בענין מסורת ספר קול התור והמסתעף, מספר הרב חיים אינהורן שליט”א בפורום “אוהבי ציון” (קבלתי רשותו לפרסם):
אחד הת”ח הבני ברקים העצניקים שאל את ר’ שמואל: אבל הרב שך באמת היה נגד הפגנות, ענה לו ר’ שמואל: כי הרב שך חשב שאנחנו בגלות, אבל מקובלנו מ’גדולי ירושלים’ שהקב”ה הביא אותנו לכאן כדי לתת לנו את ארץ ישראל, וממילא יש לנו תביעה על השלטון כאן!
שאלתי את הרב אינהורן מי הוא העד. הוא כתב לי שהעד נאמן עליו כבי תרי והעד אינו רוצה שיתפרסם שמו.
As the Chasam Sofer said: We don’t achieve; we act. Sometimes we are not held culpable, due to extenuating circumstances, or “Oness”. But there is no “Oness” for failing to purely desire. To wish and want is always within our power, and the results are up to Hashem.
Let’s admit the truth. Some of the resolutions we made are closer to wishes than plans…
The Baal Shem Tov told a parable of a Torah Scholar and an ignoramus who both passed away together.
They were both neighbors. The Lamdan would wake up early every morning, and hurry to Shul, where he would sit until about Chatzos calmly studying and praying. His simpleton neighbor would arise at the same early hour for work, only arriving at Shul for a hurried Shachris, at the same time his neighbor was leaving.
The learner, satisfied and pleased with his achievements; his fellow man sighing in pain at the life circumstances compelling him to pray in such a poor fashion, and full of yearning for the day he could pray in peace.
Nothing changed until they died. Both had sins and merits. But when these were measured up, the learner was harmed by his pride and the simpleton benefited by his sighs.
There is a similar story told of the Chazon Ish of blessed memory.
An Avreich came to him complaining of his frustrating routine. Every morning he wakes up with hopes and plans to study diligently, to make progress, to not interrupt his studies, to fill his daily quota in Tanach, Mishna, Gemara, and more, and not waste time. As the day goes by, his determination is weakened, and by its end, he cries bitterly at his lack of success in achieving his goal. “What will be the end?” he asked. “What can the rabbi advise me?”
The Chazon Ish answered:
Continue hoping and planning. Continue failing to implement your plans. And continue getting upset…
As the Chasam Sofer said: We don’t achieve; we act. Sometimes we are not held culpable, due to extenuating circumstances, or “Oness”. But there is no “Oness” for failing to purely desire. To wish and want is always within our power; the results are up to Hashem.
Let us not cease our good intentions, our seemingly useless efforts. As Chazal say: If one prays and isn’t answered, he should pray once more. Hakadosh Baruch Hu is all-capable. Perhaps he will yet have pity on us. And even if not, at least we won’t fall from the level we’re on, at least we will do what we can do.
Quoting a recent interview by Yoel Berman (author of “Living in the Land”) with frum olim during the first few weeks following the outbreak of the Simchas Torah war (Hamodia Sukkos 5785, “Persevering in the Land: A Raw Report, in the Words of Bnei Torah” page 52):
I reached out to quite a few Anglos who live here in Eretz Yisrael to get their input for this article. Different people brought up various issues and subjects, but there was one question I asked that almost everyone I reached out to had what to say about — why they would rather be here now more than anywhere else. Not if, but why!
“I know what it’s like to be in the U.S. during an Israeli crisis. Worry, worry, worry, and all you hear is bad news,” says Reva Rubenstein, who made aliyah to the Yerushalayim suburb of Agan HaAyalot this past summer. “Here, I am making challos for soldiers, baking for the displaced families in the south, going to say Tehillim with my beautiful neighbors, and feeling so close to Hashem. While the shiurim given in the U.S. are focusing on how terrible the times are, here the Rabbanim are stressing achdus, emunah, and bitachon. Baruch Hashem that we are zocheh to be here.”
Exactly!
Here are 2 select pages from the article (to replenish the Emuna stolen by Chutz La’aretz rabbis):
