From the Rabbi

In Exile, Never Alone

While in the lovely state of New Jersey this past week on a bar mitzvah trip with my son, I came across a pamphlet sharing ideas from Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum, who was the head of the Mir Yeshiva for many years. He quotes a passage from the Talmud (Megilla 29b) which says as follows: Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said, ‘come and see how precious the Jewish people are before G-d–that every place they were exiled, the Divine Presence was exiled along with them.” He goes on to quote how the verse in Parshas Nitzavim says “Hashem will return with your returning exiles.” The Talmud comments how it doesn’t say Hashem will return the exiles back to Jerusalem, but rather He HIMSELF will return alongside the exiles. 

To explain this curious concept, Rabbi Berenbaum gives a powerful metaphor: He describes how there are two individuals who happen to be best friends, who do everything together. Unfortunately, one of them was accused of a crime, and ultimately convicted to a lengthy prison sentence. At the moment when the convicted friend reported to the jail, his friend urgently ran into the prison entrance, encountered the officer in charge and told him that he would be unable to separate from his friend–that he needed to remain with him. The officer described to him that to make an arrangement in which he would be free to come and go as he pleased would be impossible– but if he really loved his friend so much, he could serve alongside him, and only leave the prison when his friend’s sentence was complete.  

Says Rabbi Berenbaum, this is what the Talmud means when it describes Hashem as being with us in galus– throughout our long and painful exile. He is not here as a visitor, who comes to be with us at selected times when we are in need. Rather, he is literally with us always throughout our exile. Like the individual in our metaphor who opted to remain permanently with his imprisoned friend until his redemption– Hashem remains with us, such that when we come back to Israel with the rebuilding of the Temple, HE will come alongside us, as the verse in Nitzavim describes. 

What a powerful lesson to consider during this time– the darkest time of our year, on the eve of Tisha Bav, the saddest day of the year. As hard as things are for our people– and they are extremely difficult these days– we find solace knowing that not only has Hashem not abandoned us, but He has been with us every second of the way. In every place we have been, at every moment of our history, the Almighty has been right there with us. And perhaps there is no better proof to this, than our very continued existence. Despite all odds– expulsion after expulsion–, pogrom after pogrom– forced assimilation after forced assimilation– we remain, still very much here.

With everything going on in the world– and levels of hatred directed at us many people have never seen in our lifetimes, it can truly feel suffocating. Specifically during these times, let us carry this thought with us. 

We will endure, as we always have.  Because Hashem is with us. He has always been with us.

 And He will never forsake us.