The Short Vort by Rabbi Eisenman

Today is a difficult day for the Jewish people.

We all heard the almost incomprehensible report from Israel that those who seek to destroy us brutally murdered Ariel and Kfir Bibas.

At the time of their abduction, Kfir was nine months old, and Ariel was four.

The enemy did not return the lifeless body of their mother, Shiri.

How do we react to such savagery?

Unfortunately, our history is stained with the blood of Jewish children murdered by those who seek to destroy us.

Over one million Jewish children were murdered during the Holocaust.



As we go into Shabbos and look at the Parshas HaShavua, one Passuk, in particular, stands out for its relevance to the current situation.

Hashem promises us that in the (hopefully near) future, "I will drive them out from before you little by little until you have increased and can occupy the land. And I will make your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of Palestine, and from the desert to the river, for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hands, and you shall drive them out from before you."

(Shemos 23: 30-31)

This means Hashem promises us that eventually, we will inhabit the land from Sea to Sea.

I am not a prophet and certainly do not know the intricacies of Hashem's plans or when they will be fulfilled.

However, I do know that Shiri, the mother of Kfir and Ariel, had hopes and dreams of raising Kfir and Ariel as proud Jews in the Land of Israel.

This dream of Shiri was not to be.

Why her dreams shattered, we do not know.

And as the Navi Yeshaya informs us regarding the ways of Hashem, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,"

Hashem has his plan, and we are patiently waiting to see the fulfillment of His words, while in the interim, we accept that we do not understand why Shiri will never bring Kfir or Ariel to their Bar Mitzvah.

Yet, what can we do in the interim for the Zechus (merit) of Kfir and Ariel?

We cannot bring them back; however, we can do something to perpetuate their memory.

By feeling the pain of each and every Jew and accepting and loving each and every Jew, we can make the senseless murder of Kfir Ariel and Shiri a catalyst for improvement.

I don't know if Shiri's and her husband's lifestyles were similar to the lifestyle of those reading this piece.

However, I do know she was a proud Jewish mother who loved her children unconditionally.

Perhaps that is a lesson we all can take from this tragedy.

Namely to love, accept, and cherish every Jew irrespective of our differences in lifestyle.

This past week, I had the merit of spending time with a couple whose level of strict observance of Halacha may not equate with the observance level of the majority of the readership.

However, I was blown away by the Chessed, philanthropy, and Tzedoka that this couple accomplished.

Their love of all Jews was breathtaking.

Perhaps that is something all of us should work on as we contemplate the tragedy of Kfir and Ariel.

Let us not just mourn their loss.

Let us set our minds and hearts to loving and accepting -without being judgemental- all Jews.

We say Hashem is "Ohev Amo Yisroel"- Hashem loves his Jewish people-

We must emulate Hashem and love ALL of His people unconditionally and without exception.

Hashem should respond in kind, and we should be reunited with Kfir, Ariel, and Shiri speedily in our days.

Wishing all a meaningful Shabbos.