A Strapping Nation Survives
Traveling by plane one time, I had a stopover in Frankfurt. From there, I needed to take a connecting flight to Eretz Yisrael. But when we reached Germany, instead of landing, the plane circled the airport for about forty minutes, as the terminal was crowded with other planes which had just landed.
This window of time afforded me the opportunity to reflect upon our nation’s history in general, and this country’s contribution to it, in particular. Terrible enemies have constantly tried to obliterate the Jewish nation. In the days of Mordechai and Esther, Haman tried to destroy our people. We were saved only in the merit of teshuvah. In later times, Hitler, that horrific despot, may his name be obliterated, tried to wipe us off the map.
At the German airport, I prayed Shacharit and donned tefillin. In the days of Hitler, which Jew could stand in a public domain and openly pray without fear? However, the Jewish nation will endure. Despite the gentiles’ constant attempts at annihilating Am Yisrael, our nation flourishes and establishes Torah institutions wherever they are. In order to drive home this message, a gentile stewardess approached me and asked if I would like a quiet room for my prayer.
Am Yisrael is the eternal victor.
