words of chizuk

Dear Chaveirim of Adas Yeshurun of Beit Shemesh. Here are some words of chizuk from Rav Yosef Rubinstein, shlita, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Ohr Yehoshua where we hold our minyan:

Hello all my dear friends,

We are experiencing special and challenging times. On one hand many of our brethren are suffering. May Hashem send them all a speedy recovery. May Hashem protect and shield everyone from sickness and may He console all those who have lost loved ones. 

It is also a time of revelation of Hashem’s kingship. It is He who runs the world. It’s our opportunity and our obligation to fully utilize this time to the maximum, growing and shteiging in our closeness to Hashem: 

כִּי־ב֭וֹ יִשְׂמַ֣ח לִבֵּ֑נוּ כִּ֤י בְשֵׁ֖ם קָדְשׁ֣וֹ בָטָֽחְנוּ

In Him our hearts rejoice, for in His holy name we trust. (Tehillim 33:21) 

The navi Micha (7:15) says: 

 כִּימֵ֥י צֵֽאתְךָ֖ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אַרְאֶ֖נּוּ נִפְלָאֽוֹת

 As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders.

 

In mitzrayim, Hashem taught us four concepts (Ramban, Parshas Bo):

 

יש מאין. השגחה פרטי. שליט על הכל ואין מעכב . דיבור לנביאו.

 

The creation of something from nothing, Divine providence, His rulership over all, the truth of His prophet.

 

This disease illuminates three of these points:

 

It came about suddenly and no one understands it - יש מאין 

Every germ has an address - השגחה פרטי 

No one can stop it - שליט על הכל 

 

The world leaders who claim we will beat this together without believing that Hashem is the Boss are expressing heresy - אפיקורסת .  No Jew should be swept up by such ill thoughts. 

 

The uniqueness of the plagues in Mitzrayim was that they were a visual expression of Hashem’s powers and they were an opportunity for Klal Yisroel to fully comprehend and internalize these four concepts. Rav Chazkel Levenstein zt'l, the famed mashgiach of Mir and Ponovez, taught that seeing and feeling - אמונה חושי belief in Hashem has a much bigger impact than thought alone. This situation can be a total life changer for those who take the initiative to study and to internalize and connect to Hashem. 

 

During these times, it’s an opportunity and our obligation to examine our daily behaviour to see if we are in sync with the holy values of our duties bein adam la'makom and bein adam la'chaveiro. (Between a person and other people and between a person and Hashem).

נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃

Let us search and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD (Eichah 3:40)

 

With this said, we follow the directive of our gadolim to engage in the hishtodilus of following the health guidelines put forth by the medical professionals.

 

Let us all hope and pray that  כִּימֵ֥י צֵֽאתְךָ֖ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אַרְאֶ֖נּוּ נִפְלָאֽוֹת As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders.

 

מָחִ֤יתִי כָעָב֙ פְּשָׁעֶ֔יךָ וְכֶעָנָ֖ן חַטֹּאותֶ֑יךָ שׁוּבָ֥ה אֵלַ֖י כִּ֥י גְאַלְתִּֽיךָ׃

I wipe away your sins like a cloud, Your transgressions like mist— Come back to Me, for I redeem you. (Yeshayahu 44:22)

 

מֵקִים֙ דְּבַ֣ר עַבְדּ֔וֹ וַעֲצַ֥ת מַלְאָכָ֖יו יַשְׁלִ֑ים הָאֹמֵ֨ר לִירוּשָׁלִַ֜ם תּוּשָׁ֗ב וּלְעָרֵ֤י יְהוּדָה֙ תִּבָּנֶ֔ינָה וְחָרְבוֹתֶ֖יהָ אֲקוֹמֵֽם׃

But confirm the word of My servant and fulfill the prediction of My messengers. It is I who say of Jerusalem, “It shall be inhabited,” And of the towns of Judah, “They shall be rebuilt; And I will restore their ruined places.” (Yeshayahu 44:26)

Chag kosher va'sameiach

Rabbi Yosef Rubinstein

Yeshivas Ohr Yehoshua