You Didnt Deserve Greater Blessings Until
In Parshat Shemot we are told how Moshe emerged from the palace of Pharoah in search of his brethren.
What he saw was a tragic scene.
An Egyptian task master was beating an Israelite and would have killed him if not for Moshe’s heroic intervention.
On the second day, Moshe again went out and this time he saw שני אנשים עברים נצים - two Hebrews who were fighting against each other.
Again, Moshe intervened, and he said to the protagonist ‘Why are you doing this?’ and the answer was ‘What? Are you going to kill me in the way that you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
What Moshe saw was a tragic scene which sadly has repeated itself time and again in Jewish history at the very time when, our oppressors from without have threatened us, we have been divided within.
This is what happened in the run up to the fall of Jerusalem in the year 70 when civil war was raging in Jerusalem at the very time when the Romans laid siege to our capital city.
And most recently, prior to the outbreak of war on October 7th, there was so much tragic division in Israel which spilled over into the diaspora.
But since the commencement of this war, we are blessed with Jewish unity. In the midst of these dark clouds, it is a precious silver lining.
Let us guarantee that we preserve it well beyond the war.
In our Shabbat service for the Mincha afternoon prayer we say, ‘אתה אחד ושמך אחד - You Hashem are One and Your name is One’. ‘ומי כעמך ישראל גוי אחד בארץ - And who is like Your people Israel? One single united people on earth.’
Let us indeed guarantee that we remain a ‘גוי אחד’, a single united people for all time by joining together to pray with all our hearts, for the great miracle we have witnessed - the release and safe return of the living hostages. With hearts full of thanks, we acknowledge His endless kindness and mercy, and we pray that those who have returned home find healing, strength, and peace after all they have endured.
We also continue to pray for the release of the one remaining hostage body and Divine Protection over our courageous IDF soldiers, police officers, medical teams, firefighters, ZAKA members, security forces, and every individual who stands in defense of our people - in Israel and throughout the world.
May all who are in need, be blessed with healing, yeshuot, shidduchim, children, and parnassah tova, and may we be blessed to have just continuous joy and to only go from one simcha through to the next, the most awesome, gorgeous, beautiful, peaceful, happy, healthy, amazing, relaxed, spiritual, and sweet Shabbat.
