The world is faced with terror all around it – now so, perhaps – more than ever. How should we react? What is the Torah response to terrorism?! How should we fight it and how should we react in order to be successful, to expel from this world every vestige of the opposite of good? Should we mourn? Do we fight with physical weapons?
In the video below, The Lubavitcher Rebbe discusses the correct response to take, when those trying to destroy us (Rachmana Litzlan) have already attempted their own plans.
The response is a clear one. Continue to grow! Continue to do good. Do even more good! The good done achieves wonders in this world and achieves wonders in the worlds above, awakening the souls of our own ancestors to daven for us – even where they are – so that further blessing be brought into this world.
At times of crises, we must become even stronger doing more and more. Further acts of goodness and kindness, in the hope and prayer that these will be the final steps necessary to elicit an awakening from above to set this world ready for the revelation of Moshiach, the ultimate redemption and a time when there is only goodness and kindness in a continual and revealed manner.
To these purposes, in addition to the many programs we have running, we have also added a new program. This program is to help those women who are unable to pay the amounts required when visiting a Mikvah each month.
Every Jewish woman who is married is required by Jewish law to immerse herself in a Mikvah each month (under normal conditions.) These Mikvahs costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to build, and because of this and the constant need to see to it that they are always kosher, necessitates those people running them to charge women who make use of them. The amounts, while negligible in comparison to the actual cost of the Mikvah, are still expensive for many women. Some may even choose not to immerse (Rachmana Litzlan) due to the high costs involved.
Due to this, we have set up a fund whereby money received will be donated to various Mikvah institutions to allow these women to immerse for FREE! To find out more about this new project, visit: The Mikvah Project
HOW THE REBBE RESPONDED TO TERRORIST THREATS
"I was notified that the P.L.O. has given instructions to all its branches worldwide to strike at targets throughout the world, G-d forbid.
"It is therefore necessary to invoke and emphasize the blessings from G-d to all Jews in all places, in all their needs. Primarily the most needed blessing is the miracle of the complete and perfect Redemption through Moshiach (whom we await every day that his coming not be delayed even as much as the blink of an eye). These blessings should be emphasized with complete trust and confidence, as well as with joy and gladness of heart.
"We should especially fulfill the directive of the Chabad Rebbes, 'Think good and it will be good.'
"This means that thinking positively causes the course of events to actually turn out good.
"This information should be utilized not to scare anyone, G-d forbid, but rather in the positive sense, to enhance the service of the Jewish people in the study of Torah and the observance of mitzvot.
"On the verse (Gen. 27:22), 'The voice is the voice of Jacob,' our Sages tell us that the power of the Jewish people is with 'our mouth.' Through our heartfelt prayers and Torah learning we can eliminate the plans of 'the hands of Esau,' the terrible schemes of our enemies.
"Thus there should be additional activities in Torah study and prayer and in mitzvot in general.
"Special emphasis should be placed on studying Torah diligently. For our Sages explain the verse, 'If you will follow my statutes' to mean that if you will labor in Torah... 'I will grant peace in the land. You will sleep without fear.'
"Through Torah study we eliminate all negative things and they are even transformed to good.
"Also, additional prayers should be said. Keeping with the spirit of 'thinking positive' it would be advisable to recite daily an extra three chapters of Psalms. One of these three chapters should be the final chapter of Psalms (ch. 150) which concludes with the verse, 'Let every being that has a soul praise G-d.' This means that every man, woman and child praises and gives thanks to G-d for His benevolence, and for the blessings and good fortune that He bestows upon us and will continue to bestow upon us.
"It would also be appropriate to add in the giving of charity.
"Although 'fasting' is out of place (especially in the context of 'thinking positive') this does not contradict the giving of charity to redeem a fast.
"It would be appropriate to give charity in the amount of two meals, and even better in the amount of three meals. This charity should preferably go to support people who learn Torah or institutions involved in disseminating Torah.
"Certainly these directives will be publicized in all Jewish communities, to all Jews, men, women and children.
"Emphasis must be placed however, to be very cautious not to scare anyone, G-d forbid. Rather, the purpose is to inspire everyone to enhance his/her Torah study and mitzvah observance, with true bitachon, complete trust and confidence in G-d, with joy and a glad heart.
"The main thing is that the resolutions regarding the above should hasten and quicken the concept of 'think good and it will be good' in actuality starting from the ultimate good -- the complete and perfect Redemption through Moshiach."
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