The Weekly Reflection
By
Rav Simcha Klein
Over three hundred people sat for approximately three hours in Oak Park last Sunday, viewing a live hook up of the historic Internet Asifa in New York attended by over 40,000 Jews. While the speeches where long, and at times difficult to understand, there was an awesome undercurrent of unity and commitment to rise to the spiritual challenges of our era that emanated from the event.
I would like to share some of the emotions I personally experienced during the Asifa.
I was actually weeping silently through out the Asifa.
• I cried tears of joy and happiness upon seeing all the different Shevatim of Klal Yisroel come together and unite for the glory of Hashem. I rejoiced to see thousands upon thousands of people demonstrating their deep desire to better themselves by making the effort to attend. I kvelled upon seeing the multitudes of yeraim and shleimim, all products of the American Torah educational system created through the sweat and tears of the gedolim of yesteryear. I exulted in the very public affirmation of our collective commitment to the sacred mission given to us at Har Sini – Vatem Tihu Le Mamleches Kohanim Vgoy Kodesh.
• I was also crying tears of sadness and pain for all those Yiddishe neshmos who over the last few years were hurt and injured by the various digital technologies. For all the precious youth who lost their pure innocence. For all those Yidden whose inner world was broken into and sullied. For all the families that were effected. For all the emotional suffering resulting from these great nisoynos. For the great chillul shem shamaim constantly spewing forth from these mediums.
• And lastly I wept tears of beseeching and pleading. I silently davened, please Hashem dull the sharpness of this nisayon. Let us retain our integrity. We were all born pure allow us to maintain that purity. Help Klal Yisroel make it through this difficult nisayon intact. Please aid us in developing effect forms of digital protection. Allow us to sense and feel the noam hashem. How much longer is this long spiritually bitter galus going to continue? When will the entire world recognize the grandeur and glory of Hashem?
I have no doubt in my mind that last week’s amazing public display of Kavod Shamyim brought tremendous nachas ruach to Hashem and is helping bringing about the geulah shleima speedily in our days.