Yaakov said, "If Esav comes to the one camp and strikes it, then the remaining camp will survive" (Bereishis 32:9). Rashi adds: He readied himself for three things: for a gift, for tefillah and for war. The Medrash (Raba 76:3) states that these two camps existed at a later date. "The one camp that Esav/Edom/Rome attacked: these are our brothers in the south. The camp that survived: these are our brothers in exile. Even though they survived, they fasted for us, those under Roman rule, on Monday and Thursday." The Ramban cites the Medrash and adds that this parsha alludes to future generations (see Ramban 32:4, 33:15). The Ramban writes explicitly that a doron, a form of shtadlanus, must be utilized in all future generations, in addition to tefillah and war, as Yaakov did in his time. Esav will never destroy us. They will kill or rob us in one land, and another ruler will have mercy and save the refugees.
The Ramban's prescient words describe Jewish history since the time of the Ramban. Massacres, pogroms and expulsions occurred numerous times, in Europe and beyond. Each time, the survivors found refuge in a different land. The Meshech Chochma (Vayikra 26:44) adds that the survival of our small and weak nation, despite the travails in the diaspora for thousands of years, is an amazing miracle. We establish ourselves in one place for a century or two, only to be destroyed mercilessly and dispersed to faraway lands. This pattern repeats itself in order to preserve the nation and the purity of Torah. When Torah thrives, the new generation is prone to try something new, and abandon its religion. They will think that Berlin is Yerushalayim! Then a great storm will arrive and drive them to a faraway land. There they will rebuild, and their youth will excel in Torah. They will spread it in places where it had been forgotten. This is the way of Am Yisroel from the time of their wonderings in galus. These prescient words, anticipating (reportedly in 1860 see A Suraski, Demuyos Hod p. 123) the Holocaust based in Berlin, must give us pause as American Jews, particularly now that antisemitism has reared its ugly head. Sadly, it can happen here, even in this kingdom of kindness (see Igros Moshe, Choshen Mishpat 4:29), as Jewish history often repeats itself. Perhaps the words of Rav Chaim of Volozhin, uttered more than two hundred years ago, that America will be the last bastion of Torah before the coming of the Moshiach, (See The American Jewish Archives Journal Vol. LXXII p. 87 ff. by Zev Eleff) will spare this country from the fate of its European predecessors.
II
The Kingdom of Yishmael, father-in-law of Esav (Bereishis 28:9), is included in the last, longest and worst of the four kingdoms, namely Edom (Ramban, Bamidbar 24:20, Chavel Ed; Artscroll Daniel 2:40). On Simchas Torah, they attacked and murdered our brothers in the south, eerily recalling the phrase of the Medrash (in context, it is said to refer to Beitar and its environs, see Medrash Hamevuar citing Tanna D'bei Eliyahu Raba 10). All of Eretz Yisrael suffered, then and now, at the hands of Edom/Yishmael. In the relative calm of Bavel then, and America now, we fast and cry out to Hashem. In all generations, Jews in peaceful and prosperous lands help those in lands of crisis with tefillah and all types of assistance (Ibid).
Jews everywhere have responded to the worst pogrom since the Holocaust, and the ongoing battle against Hamas in Gaza, with heartfelt tefillah. The Rambam (Hilchos Ta'aniyos 1:1-3) considers this a Torah commandment. "When you wage war in your land against an enemy who oppresses you, you much cry out and blow trumpets. You will be recalled before Hashem and saved from your foes (Bamidbar 9:9). When a crisis besets the tzibbur and they cry to Hashem, all know that their misdeeds caused the punishment. This teshuva will lead to the end of the crisis. But if they do not cry out, but rather attribute the crisis to happenstance, this is cruelty, and causes them to cling to their misdeeds. This worsens the crisis, as it is written (Vayikra 26:27,28), "If you walk with me as if the suffering by the sword (25) happened by chance, I will walk with you with a fury of chance." Throughout the world, Tehillim is recited after each tefillah. In our community, under the guidance of Moreinu Harav Schachter shlit"a, Avinu Malkeinu is said at Shacharis and Mincha.
The Rambam continues (1:4): by rabbinic law one must fast when a crisis besets the tzibbur until they are saved by Hashem's mercy. This does not apply when most of the tzibbur cannot do so (1:5). While the Rambam refers to consecutive fasts, today's rabbanim are reluctant to call for any fast, presumably for this reason. Again following Harav Schachter shlit"a, many in our community fasted on erev Rosh Chodesh Kislev, a full day or at least half a day. In some shuls, such as ours, a minyan of fasters gathered for Mincha, with kriyas haTorah, haftora, and Aneinu. This accords with the Medrash that the camp that does not suffer the attack fasts on behalf of those who are suffering. In addition, as the Medrash Hamevuar notes, all types of help must come from prosperous lands. The economic needs of families of victims, and of displaced persons and communities, are staggering. Thankfully, American Jews have contributed generously. Much more is needed, and those who are able should give more. Many have gone to Israel to volunteer, helping practically in army bases and farms, and offering chizuk - encouragement, to our beloved brothers and sisters. Kol hakavod!
III
Jewish unity emerged on and since Simchas Torah in Israel, in stark contrast to the sad disunity of the previous year. The war sparked increased interest in religion in the so-called secular population. Soldiers, especially, asked for tzitzis and tefillin. Many citizens who survived miraculously started keeping Shabbos and/or other mitzvos. Many Chareidim volunteered to serve in Tzahal. Others performed acts of chessed for and in non-religious communities. Every tefillah and Perek Tehillim, every moment of learning Torah, every act of chessed is a merit to help save the lives of our soldiers, who are in constant danger. Their cries, both religious and secular, of Shema Yisroel and Ana Hashem Hoshia Na, are undoubtedly heard in Shomayim.
Here, there Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of American Jewish Organizations called for a major rally in Washington on Rosh Chodesh Kislev, November 14th. Close to 300,000 Jews of all persuasions and from numerous locations converged on the National Mall to march for Israel, to free hostages and against antisemitism. The rally was endorsed by Orthodox organizations, and their constituents comprised a significant percentage of the attendees.
The support of the American government is critical to the war effort in Israel. Experts in this area, both here and in Israel, felt that a strong showing at the rally would help in gaining and maintaining that support. As such, the halachic obligation of pikuach nefesh required attending the rally for those able to do so. This is my strongly held personal view, which was shared by my colleagues at Yeshiva. Certain objections were raised to the idea of rallying or to the details of this rally. It is critical to refrain from maligning others who act l'shem Shomayim, even if we strongly disagree, even in the absence of reciprocity.
May Hashem look down at all of His people, in Israel and abroad, who are all participating in the war effort by fighting, Davening, fasting, and rallying, each in his and her own way. We are all soldiers.
The Yerushalmi (Pe'ah 1:1) teaches that when soldiers are unified there are no casualties, even if united by avoda zara, as in the days of Achav. Infighting causes casualties, even in the days of David Hamelech. As such, unity is a matter of pikuach nefesh, saving lives of soldiers and citizens in Eretz Yisrael.
As we pray daily to our Father and King: nullify all harsh decrees against us, the designs of those who hate us, thwart the plot of our enemies, destroy every foe and accuser, shut the mouths of our accusers and attackers. Avinu Malkeinu, hatzmach lanu yeshua b'karov.
More divrei Torah, audio and video shiurim from Rabbi Willig