It’s Something I Should

How do we rise to the challenge of being Jews in a world that is daily becoming more terror-dominated and antisemitic? Do we eat more bagels and lox? Do we spend more time at the country club? That Isn’t Something I Should (ISIS) do right now, is it?

The recent wave of terror by ISIS over the world has left most people scared and worried about the future. Vicious acts of violence by this group have many people gripped and paralyzed in fear. To add to this, the media which does not have anyone thinking about Emuna, are reaping the profits in showing the images of blood and death to only attract viewers to their sites in order to make money by advertising. The world chooses to run on fear, but the nation of Israel chooses to run on its connection to Hashem.

Why did Hashem have to make this group emerge, it keeps getting more violent every several years. Is there a message?  Rav Shalom Arush brings in his classic work The Garden of Emuna that transgressions of Hashem’s will lead to difficulties in life – not as a punishment, but to stimulate us to do soul searching. Basically to get us thinking about what is important in life, and not what am I going to have for desert, the soufflé or crème brulee?

People who are not in tune with their Torah observance are living their lives in the dark. In 2013 the PEW report on 5,000,000 Jews in America found that the most important thing for Jewish identity was “having a sense of humor.” That means identifying with Hollywood and it’s pitiful expressions of humor.  We are a stubborn people who have been asleep at the wheel. This is the bagel syndrome. Ignoring what our real essence is in favor of what the unknowing and often antisemetic world likes to paint us as.

American Jews today are in a very uncomfortable situation. The make-believe kosher lands of New York and other Jewish communities allows them to feel that they are OK as long as they are “Glatt” while ignoring Hashem’s continual messages to come home to Israel. On the other hand the less observant also excuse themselves because they pay for their tickets for the two times a year they go to synagogue.

Let’s get real, being a Jew means being a commando in trying to become the best person you can be and not comparing yourself to others. It doesn’t mean knowing all the lines to Woody Allen or Adam Sandler movies. Being a Jew means fighting for what you believe in and making a difference in yourself. It doesn’t mean converting people or being right all the time, what is referred to as ‘chuzpa,’ no, being a Jew means looking at yourself in the mirror and asking yourself “Am I living a lie? Because one day I will die, and there will be an accounting.” What will the final score be? Choosing a life based on bodily lusts? Or refining the soul, and meriting eternity?

As Jews, we are different than others, but that difference can only be cherished personally by giving our soul attention, and not by ordering a bagel and shmear. Rabbi Klonymus Kalmish Shapira, the Rebbe of Piaseczna osb”m brings in his work “Chovat Hatalmidim” that “since you don’t actually feel this reality inside of you, you are mistaken to think you are ‘just another person’, and therefore you aren’t moved by the greatness of who you are, and sometimes you even have no desire to learn Hashem’s Torah and come so close to Him and hear His voice..”

We have to educate ourselves about Torah and Emuna, because we are Hashem’s army in the world, to bring light through the teachings of morality.  The problem is that we are stubborn and quit before we even really make an effort.  We make excuses when difficulties present. But ladies and gentleman, we are commandos that have seen the world turn itself on us time and time again. From ovens to UN investigations, nothing will change until you do.

The famed “Arizal,” father of Kabbala from Safed taught that we encounter most resistance in the area of our mission on earth.  This means that what is hard for us personally; turns out to be our goal. But if it’s our mission then why would Hashem make it hard for us? Answer: Hashem made it hard for you to do _x_ so that you will use your free choice to fight the rationalizing that you have and choose to do good. Hashem wants to show you that you can be all you can, but you need to choose to fight. If you don’t choose to fight, then you aren’t correcting the world. If you choose to fight, you can change the world.

That being said, take this with you, as you hear more and more about ISIS, rather than getting scared, take a stand yourself and say, “Strengthening my emuna and my Jewish Identity Is Something I Should do.” Meet your personal challenges head on, fight and never give up!