No News Is Good News
One evening, before retiring, I had an urge to glance at a newspaper. I wanted to know what was going on in the world. At that time, the security situation in Israel was delicate. Various wars were taking place throughout the world, and the financial situation in general was at a low. I was interested in reading the latest update.
I searched for the daily newspaper all through the house, but could find it nowhere. I kept looking, but to no avail. When I saw that I would not find it, I decided to change tracks. I took a sefer kodesh instead, and headed off to sleep immersed in holy words.
Upon awakening the next morning, I noticed the newspaper right in front of my eyes! I could not figure out how I had missed it the night before.
After some thought, I came to the conclusion that Hashem wanted me to retire with sanctified thoughts. This would allow me to arise with a feeling of holiness, which would escort me throughout the day. Hashem therefore arranged things so that the newspaper would elude me, and I would be spared being involved in mundane matters.
Frequently, for weeks on end, I disconnected myself from all forms of media. I would not even see a newspaper headline during this time. When I would ask a friend what was doing, he would reply, “Baruch Hashem, all is fine.”
When we are immersed in Torah study and utilize our time for holy pursuits instead of reading newspapers and listening to the radio, we actually feel the protection of the Torah. The world is tranquil for our fellow Jews. But when we fritter away our time, preferring to be updated on the news, we ourselves are responsible for the awful things we hear about. Misfortunes come precisely because of those who waste time from Torah study.
There are those who truly wish to commiserate with their fellow Jews in their suffering and therefore read about their distress. But they end up reading nonsense and gossip, stories of dishonesty and mendacity. Additionally, the time wasted from Torah study in pursuit of the news brings Heavenly prosecution upon our people. This, in turn, causes further tragedies and instability in the world at large.
When Torah is silenced, the hands of the nations are raised against us.
