Light Will Prevail Over Darkness
PARSHAS TOLDOS
Good Shabbos. A week ago, I spent Shabbos in NY with over 3500 Chabad Shluchim. It was amazingly inspiring to see Rabbis from thousands of communities around the world all who have left their families and loved ones to travel across the world to help other Jews.
Israeli Ambassador, Yeduda Avner, told a number of stories of various Israeli Prime Ministers and their interaction with the Rebbe. He spoke of the Rebbe’s keen insight and profound understanding of Israeli political affairs and of the great regard in which the Rebbe was regarded. Then he told a story from March of 1992 when the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was blown up by Arab Terrorists. Among the missing was a young Jewish mother by the name of Yael Michaeli. The Israelis had no idea where she was. Her sister, who lived in NY, called Chabad and asked if they could assist in tracking her down.
Ambassador Avner continued that Chabad contacted their Shliach in Buenos Aires and Rabbi Grunblatt indeed found Yael, badly burned, in a hospital. The Rabbi informed the family where she was and then, sat with her all night saying tehillem. Ambassador Avner then said: “I never before met Rabbi Grunblatt but I must thank him tonight, for that burned young missing Israeli woman, was my daughter Yael. He thanked Rabbi Grunblatt and all of the Chabad Emissaries for their care and concern and self sacrifice on behalf of World Jewry.
Less than one week later, we are all painfully aware of the barbaric murder of the Rebbe’s emissaries to Mumbai India, Rabbi Gavrial and Rivka Holzberg, and all of the others killed there this week, at the hands of terrorists.
What motivates a young orthodox Jewish couple to move from a religious enclave in Brooklyn, New York where there are kosher restaurants and Jewish schools and all kinds of Jewish programming to the other end of the world in Mumbai, India? Clearly it wasn’t a lucrative contract. It was done with one aim in mind: to help his fellow Jews. Despite the dangers for Rabbi Holtzberg and his wife Rivkah - living in Mumbai was the right thing to do, because it gave them the chance to provide for the religious needs of that community and the thousands who would visit it.
For 50 hours the world saw an encounter between the forces of good and the forces of evil. The fact that these young beautiful beacons of light have become prematurely extinguished is beyond tragic and beyond painful. I have no words to express the hurt. However I do know one thing - darkness cannot be allowed to extinguish light.
In Israel in 1956, the country was only 6 years old and Chabad set out to help by creating a small village to be known as Kfar Chabad. On the eve of Yom HaAtzmut of that year, a group of Arab terrorists made their way into the village and killed 5 boys and their teacher, and wounded 10 additional children.
The Chassidim were lost. The new village in this new country was the scene of terrible pain and death - what should the students do? Should they leave Israel and the Jews living there until it becomes a safer place to live? Perhaps it might be best to disband, and return to New York to live in safety. The pain was severe and numbing to most everyone who knew of the tragedy.
The Rebbe was asked how to proceed and this is the answer which he gave at that time. “Behemshech habinyan tinacheimu”, wrote the Rebbe, “By your continued building will you be comforted.” The message was clear. Only by adding light can we dispel and vanquish darkness.
That very night, the Chassidim of Kfar Chabad held a meeting to discuss how the Rebbe’s directive might be implemented. After a short discussion, a decision was reached - a vocational school would be built where children from disadvantaged backgrounds would be taught a trade. On the very spot where blood was spilled, a new building was erected. Since that time, Chabad had flourished all over Israel, and all over the world. The Rebbe sent additional students to help create more light and the rest, as they say, is history.
At the end of this week’s parsha, Esav seeks to kill Yaakov, who represents all of Israel. Yaakov refuses to give up, and builds a life and fathers the 12 tribes - the future leaders of Israel. Later, in next week’s portion, Yaakov is required to fight the guardian angel of Esav and is injured in that battle. Still Yaakov does not give up. He continues to do his best and indeed, Yaakov perseveres. “Behemshech habinyan tinacheimu, - By your continued building will you be comforted.” Keep doing what is right, and the light of those good deeds will vanquish any and all darkness.
I have no words to explain the tragedy of Mumbai. I am still numb thinking that the Rabbi who sat not far from me last week at the Chabad convention in New York will be buried this week as a martyr - having given up his life helping Am Yisroel. I do not know what the future will bring. But I do know that Chabad held services in Mumbai this week. And, a young Chabad couple has already volunteered to move to Mumbai and continue to provide for the needs of that Jewish community. I do know that light will prevail over darkness!
We may never be called upon to give up our lives as did the Holtzbergs but we can still add light to the fight of light over darkness. Let us all resolve to increase our Torah, our mitzvos, and our concern for other Jews. May we all do a mitzvah and help another Jew in the memory of Rabbi and Mrs Holtzberg and all of the others who were taken from us in this barbaric terroristic act of evil.
May G-d avenge their deaths. May we have only good news to report in the future. May G-d quickly send the Moshiach and usher in the era of peace and goodwill for all, and let us say, AMEN.
Tags: Light Over Darkness, Mumbai
