If you have lived in Israel over the past few years, you have heard the loud buzzing sound which comes from your phone warning of an impending missile attack. It is jarring, ominous and goes right to the solar plexus.
My wife and I are currently in the U. S. Recently, we were sitting and talking when suddenly that same sound came out of our phone. But wait! Are we in Israel or America? What is going on?
On the phone was a notice: “Imminent Threat Alert: Tornado warning!”
My friends, wherever we are, we are surrounded by danger!
What is the Torah’s guidance?
“All the nations surround me. In the Name of Hashem I cut them down!” (Tehillim 118)
This is the Torah’s prescription: “B’shaim Hashem.” Everything we think, say and do has to be “b’shaim Hashem.” This will protect us and this is all we need to protect us.
At bedtime, we say a series of powerful tefillos designed to invoke protection at night. “B’shaim Hashem … In the Name of Hashem, G-d of Israel, may Michael be at my right, Gavriel at my left, Uriel before me and Raphael behind me.” We ask Hashem to send Malachim to protect us from four sides.
But what about protection from above? What about “al roshi?”
When it comes to dangers from above, only the Shechina Itself can protect us. Just as the blessing of rain comes down directly from Hashem, it appears that only Hashem can rescue us from dangers which rain down from the sky, whether the danger is a tornado or a hostile missile.
Rosh Hashanah is a few days away. This year and next year – for two years in a row! – Rosh Hashanah will fall on Shabbos. We have mentioned previously what this means. When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, we lack the benefit of the shofar. This is extremely important, even frightening. We have discussed how, historically, a Rosh Hashanah which falls on Shabbos has preceded a year which is either catastrophic or triumphant.
To give two examples: the Rosh Hashanah before October 7, 2023 fell out on Shabbos! But also, the Rosh Hashanah before Am Yisroel entered the Holy Land in the days of Yehoshua fell out on Shabbos. It all seems to depend on how we keep Shabbos, because adherence to hilchos Shabbos is what prevents us from blowing shofar.
For the next two years, there will be enormous pressure to daven with full hearts to Hashem to save us, pressure to honor and keep Shabbos in the deepest way, because our entire future apparently depends on the seriousness of our commitment to Shabbos.
Since we have no shofar, we must become our own shofaros and cry out with broken hearts from the depths of our being to Hashem to save us and to save the world which He created.
“Guardian of Israel, protect the remnant of Israel. Do not let us be destroyed, those who proclaim ‘Shema Yisroel!’” (Tachanun)
It seems clear that the next two years will be climactic in the history of the world. We are nearing the Seventh Millenium, which the Torah tells us will be the Millenium of Shabbos, when the entire world will be enveloped in the sanctity of Shabbos. In Mitzraim, the Geula came early because Hashem saw that His Children were about to be swallowed up in the darkness which was taking over the entire world. Now, as darkness descends once again on mankind, we need to cry out like a shofar in broken tones of anguish and beg that Hashem will shine upon us the Great Light which will illuminate the days of Redemption.
“I raise my eyes to the mountains. From where will my help come? My help is from Hashem, Maker of Heaven and Earth.” (Tehillim 121)
“The voice of my beloved: Behold it came suddenly, leaping over mountains, skipping over hills….” (Shir ha Shirim)
“May the light of the moon be like the light of the sun and the light of the seven days of creation …. And may the words be fulfilled: they shall seek Hashem, their G-d and Dovid, their King. Amen!” (Kiddush Levana)
May we be worthy of the Complete Redemption soon in our days!
GLOSSARY
Al roshi: from Above
B’shaim Hashem: In the Name of G-d
Geula: Redemption
Malachim: angels
Mitzraim: Ancient Egypt
Yehoshua: Joshua
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