Weekly Dvar Torah: Chazak Chazak V’Nischazek

By all standards this week was a difficult week.

The world is on fire, a senseless war is raging, havoc is reigning supreme, cities are being flattened, and millions of refugees are fleeing for their life.

Closer to home, we commemorated 30 years since the Rebbe suffered a debilitating stroke, and the voice that inspired us and gave us hope and guidance was silenced, and now when we need to hear this voice most, it is nowhere to be heard.

Yet, in middle of this frightening chaos, hundreds of heroes appeared blazing and shinning, saving lives while endangering their own.

In Kiev, Chernovitz, Odessa, Zhitomir, Kharkiv, Kherson and dozens of other cities in Ukraine, amazing young men put the lives of others ahead of their own.

They had no reason to stay, they all have citizenship of western countries, but they could not find a just reason to flee, because they had to look after their flock, and how can they abandon them when they need them for support, they are the captains on the sinking ship who jump last.

Why did they do this?

Our Torah and Chassidus is replete with ideas about the Neshama, the Jewish soul, we learn about our daily challenges to do the right thing, and we always struggle to choose right over wrong.

Let me share with you a message I got on Thursday from the holy Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm Shlita, the Shliach in Zhitomir, Ukraine.

Rabbi Wilhelm managed to send off all those from his community and his family for whom he was able to secure passage to safety, he stayed behind because he cannot allow himself to abandon his community, now he is there all alone caring for all those who cannot escape the fire of war.

“I learn all about the Nisyonos (G-dly tests) of the Torah, starting with our father Abraham.

“I learn all about the history of Mesiras Nefesh (self-sacrifice) that Jews had to endure in times of war, our history is replete with stories of suffering and heroism that our forefathers had to live through the ages.

“I am a Chocoladnik (from the chocolate-generation), who ever imagined that I will live under constant bombardment and plain destruction to an entire city where no one is safe, who ever thought that we will have to bunker in shelters just to be able to try to sleep through the night.

“Now I see this happening, and I have to make a choice.

“I came to this city because I was taught by the Rebbe that I must go to the furthest corner of the world to bring light and Judaism to Jews who need it, and now I must do what I can just to save their lives, as well as my own.

“I learned about the heroes in the books, but I never imagined that I will ever see this with my flesh eyes.

“I learned about struggling with myself about choosing between indulging in self-serving pleasures to doing what Hashem wants, now I have to choose if I should stay and lead whatever is left from my community with great risk to my life, just because I live for a cause, or if I should escape to save my life.

“May Hashem help that this misery will end with financial lose alone, without any loss of life.

“I pray, I pray that I make the right decision.”

We now meet the most unbelievable heroes who stepped up to the plate, who didn’t shy away from their responsibility to the Rebbe, to their mission, to their community who so desperately needs them.

Rabbi Wilhelm of Zhitomir, Rabbi Wolf of Odessa, Rabbi Erentrau of Zhaparoza, Rabbi Kaminetsky of Dnipro, and the roughly 200 Chabad Rabbis whose names escape me at this confusing moment, who went to Ukraine out of their own free will, just to follow the Rebbe’s requests to be Shluchim and to be there for all the Jews wherever they are.

Many of them took the call much after the Rebbe’s debilitating stroke, they did not get any direct instruction from the Rebbe, but the knowledge that this is what the Rebbe wants was good enough for them to bring them to some of the most backward countries and cities, just to be the mouthpiece of the Rebbe.

And now they are struggling to figure out a way not to have to abandon their communities in this time of crisis, out of a sense of responsibility, as leaders who represent the Rebbe and his message of love to every single Jew, just because he is a Jew.

Everything that we learned about the great souls and the most righteous people and the heroes throughout the ages, is now unfolding in front of our eyes in the form of our present-day heroes, the Shluchim of the Rebbe in Ukraine.

The Rebbe’s voice is as strong as it ever was and so much more powerful.

These days we are learning in Tanya a quote from the Zohar:

“בכיה תקיעא בלבאי מסטרא דא, וחדוה תקיעא בלבאי מסטרא דא”
I cry with one side of my heart, and I rejoice with the other side of my heart.

This week in Shul we will all shout out:
חזק חזק ונתחזק
Be strong, be strong, and be strengthened.

These holy living souls give us strength.

Oh G-d, have mercy and protect all the Shluchim, their communities, their cities, their countries, watch these holy Jews dancing under fire to the tune of Yaase Shalom, restore peace, let the world return to peace, send us the angel of peace, and the King of peace, Moshiach Now!

Have a prayerful and peaceful Shabbos,
Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Yosef Katzman

P.S. Rabbi Wilhelm is on his way to safety with a large group of his community, may G-d protect them.