Nosson Tzvi Felsen

In my world, two wars are being waged right now. The war on the ground in Gaza and the war in heaven to save Nosson Tzvi ben Sara Rivka Kashtia.

Please go to the Nes4Nosson blog, and leave a comment to give chizuk to the Felsens.

Talk by Rabbi Avi Lebowitz, Rosh Kollel of the Jewish Study Network in Palo Alto. He spent the better part of last week with the family in New York.

May we hear Besuros Tovos!

Those Three Boys. A letter to my son

Dear Nachum,

The terrible news hit when you were on your way to camp. I presume you have heard by now. The three missing Bochrim in Eretz Yisroel were murdered, r"l. 

As you know, there was an extraordinary outpouring of Tefillos from all over the world for these boys. I cannot recall any other event that produced such sustained and intense Tefillos by all of Klal Yisroel. The Shomayim shook. Hashem took notice. But it was all too late. 

According to the news reports, it is believed that the boys were killed very soon after they were kidnapped.  Day after day we davened for the freedom of people who were no longer among the living. 

What is Hashem to do with meaningless Tefillos? Was it all in vain? Were we wasting our time?

No. Not at all. Hashem wanted it this way. Hashem wanted to hear those very Tefillos that we were offering. 

What were we davening for? The freedom of our fellow Jews. Their release from captivity. In a word, Geulah. 

We were davening for Geulah, but not for our own personal Geulah. Jewish men, women and children from every city and every town, from every Yeshiva and every Shul in every country where Jews are to be found - we were all davening for the Geulah of our brethren, three boys that that we never met. It was a genuine, selfless Tefillah. A Tefillah of אהבת חנם - for Geulah!

This was so precious, so powerful, so impactful in Shomayim, I believe Hashem delayed the discovery of the bodies for days so He could hear more of it. Day after day, Hashem gathered in the rising river of tears flowing from His people, His long-suffering people unified in prayer for Geulah. 

Those three Neshamos z"l have the זכות of bringing Mashiach a whole lot closer.

May we hear בשורות טובות, ישועות ונחמות בקרוב.