Last week in Israel, huge fires destroyed fields, buildings and communities. On Shabbos, there were sirens in Yerushalayim and other cities. And today, as I write, a missile has fallen on Ben Gurion Airport.
Things are getting hot.
The weather has cooled since then, but, on the day of the fire it was extremely hot, with fierce winds pushing the flames. And this is only the spring; the days of summer have not even arrived and already the land is parched and vulnerable. What will be when summer comes? “The harvest has passed; the summer has ended, but we have not been saved.” (Yirmiah 8:20, read on Tisha B’Av)
On Sukkos, we davened for geshem. We called upon the Master of the Universe to send the angel Af-Bri to bring blessed rain, “for life and not for death, for plenty and not for scarcity …. And may it not be withheld because of unredeemed [spiritual] debt ….” But the rain was withheld; this winter saw sparse rainfall in the Holy Land.
This week’s parshios end with a strong message: “You shall observe all My decrees and … ordinances and perform them. Then the Land to which I bring you … will not disgorge you. Do not follow the traditions of the nation that I expel from before you, for … I was disgusted with them. So I said … you shall inherit their land …. a land flowing with milk and honey. I am Hashem your G-d, Who has separated you from the peoples.” (Vayikra 20:22)
We are separated because we are merciful and kind. The nations which were expelled are cruel, like the ravens which are so common in Israel, cruel birds – who screech instead of sing – and who abandon their children. (See Kesubos 49b) Why are we having so much difficulty in Israel? Why are we under attack from without and within? Why are we so vulnerable? Why are missiles getting through and fires raging? Hashem promised that we would inherit the Land, but why is it so difficult?
We have to be careful that our actions do not imitate the actions of the other nations.
“In his prophesy of admonishment … Yirmiahu says, ‘They did not say in their hearts, let us fear Hashem our G-d, Who gives the early rain and the late rain in its proper time, Who keeps for us the appointed [seven] weeks of harvest [between Pesach and Shavuos, the days of Sefiras ha Omer]. Your sins have turned these [blessings] away and your iniquity has withheld good from you.’
“The One Who gives the early and late rain has the power to withhold it. Should we not therefore fear Him and refrain from angering Him? …. Should we not … abstain from provoking Him? During this seven-week period of harvest, man’s future sustenance is on the line. Will we be blessed with plenty or cursed by famine? …. Because this is a period of judgment …. the trepidation accompanying these days is great, for we are anxious that they should pass successfully without incident or tragedy. It is especially important that we behave properly toward each other and not transgress by showing disdain for our fellow man.” (Book of Our Heritage)
And this is totally consistent with the tragedy of Rabbi Akiva’s talmidim, who perished during this period because they did not treat each other with respect! (Yevamos 62b)
My friends, we have to ask ourselves whether we have learned from the tragedy which befell Rabbi Akiva’s talmidim? Are we living the lesson of Sefiras ha Omer? Are we acting in a way which is appropriate for a period of strong judgment? Now is the season of teshuva, as we prepare to stand at Har Sinai.
But we do not have to be afraid. When things get hot, it is not always bad. Har Sinai was also hot, as the Torah tells us, “All of Mount Sinai was smoking because Hashem had descended upon it in the fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of the furnace and the entire mountain shuddered exceedingly.” (Shemos 19:18)
Fire destroys and fire also purifies. If we fear Hashem, the fire saves us.
“For behold, a day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the wicked people and all the evildoers will be like straw and that coming day will burn them up, says, Hashem, Master of Legions, … but a sun of righteousness will shine for you who fear My Name, with healing in its rays ….” (Malachi 3:19)
Our task is to fear Hashem. Then our actions will become purified as the fire of Torah burns up our encrustations of evil. “The Holy one, Blessed is He, said, Upon Me [is the responsibility] to pay for the blaze that I kindled … in Tzion. As it says, ‘He lit a fire in Tzion which consumed its foundations.’ And [in the future], I will build it [again] with fire, as it says, ‘And I will be for it a wall of fire all around, and for glory I will be in its midst.’” (Bava Kamma 60b)
We have seen the wall of fire. Soon may we be privileged to see the glory in its midst!
GLOSSARY
Geshem: Rain
Sefiras ha Omer: The seven weeks between Passover and Shavuos
Talmidim: Students of the Torah
