LEADING US, EVEN THROUGH TRAGEDY

Amazing answers received through the Igros Kodesh in response to the terrible tragedy in Nachalat Har Chabad.

Early Thursday morning, the day of the tragedy, three sixth grade classes from the Ohr Menachem girls’ school in Tzfas went on a trip. The trip’s destination, which had been planned a few weeks before, was Nachal Dan on the Lebanese border. While they were on the outing, they began to hear news of the direct hit on a building in Nachalat Har Chabad. They still did not know who was hurt and how many, but the reports on the various news sites spoke about a serious strike which didn’t leave room for optimism. After a while, the secretary at the school heard about the multiple tragedies.

The murder of a shlucha, another Lubavitcher and a neighbor, as well as the seriously injured husband and children, shocked them all, especially when the school had just marked four years since the murders of the shluchim in Bombay. This was yet another blow on the same date. Some of the women on the staff knew the shlucha. News of a errant mortar shell that came from Syria and landed in the Golan Heights, injuring a soldier, made the teacher in charge of the outing ask the principal whether they should continue on their outing or not.

THE CONCERNS AND THE ANSWERS

The principal, Mrs. Nechama Chaya Navon:

“There was the terrible tragedy that resulted from shooting from the south and there was fear of flare-ups in the north, with the girls only meters away from the border. All this worried us. Even though the Education Ministry approved the continuation of the trip, I wanted to ask the Rebbe about it. Should they come back or change their destination to some place far from the border? After making the requisite preparations, I took Volume 24 of the Igros Kodesh and opened it randomly to page 65. In the letter on that page, the Rebbe wrote about Yud Shevat. The Rebbe said:

In the words of the Baal Ha’hilula, Jewish heroes, defenders of the land, even when they return their souls to the bosom of their Father in Heaven, to whom they give up their souls… not only are they not separated from their flock, they also prostrate themselves at the base of the Supernal Throne, to stand before the glory of the high and lofty G-d to protect the nation and to demand the mercy and kindness of a Father for His son, his nation, his heritage.

I read the letter over and over. I was astounded by it. These were words that I don’t remember from other letters: Jewish heroes, defenders of the land, not only don’t they stop their work when they leave this world, but continue it then with greater strength.

I immediately connected this with the murder of the shlucha, but I still did not have an answer for the teacher who was waiting to hear what she should do with the girls. Should she continue on the outing as planned or go somewhere else?

I asked the Rebbe again for a clear answer to my question and opened the same volume again, this time, to page 338. Here too, the answer shook me up and I felt that the Rebbe wanted to convey a message through me. In a long letter, the Rebbe was responding to a woman who had questions about the Holocaust. He wrote that there is no difference between the deaths of many Jews and the death of one person when it comes to questions about G-d and justice.

The Rebbe went on to say that if there was no justice and no Judge, then there would be no questions or reason to seek logic, justice and order to explain that which happened in a random way, but since there is Someone in charge, then it is obvious that even the smallest detail has to accord with utmost righteousness.

When I finished reading this letter, I went on to the letter on page 341 and was amazed to read:

I was happy to be informed just now that your house was not hit by the bombs etc., so that I firmly hope that, all the more so, you and your family are fine.

May it be fulfilled in this matter and for all our Jewish brethren in Eretz Yisroel, and wherever they may be, the statement of our Sages that for whoever is granted goodness there will certainly be a continuation, goodness in the material and spiritual together.

The Rebbe was writing that he was happy to hear the house wasn’t damaged by bombs and he blessed the Jewish people in Eretz Yisroel that the situation continue to be even better. The Rebbe then went on to promise big miracles. One would think that this letter was written just now.

The Rebbe said that we would see the victory over the Egyptians and those who help them. This letter was written on Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5727/1967, after the Six Day War. Who helped Egypt? The same terrorists in the Gaza Strip who shoot rockets at us today. The Rebbe promised in his letter that there would be victory, which is why we should thank and praise Hashem.

The Rebbe went on to explain that these are auspicious days, referring to the Rosh Chodesh of the third month (Sivan). If we count from Rosh HaShana, we are in the third month (Kislev).

I understood from all this that the Rebbe was giving his blessings to the outing while providing an astonishing answer about the current situation. I called the teacher and reassured her that all would be fine and told her about the incredible answer. I also asked that the students say T’hillim.

THE REBBE WRITES: INCREASE IN THE HONOR OF THE DECEASED

Two days later, at the regular farbrengen that takes place in the women’s section of the shul on Shabbos, everyone discussed what should be done in light of the frightening situation. I saw that people were upset and despondent over the shluchei mitzva who were killed on the same day, the Holtzbergs four years ago and now the shlucha from New Delhi. I decided to read the letters I opened to on the day of the tragedy. It was only then, as I read the answers out loud, that I realized that I had read the answers on page 339 and hadn’t noticed the answers on the right side, on page 338.

In the second letter it said: “But she should increase before this in the honor of the deceased [nifteres – feminine] a”h.”

In the letter above it, it talks about healing in which “the human hand” (i.e. a doctor) is involved, and how even in such cases it is possible that the healing be retroactive so that it is as if the person was never ill. This seemed like a clear allusion to R’ Scharf, who had sustained a serious hand injury, and the Rebbe was giving a blessing that no impression remain of the hand injury.

The women were amazed by this, as was I. It was written so clearly – there is someone in charge, and the Rebbe seeks to give hope and faith to his Chassidim.