The more I think about achdus, the more convinced I am that this is the key to our yeshua. In this week’s Parsha achdus is highlighted as perhaps nowhere else, because of Rashi’s famous comment: we stood at Har Sinai “k’ish echad b’lev echad … like one man with one heart.” (Shemos 19:2) This implies that we received the Torah from Hashem only because we were united.
I would like to stand on Mount Everest and trumpet this around the world, because I believe this is the only thing which can save us from the fierce hatred of our enemies.
The hatred of our enemies is a mirror. We are reflected in the mirror. Their hatred is in direct proportion to our internal hatred. This is mida keneged mida! We are not understanding this, and -- because we are not understanding it -- we are not able to save ourselves.
It’s not a question of “PR.” It’s a question of teshuva.
We are supposed to imitate Hashem. For example, Hashem is full of chessed and we are supposed to be full of chessed. Every day we say “Hashem Echad … Hashem is One.” As I understand it, when we say the Shema, it is appropriate to understand that the mercy of Hashem and the justice of Hashem – which sometimes seem at odds with each other – are one! His justice is completely merciful and His mercy is completely just! And so, Hashem Echad. He is One. All that happens in this world emanates from the One Benevolent Master of the Universe.
If we are supposed to imitate Hashem, that means that we are also supposed to be “one.” That means that even our Yetzer ha Ra is for our good. It means that we are supposed to use the power of the Yetzer ha Ra for good by harnessing it so that it performs the ratzon of Hashem. Thus, we say every day: “compel our evil inclination to be subservient to You!” If our evil inclination is subservient to Hashem then we will also be “one,” and we will be imitating Hashem!
What other entity needs to be “one?”
Am Yisroel, the Children of Israel!
Every Shabbos afternoon we say, “Ata echad … You are One and Your Name is One, and who is like Your people Israel, one nation on earth!” Am Yisroel is also “one!”
I would like to say that, at the very moment when we become “one,” Hashem will instantly bring about the Geulah Shelemah. Just as He came to speak to us “in person” at Har Sinai, so He will come again and announce the Geulah Shelemah! As we say in Shabbos Mussaf, “He will let us hear in His compassion, for a second time, in the presence of all the living …. I am Hashem your G-d.”
So why aren’t we getting this? Why do we continue to scream at each other! Why? It is suicide! It is the biggest tragedy in the world! Is it so difficult to make peace?
Yes! It really is difficult! The Yetzer ha Ra is huge! The power of ego is huge! The Satan is so much more powerful than we realize!
Real life drama: my wife just said to me, “Please write this email for me.”
I replied, “Do you really need me to do this?”
She replied to me: “If I hadn’t needed it, I wouldn’t have asked you.”
My friends, I knew that my wife needed me to do this. So why did I reply like that? I knew that it would annoy her, but I still “pushed the button.” Why do I do things which I know will bring about contention and annoyance and separation? Why?
My friends, the Yetzer ha Ra is so deep and strong. I don’t think we understand. This needs intense concentration and work if we are going to dig ourselves out of the pit. Right now we are hardly thinking about this, but it is the key to survival on every level.
My mother’s maiden name was “Salant.” As you probably know, I grew up in the grip of deep assimilation. But my mother had this “Salanter” neshoma. She just did not feel at home living the life of American affluence. I believe that I inherited this attribute, and that is why I was blessed with the suffering I endured until my wife and I finally came under the Wings of the Shechina. Rabbi Yisroel Salanter understood that we – in the final generations before the Geulah – will have to work intensely on ourselves in order to “arise and depart from the upheaval.” (Lecha Dodi)
It takes intense work, but we have to break out of this quicksand. The mida of ahavas Yisroel is difficult to acquire. But we need to live! We need to break out! We need to confront our trapped neshomas and arise from the mud.
“You have dwelt too long in the valley of weeping!” (Lecha Dodi)
We can stand again in the Presence of Hashem if we make the effort to become one. This is our ticket to victory. We will succeed because we must succeed! There really is no choice. As the Torah says: “Choose life!”
May we see that day soon!
GLOSSARY
Achdus: unity within the Jewish People
Ahavas Yisroel: love of one Jew for another
Chessed: mercy, charity, kindness
Geulah Shelemah: the Final Redemption
Har Sinai: Mount Sinai
Mida: character trait
Mida keneged mida: the punishment is consistent with the sin
Rabbi Yisroel Salanter: a great rabbi of the Nineteenth Century
Shechina: the Presence of G-d
Shema: the expression of allegiance we say every day to G-d
Teshuva: repentance
Yeshua: Salvation
Yetzer ha ra: the inclination to do evil within us
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