Reb Neuberger: There May Yet Be Hope

 

THERE MAY YET BE HOPE

The Month of Tammuz inaugurates the most tragic period in the Jewish calendar. As we begin this month, in the year 5781, extremely disturbing events are taking place among the Jews in the Land of Israel. 

As I write, the State of Israel has formed a government whose agenda is hatred of Torah. Last week we read how Korach attempted to challenge the leadership of Moshe Rabbeinu and the rule of Torah. It appears that we have learnt nothing since those dark days. 

Is there any hope, my friends? 

Or are we doomed to eternal failure and even self-destruction by our own obstinacy? 

After hearing about the new government, I walked to the lookout point on my street where I can see the gravesite which lies on the opposite hilltop. That gravesite is where Shmuel ha Novi is buried, just outside Yerushalayim. Shmuel is the Prophet who anointed Dovid, the unknown shepherd, King of Israel thousands of years ago. 

We desperately need a new prophet to anoint Moshiach in our days. 

“When Hashem will reign, nations will tremble … the earth will quake …. Moshe and Aharon were among His priests and Shmuel among those who invoke His Name. They called upon Hashem and He answered them….” (Psalm 99)

We need the reign of Torah, not the reign of politicians. “Shomer Yisroel … Guardian of Israel, protect the remnant of Israel, let not Israel be destroyed, those who proclaim, ‘Hear Oh Israel.’” (Tachanun)

Moshiach must be imminent, but now thick darkness covers the earth. I think we must be prepared for events of the utmost difficulty, the overturning of everything we know. Those who walk this earth in arrogance cannot succeed. “They do not know nor do they understand. In darkness they walk. All foundations of the earth collapse….” (Psalm 82) 

It is so clear why Korach’s punishment was that “the earth opened its mouth” to swallow them alive. The Mishnah (Pirkei Avos 5:8) says that this mouth was among those things Hashem created on the first Friday night of history, just before Shabbos. Once created, it can open again and swallow those who dare to challenge the King of Kings. 

Korach opened his mouth to swallow others and he was swallowed by a gaping mouth. Midah k’negged midah, he was punished by his own crime. He tried to bury others and he was buried. So shall it be for all those who try to destroy in Hashem’s Holy Kingdom. 

The worldwide rebellion in progress at this moment against the Torah is reminiscent of those generations at the beginning of history who were uprooted and destroyed because they rebelled against Hashem. 

Someone said to me last week that there will never be another generation like the Generation of the Tower of Bavel, which was united by a common worldwide language. They built a tower to fight Hashem. Hashem destroyed their tower, their unity and scattered them to the ends of the earth. 

“Many years were spent building the Tower. The ascending steps were on the east and the descending steps were on the west. It reached such a great height that it took a year to mount to the top. A brick was therefore more precious to the builders than a human being. If a man fell and died they paid no attention, but if a brick fell down, they wept, because it would take a year to replace it.” (Artscroll commentary)

Our generation is exactly the same, with the same unity, the same cruelty and the same worldwide rebellion. There is something today which unites every person in the world, whether they are living in a yurt in the Gobi Desert or a penthouse in Midtown Manhattan. 

It is called the Internet. 

Every person in the world can see the same image and hear the same words in the same millisecond. Every aspect of our world is run by the internet; everyone is connected by the internet. It is both the strength and the weakness of the entire world. 

One can launch an atomic warhead by pressing a few keys. What power!

What weakness!

The moment this system collapses, the entire world structure will collapse (as described in my book, 2020 Vision). The only thing that can save us is if we are holding tight to Hashem and His Torah. 

“Before Moshiach comes, Hashem will stretch a rope from one end of the world to the other and shake it vigorously. Those who hold on tightly will survive. Those who let go, won’t. These turbulent times are testing us in our faith in Hashem. We must hold on tightly until the end.” (The Chofetz Chaim as quoted in my book, Hold On)

Every day, after Aleinu, we say, “Do not fear sudden terror or the holocaust of the wicked when it comes. Plan a conspiracy and it will be annulled. Speak your piece and it shall not stand, for Hashem is with us. ‘Even until your seniority I remain unchanged and until your … old age I shall endure. I created you and I shall bear you. I shall endure and rescue.’”

There may be hope, my friends. 

“Let him put his mouth to the dust. There may yet be hope.” (Eichah 3:29) 

Yurt in the Mongolian Desert