Thoughts under fire

This past Wednesday, I was on a bus on my way to Jerusalem for a Sheva Brachos. The bus driver had the radio on and the radio announcer was giving updates on how many missiles had fallen that day. They proceeded to interview a number of people and it was clear that there was a lot of fear.

As I was listening, I couldn't help thinking to myself that the media is aiding the Palestinians in creating a panic in the general public. When seen through the eyes of the Torah's teachings on Emunah and Bitachon, this fear, while not unfounded, is not necessary. If we trust in Hashem and know that all He does is for our best, and that He is looking out for us, we have nothing to fear.

Perhaps I do not have the right to say this, as I am living in Ramat Bet Shemesh, where there are no missiles falling, b'ezras Hashem. But my relative who lives in Sderot does. He has told me on numerous occasions that he is not afraid of the rockets. He has tremendous trust in Hashem and knows that each missile has an address. He told me that when the sirens go off there in the middle of the night, others run to their bomb shelters, but he rolls over and pulls the covers over his head.

Tonight, after I had put my son to sleep, he called out and said that he was scared. I came back to his room and he told me that he heard at a neighbor's house something about missiles that made him fearful. I told him that we can trust Hashem, who is constantly taking care of us - providing for our food and all of our needs every day - that He will continue to do so. We have special protection because we are involved in learning Torah and are committed to loving Hashem and doing His mitzvos.

I also told told him something remarkable I heard on Rabbi Chanoch Teller's tape series called "The Righteous Live On." He has a whole lecture about the Mir Yeshiva's story of survival during World War II, and how they escaped to Shanghai. During the war, Shanghai was being bombed, and unbelievably, the natives there knew that if you wanted protection, you should gravitate to the Mir bochurim, as nothing would ever happen to them!

I told my son that we too have that protection, and we have nothing to fear. אמן, כן יהי רצון