit of the moment. We sing
Mizmor L’Dovid, a Song for Dovid. We
sing it three times, its soft melody bringing
with it peace and tranquility. In my home,
we sing the various tunes that have been
sung for generations by both mine and my
husband’s families. Different niggunim, but
with the same feelings and emotions.
With all the turmoil we are experiencing
today, the words of Mizmor L’Dovid take
on extra meaning.
“HaShem ro-ee, lo echsar, HaShem is my
shepherd, I am not lacking… lo ee-ra ra,
kee Ata eemadee, I am not afraid, because
You are with me…”
What comforting, reassuring words, words
that bring us to a place of calmness and
serenity.
Each week, we have the opportunity to
bring the beauty of Shalosh Seudos into our
homes. It is a most auspicious time for
prayer, and to renew our connection to
HaShem. Savor the moment, and hold on to
the Shabbos spirit. Keep in mind that it is
the meal that protects us from the war of
Gog and Magog.
The Midrash teaches, Im Atem m’shamrim
neiros shel Shabbos, Ani ma’areh lachem
neiros shel Tzion, If you keep the lights of
Shabbos, I (HaShem) will show you the
lights of Tzion. With every Shabbos candle
lit, we come one step closer to Moshiach.
Like Natalie, by keeping Shabbos, from
lighting the Shabbos candles, to
participating in the three Shabbos meals, it
all bring s us closer to the lights of Tzion.
May we all see very soon the ultimate
geulah, and the coming of Moshiach.