The Short Vort by Rabbi Eisenman

*(This was the Drosha I was prepared to deliver yesterday, however, as the hour was late and the crowd was restless, I did not speak and present it now in its written form)

There are those who believe life has returned to “normal” in the land of Israel.

They claim the crisis is over, and so we can let down our guard (was it really ever up?), relax, open our Chanuka presents, overstuff our stomachs with jelly-filled donuts, and spin the dreidel and ourselves into a dizzying state of delusional denial.

Woe to those who validate their lack of empathy for the Jews of Eretz Yisroel by deluding themselves into believing that all is fine.

As the Talmud states in Taanis 11a:

“When the community is immersed in suffering, a person may not say: I will go to my home, eat and drink, and peace be upon you, my soul.”

The Gemara speaks strongly about those who do not share in the pain of their fellow Jews and the severe punishment such a person will face.

The Gemara then instructs us in the proper behavior a Jew should embrace:

“Rather, a person should be distressed and suffer together with the community. As we see with Moshe Rabbeinu (our teacher) that he was distressed and felt the pain together with the community as it is stated during the war with Amalek: “But Moshes’ hands were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it” (Exodus 17:12).

But didn’t Moses have one pillow or one cushion to sit upon; why was he forced to sit on a rock?

Rather, Moses said as follows: “Although I am not participating in the fighting, since the Jewish people are suffering, I too will be with them in suffering, as much as I am able.

(and therefore, Moshe sat directly on a rock without a pillow)

The Gemara adds: And anyone who is distressed together with the community will merit seeing the consolation of the community.”

I, too, may have begun to fall into the enticing and comforting delusional fantasy world of “all is back to normal.”

Is there a need to extend our daily davening with extra Tehillim?

Isn’t it better to live in denial and gain two minutes for coffee and cake?

I received my reality check before Shabbos.

Reality Sets In

This past Friday morning, Erev Shabbos Chanukah (December 27) began for me, as it did for the overwhelming majority of those reading this article in the usual manner, certainly without fanfare or concern.

My wife and I awoke and prepared to attend the Vaisikin Minyan in Shul.

After Davening, my wife went home while I remained in Shul.

Soon after, I was saddened by the news from Eretz Yisroel that, once again, those who live to murder Jews had, on Chanukah, extinguished the light of one of our precious Neshomos.

The report out of Israel informed us that Ludmila Lipofsky, who had just passed her 83^rd birthday on November 11, was murdered in cold blood by a terrorist.

At the time of death, she resided in an assisted living facility in Herzliya, a coastal city just north of Tel Aviv.

Mrs. Lipofsky was waiting outside the assisted living home for her daughter to take her to the doctor when she was attacked and mortally wounded.

For myself and for most of us, the event filled us with a sense of sadness as we were once again reminded of the constant life and death challenges that our brethren in the Land of Israel.

Yet, the heinous act took a personal turn a few minutes later.

As only Hashem can orchestrate the “coincidences” of our lives, my son Tuvia and his family were spending a rare Chanukah respite in Herzliya.

After being awakened in the middle of the night by sirens triggered by a missile attack from Yemen, the fifth time in the last eight days, the family was finally enjoying a quiet and relaxing Chanuka breakfast when several loud blasts punctuated their meal.

Tuvia, an IDF combat veteran who has completed two stints in the reserves since Simchas Torah 5784, immediately recognized the sound as gunfire.

Simultaneously, his Hatzolah radio (of which he is a steady and seasoned member) crackled to life.

Yet, as he looked at the Hatzolah radio, he noticed that this time, the dispatcher added the additional warning, “Only armed members respond.”

Grabbing his weapon and his Hatzolah vest, he cautiously yet professionally approached the active shooting location.

When he arrived, Brinks security guards, who were at the location for a drop-off, had wounded the terrorist and disarmed him of his knife.

Tuvia was among the first responders who attempted to assist the elderly Holocaust survivor.

Despite the heroic resuscitation efforts of Tuvia and other first responders, the situation was dire.

As Ludmila Lipofsky’s life was slipping away, Tuvia said Shema Yisroel with the dying woman.

The lives of Ludmila Lipofsky and Tuvia Eisenman intersected for one brief, meaningful, eternal Jewish moment on a street in Herzliya.

With the word “Echad” on their lips, they reaffirmed our commitment to Hashem.

On Chanuka, a holiday commemorating Jewish self-sacrifice, another Kadosh was added to the already lengthy list of Kedoshim.

As Ludmila Lipofsky was placed into the ambulance, Tuvia glanced at the street sign.

The name of the street on which Ludmila Lipofsky took her final breath was Kdoshei HaShoa- the Street of the Holy Kedoshim of the Holocaust.

The Lesson



Friday’s phone call was my wake-up call.

It reminded me that I must be more sensitive and empathic to my fellow Jews.

It was my reality check for me to remember that as we speak, there are thousands of holy soldiers risking their lives so that we can live.

Life in Israel is always precarious, as the events of Friday reminded us once again.

Today, as you gather for your family’s Chanukah party- before you bite into the jelly donut, before you eat your latke, and before you spin your dreidel, take a moment and say Tehillim 121 and 130 followed by Acheinu.

Say it with the same gusto normally reserved for the first bite of the 400+ calorie-laden donut.

Please look around the room, look for the oldest person present, and think for a moment about Ludmila Lipofsky and the Chanuka party she was planning to attend today and how, instead her daughter is sitting Shiva.

Say the Tehillim in memory of Ludmila Lipofsky and for the sake of the hostages still languishing in the dungeons of Gaza, and for all the holy soldiers risking their lives so that we can live.

And then give your loved one (or yourself) a hug and thank Hashem for all there is to be thankful for.

“If Not Now, Then When?”- Hillel

Ron Yitzchok Eisenman

Rav

Congregation Ahavas Israel

Passaic, NJ

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