HT: Yaak
by Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Rav Segal closed with a story about a group of Polish soldiers who were told to prepare for a visit from the general.
Garbed in their uniforms, shoes polished and guns gleaming, they stood at attention. It was a hot day, and as they waited beneath a scorching sun, a few of them started to grumble. The morning dragged on with no sign of the general and the soldiers felt their resolve weakening. “Wait a bit longer. I’m sure he’ll come soon,” the commander urged them, but as morning gave way to afternoon, the general was nowhere to be seen.
Finally, the tired soldiers gave up and many of them flopped to the ground, exhausted. At that moment, the general appeared. Those who sat on the floor were humiliated, while those who had remained standing were promoted to a higher rank.
The Chofetz Chaim would retell the story and say, “He’s about to come. Don’t give up now. Stand tall and wait. He’s about to arrive.”
We are at the end of the day and have been waiting so long. The wait is getting progressively more difficult. Only a few remain standing.
In this, too, we look to our neshei chayil to inspire us. The Gemara in Maseches Brachos (17) says that women attain merit through waiting for their husbands to return home from the bais medrash.
Thus, one of the sacred responsibilities and mandates of the woman is to wait. They teach the rest of us how to wait. Now is their time. Now, as a lonely nation awaits Moshiach’s arrival, we look to the women to inspire and teach us how not to lose focus. Together, we wait for the day when the world will once again be filled with light and we will all be comforted.
Read the full blog post here
4 comments:
At this stage in the development of Geulah, Yisrael is not able to recognize Mashiach. He will never say that he is the Mashiach. Yisrael has to be refined like gold, that implies a great cleansing of Am Yisrael. Waiting for Moshiach means in fact waiting for the birthpangs of Mashiach. Only the remnant of Am Yisrael will be able to find out who is the Mashiach.
The world events unfolding point to the fact that the Mashiach is determining their development. We are the generations who stood at Sinai, it is for sure Mashiach was there at Har Sinai in order to connect the souls of the old with the ones living now.
The starting of violence in Jerusalem on Rosh Hashanah 5776 isn't a coincidence, that day is the Day of Judgment, this instance for the entire world, not only the usual individual judgment during yamin norayim. Cry, lament, raise the hands towards shamaim so Hashem hears the repentance of Yisrael. People in Yisrael should make stocks of food and water. Imagine the disaster if it will take seven months to bury the dead.
People of Hashem might think they are well protected there in Australia, but be prudent, don't let open the doors at Emmanuel Temple, and keep a low profile. The darkness of Yishmael will reach there too.
The story/analogy originally appears in Gemara Shabbos, 153a
Shalom and Shavua Tov, to Devorah and all who come to learn from her blog, which includes me. :)
Devorah, i was listening to this on Youtube, and feel this is something all of the Chosen and all those too, like righteous gentiles, and Noachides, could benefit from.
If you approve here is the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU_ZV_ks8Wo
Hashem bless you.
sc
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