Something interesting is happening in the global world. Something even more interesting is happening to us, the residents of the Promised Land, in that our eyes remain closed and our bodies refuse to be moved by all the interesting situations that have accompanied us over the past year.
''Nature', which was our best friend in the last century, decided to challenge the world with deadly climate change and destructive phenomena that we were unaware of, and for some reason we don't open our eyes.
But perhaps in fact, it is precisely the thought that 'nature' is going crazy, and not the understanding that someone is driving nature crazy and asking us to pay attention to it, perhaps this reason is what causes us to be blind for just a moment, and for another moment.
To assist the Chabad House of Nepal
To the chain of unpleasant natural phenomena of 'tornadoes', 'hurricanes' and terrifying gridlock on the streets, last weekend was added the great earthquake in Nepal, the strongest in its power in the last century.
In an instant, the country became a battlefield. The great earthquake, measuring close to an eighth on the Richter scale, shook Nepal and caused real destruction over a huge radius.
Houses collapsed like houses of cards, burying thousands under the swords. Historic buildings, architectural gems, all turned to dust. The images coming from the capital Kathmandu show harsh and indescribable sights. Barefoot children calling their parents' names, and worried mothers mourning the loss of their loved ones, are just part of the great tragedy that continues even now at the scene of destruction.
The ultra-Orthodox Jew from Palestine, who only learned of the extent of the destruction when Shabbat ended, probably clicked his tongue and muttered something about "Israelis who might be there and how many are endangering their families in the country.".
If he belongs to ZAKA, he may or may not have bothered to find out whether an aid mission will be sent and when. Even the more 'compassionate' and sensitive ones, who are busy providing aid and assistance, revolve their concern and actions around the Jews and Israelis who were exposed to the earthquake and have not yet made contact.
But has anyone checked what is happening to themselves?
Not with himself who is in Nepal or the Himalayas, not with himself who is in the stage before climbing Everest, because he is not there. With himself who is in Bnei Brak, Jerusalem and Modi'in Illit. With himself who is at home on a comfortable sofa and on a made-up bed, with himself who is completely whole in body, but unfortunately too whole in soul.
The shaking and destruction happened far away, and the victims were not Jews, thank God. But hey, the destruction and tragedy happened in our world, under the same sky and by the same leader who wakes us up in the morning and gives us our lives.
Isn't this a good enough reason to keep an eye open, hold your heart, and cry out over the destruction? Doesn't the heartbreak and the shock of the soul define us as victims of the disaster, and as such we must worry and change direction?
Define, and how.
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""And sometimes incidents are renewed in remote places and on distant islands, so that Israel may awaken in repentance and fear and be afraid lest the calamity come upon them... And when they are not tormented by the evil of others, the calamity goes on and on and on and comes closer. And whoever sees these tribulations, which are truly warnings from God, blessed be He, and still holds to the path he has walked, is like one who commits a transgression and receives a warning for it and allows himself to die.".
These wonderful things were not spoken by Rabbi Steinman, Shlita, nor were they written by the 'Rabbis and Council Sages' in a loud voice. This moral discourse was demanded by our Rabbi Nissim, the Ran, nearly a thousand years ago, probably following a similar earthquake in a historical kingdom.
The rabbi is no longer with us, but the words, sharp, cutting, and agonizing, stand before us today and are just as relevant as they were then, before the development of technology and the virtual proximity to virtually anywhere in the world. And to me, they are a little more relevant.
When something happens somewhere in the world, says the Rabbi, it happens "there" but it must have an impact "here", in the Jewish world.
The eyes, those that won't open in a distant blow, will be forced to blink hard when the blow is right under their noses in a blinding and alarming light of "Where have you been?".
– So how come the Jewish heart isn't shaken by 7.8 on the Richter scale?
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Maybe it's nice, and even a little self-righteous, to worry about and feel the personal pain of the Gentiles in Kathmandu, but that's not it.
The shock and awe, the fear and anxiety are not because something bad happened to "them," and not because of the fact, which is unfortunate, it must be said, that thousands of dead people are lying like a dove on the streets of a city.
The awakening should only occur because we know for sure who the plague is and what its purpose is, and especially who the real plagued ones are, who just 'coincidentally' do not live under the same global 'plateau'.
Wake up, sleep, wake up.
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