Casualties Should Not be Taken Casually
During the years of the Intifada in Eretz Yisrael, we constantly heard reports of the shaky security situation in the Holy Land. Men, women, and children were wantonly butchered at the hands of terrorists for no other reason than that they belonged to the Jewish nation. We could not remain indifferent to the crises of our brethren abroad and the bitter galut which they were suffering in their own Land.
One specific incident stands out in my memory. We heard about yet another terrorist attack, and I was praying tearfully that there would be no casualties. But, sadly, the media reported six deaths, may Hashem avenge their blood. Upon hearing this, I felt a stab of pain and pleaded with Hashem to end the suffering there. The numbers escalated to a total of eleven killed. But there were tens of injured, many in critical condition. When I thought of them, I wondered what type of life awaited them. Although they were spared death, the quality of their lives took a drastic turn. Who could know if they would ever return to normal living?
Many of my countrymen would cluck their tongues at the news filtering in from Israel. “How sad for our fellow Jews in the Holy Land,” they sympathized. But only a few hours later, they completely forgot about these fellow Jews and went about their forbidden pleasures without even thinking about making improvements in their lives.
Of course, when one hears sad news, he is not meant to fall into a black hole of depression. But some change is called for on everyone’s part. The Jews of Israel serve as sacrifices for the whole nation. They suffer on behalf of their fellow Jews world-wide. It is incumbent upon us to reinforce our Avodat Hashem. Maybe then we won’t need such shrill alarms.
