It is not easy to watch the events in Israel unfold from a distance. It may seem strange or sound silly to some people, but I find it very troubling. There are friends and family to be worried about and all of the other usual concerns.
So I go through my little checklist of things that I do to make myself feel better and find that they ring a little hollow. Sure I have my own troubles and challenges but I am not worried about bombs or missiles being dropped on my head.
And it all comes back to a desire to get on a plane and go to help. You know this is one of those times in which reality really smacks you in the face. There is so much more to say and suddenly the words just won’t roll off the keyboard.
Let me try and sum it up here. I truly don’t wish ill on the innocent and I feel badly for those who are going to pay a terrible price for things someone else did, but I don’t see too many options.
Nasrallah and company need to be eliminated and their names erased from memory. G-d speed to our soldiers and those that protect our safety.
We can all help with prayers, corny as it sounds. Here’s some thoughts on that — from the Tehilim Online newsletter — on how Israel fought the Midyanites…
The Midrash tells us that 3,000 men from each tribe were conscripted into the army to fight Midian (12 tribes = 36,000); 12,000 men to fight in the army, 12,000 men to care of the weapons and another 12,000 to pray for the success of the warriors in battle. An equal number of men were reserved for prayer as was sent out to battle and they were required to leave the camp of the Israelites and stand in prayer in close proximity to the battlefield!….
Now, the nation of Israel is in great danger from the Hezbollah, yemach shemam, and the forces of Lebanon, it is up to us to assume the role of the prayer battalion standing at the side of the Israeli Army and all the endangered Jews around the world.
So now we continue to wait and see.
I hear you and completely agree…
My immediate thoughts were “why am I not there” But the truth is we would be a bigger burden than a help right now. What we should do is whatever we can from here now. The lists you and others have put up are a great start. I just hope this is all over and soon.
Agreed. I’m rarely at a loss for words, but those few words I can think of right now seem trite.
And then I feel guilty about focusing on my own worries. We may be experiencing dangerous heat and humidity locally, but as you pointed out, there’s little fear of it being interrupted by missiles.
V’emru amen.