He Who Sits in Heaven Laughs and Mocks Them

Extract of talk from the Lubavitcher Rebbe 5740 [1980]

Rabbi Yochanan quotes Shimon bar Yochai regarding the war of Gog u Magog.  

It seems like it is a terrible tragedy for the Jews but as it says in Sanhedrin and other sources  Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said 'King David ran from his son Avshalom, and he exclaimed 'Ma raba tzorei' [how big are my problems]. Whereas on the passuk "Why do nations gather and people speak futility" he doesn't say "how big are my problems", but the opposite. 

On "yehugu rik" - speaking futility - Rashi and other commentaries explain that it's not tzorei/tragedy, it's Rik vehevel - futility. It has no meaning for the Jews. 

Goyim are fighting between themselves, gathering and talking, but it's all ineffective. Why?  Because He who sits in Heaven laughs and mocks them. 

Then comes the question: how should a Jew view this?  We have the decree from the Torah that even though nations are gathering and talking negatively, still for the Jews it has absolutely no meaning. But not because of our own strength G-d forbid, but because He who sits in Heaven laughs and mocks them.  And that's why it's not affecting the Jews.

They call it tragedy? G-d forbid! The nations come up with different ideas, but it's all Hevel Larik - futility. Why? Because Hashem is with us.

The fact that they are gathering.... Jewish people know it is all pointless. Because He who sits in Heaven laughs and mocks them.

He is not just notifying but he is mocking and laughing at them.

As it says "He who touches them, he is touching the apple of My eye" 

The story of Egypt, the story of Afghanistan. Another story, that fight, another fight. But in relation to Jews the Guardian of Israel "neither slumbers nor sleeps".  Why? Because Jews are connected with the Guardian of the Jews.

Then he sees in a revealed way, that Hashem in Heaven laughs and mocks them. And the war of Gog  u Magog is not affecting the Jewish people. Gog is fighting with Magog and it says in Tanach that it will be in Jerusalem, but that has nothing to do with the Jewishness in Jerusalem, and not in the city of Jerusalem, rather it's around Jerusalem. The Jews are standing strong because Jerusalem is a city where King David lived and the name Yerushalayim comes from the words "Yiras Hashem shleimah" which means "complete fear of G-d".

And Jews who are complete G-d fearing people bring it into actuality, and the city of Jerusalem will stay untouched. 

The nations are "utsu eitza" - contriving a scheme - but when the Jewish children behave in a manner of "ki imanu kel" - "G-d is with us" - then "dabru davar velo yakum" - their conspired plot will not be materialized.

Painting of the Rebbe: Robert Kremnizer