During a class this week, a participant asked me, “Why are so many tragic and mass shootings happening these days?” Of course, this was in response to the latest shooting in Highland, where some of our own were included in the carnage.
I thought to myself for a moment how to respond to this. I began by saying that I’m not a prophet and prophesy does not exist today. For during the time of the prophets, when a challenge was at hand, and the prophet was asked why something occurred, he would be able to communicate with G-d and then share His message, instructing the person or people which area of observance or personal conduct needed to be strengthened.
One such incident comes to mind. During King David’s reign, they noticed that 100 people died on consecutive days. King David established and instituted the law that the nation is to recite 100 blessings each day. When he did so the deaths came to an end. Halacha, Jewish law, indicates that we are required to recite 100 blessings each day.
During a weekday when we recite the nineteen blessings of the Amida three times, we already have 57. In the morning prayers we recite 21 preliminary blessings and 5 blessings during the prayers, that brings it to 83. During the evening prayers we recite 5 blessings that brings us up to 88. The blessings recited at the meals, before eating and after, and the blessing recited after using the bathroom throughout the day basically gets us to 100 blessings.
The challenge to fulfill this requirement is on Shabbat, Yom Tov and Yom Kippur when the Amidah is only 7 blessings. There are ways to work it out, but I’ll leave that for another time.
Getting back to the question. So, I’m not a prophet and there are none around, so where do we turn and what do we do, and how do we respond?
One could get sidetracked with blaming it on politics, gun control and other reasons, and usually, nothing comes of it. But we the descendants of Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaacov recognize that every event happening in life whether good or challenging, is orchestrated by Hashem. He is sending us messages to think about ourselves in relation to G-d and others. When we are stirred, elated, shaken or heartbroken we do a spiritual self-assessment to see in which area we can strengthen ourselves. Even if we take upon ourselves something small or for a limited amount of time, this has been proven to be a way to approach personal growth.
G-d also grants our great spiritual leaders the wisdom and insight to guide us and direct us.
One may wonder, how can one’s personal growth make a difference in matters and events that are not in our control? The answer is, since Hashem is aware of everything, whatever resolve we consider and do, makes a difference and serves to prevent and protect us from devious plans, without us even being aware.
The Talmud relates that those that hate the Jewish people are the ones who are most aware of G-d’s protection of us, for they have a close up view of so many of their hateful and heartful plans that are interrupted and foiled.
Having said this, I shared my personal observation. In society, belief in G-d is way down. Children don’t get it at home and there is hardly any religious attendance with prayer being eliminated from schools.
So, if G-d is not in the picture, why should a crazed or angry person care about others when he has no feelings of accountability?
We know from the 12-step recovery program that what is most essential for repairing the damage caused by addiction and for living a meaningful life is the recognition that there is a Higher Power.
In this week’s Parsha the Torah relates the death of Moshe’s two siblings, Miriam and Aaron. With each of their death’s a special gift that G-d provided the Jews with in the desert disappeared. When Miriam passed away, the rock which hydrated the nation stopped. G-d empowered Moshe to restart the rock to give forth water.
When Aaron passed away, the protective spiritual clouds that surrounded the nation during their travels disappeared. They were also brought back because of Moshe’s merit.
When Moshe passed away, the Manna stopped, and the water and clouds stopped as well.
We understand from this that throughout the journey, the Jews had water in the merit of Miriam, for when she died it stopped. Likewise, the clouds were in the merit of Aaron and the Manna was provided in the merit of Moshe. They all came back in the merit of Moshe, but when Moshe died, all three went away.
We see how much benefit, protection, sustenance and hydration was provided to millions of people, on a daily basis, for 40 years, due to the merit of three great individuals.
So too, when we capitalize on each of our unique personalities, strengths, challenges and abilities, we can achieve our individual greatness – for this is what G-d expects from us. The positive effects of our personal devotion can impact on making society the world over, better and safer and be able to exist peacefully.
