Several years ago we read a story in the Yated of a
Jewish man who was saved from marrying a Dutch woman, in a
church. As he strode toward her seamstress' high- rise
apartment house in the Amsterdam suburb, on Yom Kippur, an El
Al plane crashed into it. He returned to Israel to learn more
about the One Who cared to call him back.
So we see a personal sign from Heaven, the full significance
of which was hidden in the quiet personal life of one of
Hashem's finest. If this story had not been made public one
would only have seen the seemingly senseless destruction.
What a boon that we have been informed. Our Father in Heaven
tends His flocks well. With what great love has He loved us!
With what tender care does He pick one or the other out of
the fangs of the spiritual and physical machinery of
destruction!
Since September 11th, I have been waiting to hear such a
story: of one among Hashem's lost legions coming to realize
his or her true calling. I took this book into my hands with
great expectations. Sorah Shapiro has gathered much amazing
information, soul-wrenching testimony and, significantly,
some of the most extensive rabbinical commentary on the
subject of this so unnatural disaster. This event surely
merited the attention granted it. Mrs. Shapiro and
Targum/Feldheim are to be lauded for their execution of the
task.
The many recorded accounts of those, who through their
scrupulous performance of the many "little details" of
Orthodox life were saved from the inferno, are worthy of
public scrutiny. Through such matters one can merit to go on
living to stock up on mitzvahs. They came late to work: one
after a bris, one after finishing his quota of
learning, one after accompanying the sick, and another
after bringing a fund collector to his destination... The
amazing thing is that these acts were done with little
thought as to the great benefit they might bestow upon the
giver. The focus was on the beauty of the healthy, voluntary
commitment to a way of life which expects its adherents to
forgo personal convenience when they see a chance to benefit
another or the community. Many who found their end in the
ruins were exposed, by their untimely demise, as paradigms of
benevolence and goodwill. May their blood be avenged. Often
their last moments were spent phoning friends and neighbors
to ensure that their soon-to-be-widowed wives or orphaned
children would be sufficiently cared for.
So many of our acts are hidden from the world. However there
is one moment when it is revealed, even here below, what
we're busy with. That is the moment we die. Everyone wants to
know where we were and how it happened. A true servant of
Hashem need not worry about this as he is constantly aware of
being watched. The saints among those who fell caused a great
Kiddush Hashem. Their stories move us to examine our deeds
and strive to continue their legacies. Sorah Shapiro has
given us a chance to review the facts and stories. May the
tears which dampen this volume of history not be shed in
vain.
Contrast these stories of kindness with the willingness of
those who are bent on finding the best methods of
destruction. Compare the Jewish ideal as against the
terrorists' goals: to destroy and to murder, to maim and to
dishearten. The world would blame us?
The reactions of the Rabbis, which comprise a good part of
this important work, are illuminating. Each one brings
another perspective into the discussion and fascinates us
with his relevant observations.
To quote one pithy observation by Rav Shlomo Brevda, "Do you
know what we want from a human being? Total consideration of
his or her environment twenty-four hours a day, never causing
sorrow, distress, pain, never! . . .
"The Creator is demanding of us to do teshuvah on this
middah. We have to become people who are living in
total, constant consideration of our environment, never to
cause destruction or damage to any inert object, vegetation,
animal or human being. Never . . .
"The Creator wants a mensch, but from Klal
Yisroel He wants more than menschen. ... The
Almighty wants a Yid -- someone who encourages, helps,
uplifts, and brings gladness of heart to every other Yid. Rav
Chaim Volozhiner would often say to his son, "The purpose of
man in this world is to live, not for his own purposes, but
rather to benefit others, in every possible way!"
"Let us work on this noble project -- smiling at others,
greeting them cheerfully, encouraging, forgiving, and
comforting. Bringing gladness to the Almighty's world. Let us
be the antidote to the pere odom. Let us hasten the
geulah."
The world would blame us?
On the surface we are not to blame, so why is the world blind
to our innocence? Because we have not merited to usher in
Moshiach Tzidkeinu. I still haven't read the stories
of those who were moved by this event to teshuvah.
Please, let's not keep the world waiting!
