Generation of Mashiach
Rather than planning a dangerous mission against Iran that could erupt into a World War III, our people would be much better off just crying out for Hashem.
Gog and Magog, Part 2
What worries me most in our terrible circumstance in these times – the Jewish people are in deep spiritual slumber. We've lost our sensitivity. It used to be that when an Israeli soldier was killed in a border clash, the entire country would cry out in mourning. Now, when there's a suicide bombing with fatalities, people barely bat an eyelash. It used to be that when a Jewish girl in Chicago married outside of her religion, every single Jew in the city would be shocked, as if it were his own daughter. Now, who cares about intermarriage? Who cares about our people dying off? Where did our sensitivity go? Ah, that's the principle of Rebbe Nachman of Breslev – we're in exile, a spiritual exile.
Nobody yells out to Hashem anymore. People have lost faith in prayer. Few people cling to emuna, real emuna, like our forefathers did. We're in danger of losing the battle; not so much the physical one, but the spiritual one. That's the threat of Gog and Magog – a nuclear cloud of agnosticism that destroys emuna. Our prayers, our powers of kedusha – the holiness of speech that should be giving us the reign over angels – is in exile. Rather than overcoming our enemies, the main enemy – the Evil Inclination, who Iran and Hamas are only minor physical manifestations – is threatening our very survival.
I meet so many people whose trials and tribulations are making them crazy and causing them to lose faith. Rebbe Nachman of Breslev says this is the war, the test of emuna.
The only way to win is to strengthen our emuna, and to believe that no matter what happens, Hashem does everything for our ultimate good – Hashem doesn't punish, He gives us difficulties to correct our soul.
Whenever we are faced with a difficulty in life, we should accept it with emuna, and say: “Hashem, You are righteous and just in everything You do to me – everything that happens in life comes from you! But Hashem, have mercy on me, even though I don't deserve a thing…”
Once we accept Hashem's justice, we can ask for mercy. But, we have to hold on strong with emuna. We must beg Hashem to strengthen our faith. Hashem wants to strengthen our emuna, but emuna is a treasure that Hashem doesn’t give out lightly. We have to work hard for it. Once we do, we are rescued!
Developing Emuna and our own personal relationship with Hashem is our entire purpose on earth, for more than anything, Hashem wants us to have emuna.
Hashem want us to shine His countenance on us. But, the more the Evil Inclination controls a person, makes him or her transgress and become slave to all types of bodily pursuits and physical desires, emuna is weakened. When emuna is weakened, a person's spiritual vessel – the soul – can't contain the Divine light. So, Hashem turns away, otherwise He'd destroy the person, since a 40-watt bulb can't handle 2000 watts of direct current. When Hashem turns away, troubles can now enter a person's life, for in spirituality, there's no void: when Hashem's light leaves, the Evil Inclination's darkness fills the void. So, as our sages teach, that there are no tribulations without prior transgression. A person's own wrongdoing, his or her own lack of emuna, cause all the suffering!
If a lack of emuna causes suffering, then the reinforcement of emuna invokes a salvation. Do you have a problem? Who doesn’t? Turn to Hashem, cry out for His help – talk to Him, plead with Him, beg Him! Just as a tzaddik's speech reigns over angels, Hashem allows those people with emuna to literally ask for whatever they want. Hashem saves those who trust Him completely from hopeless situations that defy any natural solutions – I can tell stories about this all day long.
Our tribulations are all tribulations of emuna. Rebbe Nachman of Breslev saw that this would be the war of the generation before Moshiach. That’s right, the Rebbe saw each of us and our grueling challenges in life – the financial problems, marital, child education, terror, military service, war – the Rebbe saw everything that each of us would be faced with.
The War of Gog and Magog is the war against our emuna – our faith – and not against Iran's nuclear missiles of the Hamas suicide bombers. Rather than planning a dangerous mission against Iran that could erupt into a World War III, our people and country would be much better off just crying out for Hashem.
One of the worst manifestations of Gog and Magog is drugs and narcotics, an international epidemic that has affected our people around the world. Rather than meeting the challenges of our times with emuna, because true emuna neutralizes stress, anxiety, depression, and all other negative emotions – people prefer to drug themselves, to put themselves in a stupor. I'm not talking about illicit and illegal drugs only, I also mean the drugs that psychiatrists prescribe – drugs destroy emuna.
Emuna is the power to cope, the more emuna, the more one is connected to Hashem, the more one can cope. Rather than coping, the victims of Gog and Magog – those who are weak on emuna – run to drugs.
Gog and Magog is the battle about who will hold on with emuna. Rebbe Nachman said in his discourse #35 that this would be the final war, and that few would hold on. He tells a story that the souls all went before the Heavenly throne and complained, "Hashem, what's going to be the end to our never-ending series of reincarnations? We foul up in one reincarnation, and who says we'll do any better in the next one? Many of us never achieve a place of eternal rest. Hashem, this is unbearable!"
Rebbe Nachman explains that Hashem hears them out, and then gives his heavenly verdict, "OK, I won't send you on limitless reincarnations any more. Would you like a final soul correction? Good – I'll send you to the last generation before Moshiach – your tests of faith will be excruciating. Few of you will succeed. The entire world will be against you and many of you will be destroyed, dying a spiritual death. BUT, those of you who hold on tight with emuna, despite the bombardment of everything around you that tries to convince you otherwise, despite grueling tribulations, with the whole world against you, you shall receive your final soul correction! You shall achieve eternal bliss as your reward, and will never have to reincarnate again! Just hold on tight to your emuna!"
The souls are ready to accept any punishment, but not another reincarnation.
Rebbe Nachman is talking about us! Our generation! This is the war of Gog and Magog that the prophets said so few people will be saved.
To be continued.
