“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Beshalach/Shabbos Shirah
16 Shevat 5784/ January 26, 2024
BEYOND HOME
I just returned from a wonderful week in Eretz Yisroel. The
main purpose of my trip was to visit our two children who are learning there
this year.
However, due to the war and that fact that it is
a time of significant challenge and difficulty for Klal Yisroel, I wanted to
contribute in whatever small way I could.
Based on the suggestion of friends, I joined a bunch of
WhatsApp chats. One is dedicated to posting opportunities in fields and on
various kibbutzim to pick fruits or help with basic farming. With so many
soldiers at war, there is a need for volunteers to help maintain livelihoods
and the Israeli economy.
There is another WhatsApp group for making sandwiches or
meals for soldiers, tying tzitzis for soldiers, delivering food, etc. Another group
posts opportunities to help families that have been relocated to hotels in
Yerushalayim because their communities are too close to the war front. There
are posts for babysitters to help overwhelmed mothers and setting up activities
for the children. They also post sad information about funerals and Shiva
visits for soldiers killed at war.
Every morning and throughout the day my phone would buzz
nonstop with holy Jews on these groups looking to contribute in any way they
could.
I rhetorically asked a few people if in Ukraine
there are similar WhatsApp groups set up for people eagerly looking for
opportunities to help fellow Ukrainians suffering from the effects of war.
What a people we are!
One
of the things I personally did was to join a day trip close to the southern
Gaza border, arranged by a wonderful volunteer named Yossi Hoffman.
On the day of the trip, our bus left
Yerushalayim and made its first stop outside Kibbutz Takuma, where the vehicles
burned on October 7th have been moved to. It’s a frightening and horrendous
site. Tens of burned-out skeletons of cars and vans are piled up in a mass
junkyard.
From
there we continued to the site of the Nova music festival, one of the main
targets of the October 7th massacre. There are rows of pictures of and messages
to the victims and hostages. It is absolutely heartbreaking.
Our next stop was at Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the hardest hit
areas. The Kibbutz is located along the Gaza border. On October 7th, the
terrorists entered the Kibbutz before 7 am and went from house to house
unimpeded until the army finally arrived at 1:30 pm. Aside for six, every house
on the Kibbutz was destroyed or sustained terrible damage. A third of the
population of the Kibbutz was murdered or taken hostage. Even now, over three
months later, the smell of incineration hovers above the Kibbutz. In between
the burned-out homes, beautiful fruit trees grow as birds chirp peacefully
above. It is the cruel contrast of life.
We
were led through the Kibbutz by a resident of the Kibbutz who lived through the
horrors of that day. He recounted what happened to each home, relating the name
of the family and what happened to every member of the family. This included
the home of Kfir Bibas, the cute redhead who recently “celebrated” his first
birthday in Hamas captivity. While walking through the Kibbutz we heard
powerful explosions nearby in Gaza.
Our final stop was the main objective of our trip, a barbecue
for over 200 IDF reserve soldiers on the Magen army base. Everyone who attended
the trip paid 400 Shekel to cover the cost of the barbecue. The total cost of
the barbecue exceeded 35,000 Shekel. All the extra food was delivered across
the border into Gaza later that night. After we ate, there was also a DJ and
spirited dancing with the soldiers.
I had the opportunity to speak to a few of the soldiers,
including the Rabbi on the base. It was a very enriching and enlightening experience.
I should add, that two of the soldiers from that base were of
the 21 soldiers tragically killed this week in Gaza. The battalion is entering
Gaza for 12 days at the end of the month.[1]
It was a very special and moving day.
I asked Yossi Hoffman why he invests so much time and effort
to arrange these trips when he doesn’t make a penny from it. He replied that as
a volunteer for Zaka he witnessed terribly traumatic things on and since
October 7th. He feels an overwhelming need to continually contribute to Klal
Yisroel to maintain his own sanity and this is part of how he does so.
Yossi also delivers food packages for 4500 soldiers every
Shabbos, with most of the food being delivered into Gaza. Each package contains
food for two Shabbos meals and costs $36 each. That means Yossi must raise
$162,000 EVERY WEEK to maintain his incredible chesed campaign to help our
soldiers and enhance their Shabbos while stationed in a most miserable place.
Since the beginning of the war, he has raised over $1 million.[2]
During the first plague in Mitzrayim - blood, the Torah
relates that Pharaoh turned towards his home and didn’t hearken to the message
of the plague. Commentaries explain that Pharaoh had his servants purchase more
than adequate amounts of water for the palace. Despite the fact that his
country was suffering miserably, he was able to go back into the palace and
hardly feel the effects of the plague.
Hamas and our enemies are worthy students of Pharaoh, lacking
care or concern even for their own people. What matters most is their evil
agenda.
Contrast Pharoah with Moshe who grew up in the
palace in the lap of luxury. Yet he left the comforts of the palace to seek out
the pain of his brethren and to help them in any way he could.
Moshe, our greatest leader, taught by example the way of the
Jewish people. When others are in pain, we don’t close our doors and slink back
into the comforts of our own homes. We worry for each other and concern
ourselves with the collective pain of our people. This is especially true as
the world hypocritically demonstrates indifference to our suffering.
As the signs and messages on the busses say throughout Eretz
Yisroel, ביחד ננצח
- Together we will be victorious.[3]
Shabbat Shalom
& Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani
and Chani Staum
[1] The
following video is about the two soldiers who were killed this week (please
note that the background music has Kol Isha):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLIdWclIVVs
As the battalion prepares to enter Gaza, the Rabbi of the battalion
who I met sent me the following information for those who wish to donate to
their security:
The campaign for fundraising for the
Meler Battalion has launched! Together we will reach the goal to equip all our
soldiers with protective equipment:
https://youtu.be/EaAOLVFfA4U?si=aR6aiYs0k2CRzYyu
For donations:
[2] The following video explains more about the
incredible Shabbos package given to the soldiers each week:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fPIhvjJ22JJf_10LvI6xZNxzhLcrAvNl/view?usp=drivesdk
The following is the link for
Yossi’s ongoing campaign to bring meals for the IDF for Shabbos:
https://secure.cardknox.com/ozerdalim
In addition, I can give Yossi’s WhatsApp number to anyone who would
like to contact him directly for more information.
[3]
Please note that I am happy to directly share the links or further discuss
these important causes with anyone who would like. Please email me at: Stamtorah@gmail.com.