HaRav Matisyahu Solomon, Shlita, recently provided the following insight on how we should react to the current world situation:

"We don’t know what is going on in the world."

However, we can take some instruction from the Tefillos of Rosh Hashana. Rosh Hashana, although it is the Yom HaDin in which everyone’s thoughts, words and actions are carefully scrutinized by the Heavenly Court, does not contain very many tefillos which instill great fear in a person. The longest and most serious discussion of judgment in the Rosh Hashana Tefillos is contained in the Zichronos, where the Anshei Knesses HaGedola teach us how Hashem remembers the actions of every individual and every country, and describes how Hashem metes out judgment to the countries--who for war, who for peace, etc.

Even these Pesukim of Zichronos , however, amazingly conclude with the words "Ashrei Ish Shelo Yishkacheka...--praiseworthy is the person who does not forget You and who takes strength in You, for those who seek You will not stumble, and those who believe in You will not be disgraced...."

What Chizuk! What consolation! What hope!! Hashem does not want us to remain scared, panic, depressed or give up. Yei’ush--despair--has no place even in a time of the most serious judgment! Rather, the Tefilla here teaches us that we must take strength in Hashem--we must remember Hashem by constantly mentioning His Name, thinking of His constant Chasodim to us, and that "Ayn Od Milvado--there is no source of anything but Him"--and all that is happening is to remind us to turn to Him.

In fact, the Alter of Kelm teaches us that people make a big mistake in their perception of what cowards and heroes really are. In reality, heroes on the battlefield have as much fear as the cowards, except that their fear motivates and energizes them--it propels them forward, while the coward’s fear makes them run in the opposite direction, towards defeat. Any immediate uncertainty or fear which may be generated within us should lead us to come close to Hashem, and not to be despondent, anxious or afraid.

In these turbulent times, in everything that we do, we must bring Hashem into the picture, into the equation, into the forefront. If one studies the Parsha of Eliezer and Rivka, one will find that Hashem is constantly mentioned by Eliezer throughout the event. Eliezer was, as a result, successful--to the extent that even Lavan himself exclaimed "MaiHashem Yutza HaDovor--This is Hashem’s doing!". This is the extent to which Hashem should accompany our thoughts, our words and our actions--even those really distant from the feeling of Hashhgacha Pratis should be brought closer to it as a result of our behavior!

In this zechus, we will--middah k’neged middah--see the day in which the world and all of its inhabitants will be filled with the Knowledge of Hashem as the water fills the sea--speedily and in our days! AMEN!

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Hakhel MIS