By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com It is one of the largest tragedies to have hit Eretz Yisroel, indeed, all of Klal Yisroel.  What should we be feeling? At times like this, we turn to our Gedolei Yisroel. The following words of Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l were said during 1948, when huge numbers of Klal Yisroel were in a state of grave danger as six Arab nations attacked Eretz Yisroel.  No family was free of casualties – everyone had a relative who was killed. A nation that had just emerged and escaped from the fiery gehenom of Nazi-occupied Europe was now facing a second annihilation.  The maamar can be found in Mishna Rabbi Aharon Vol. IV page 76. Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l began: EMPATHIZING In Taanis (11a), the Rabbis taught: When the Jewish people is immersed in tzaar, and a person separates himself from them [not sharing in their suffering] the two ministering angels who accompany a person come and place their hands on his head, as though he was an offering, and say: This man, so-and-so, who has separated himself from the community, shall not see consolation of the community. Another b’raisa teaches: When the community is immersed in suffering, a person should not say: I will go to my house and I will eat and drink, and peace be upon my soul. And if he does so, the verse says about him: “And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die” (Isaiah 22:13). And the prophecy continues with what is written afterward, in the following verse: “And the Lord of hosts revealed Himself in my ears: Surely this sin shall not be atoned by you until you die..” (Yishayahu 22:13). Rather, a person should be distressed together with the community. For so we find with Moshe Rabbeinu, who distressed himself together with the community, as it is stated during the war with Amalek: “But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat upon it” (Shmos 17:12). But didn’t Moses have one pillow or one cushion to sit upon?  Rather, this is what Moshe said: Since the Jewish people are immersed in tzaar, I too will be with them in tzaar.” A DEFINITION One of the [48] methods through which Torah is acquired is Noseh b’ol chaveiro – carrying the yoke, or burden, of his friend.  What does Noseh b’ol chaveiro mean?  It means when your friend is in danger or in distress – you share that with him, you carry his burden with him.   TWO ASPECTS TO NOSEH B’OL CHAVEIRO There are two aspects to this sharing: The first one in action – through assistance and help with either suggestions or with monetary assistance. The second aspect is with paying attention to him and feeling the pain of his friend – this is also “sharing his burden.” THE EXAMPLE OF MOSHE RABBEINU And so we find regarding Moshe Rabbeinu, after he arose to a high position through Paroh, the pasuk (Shmos 2:11) says, “And Moshe grew and he went out among his brethren, vayar b’sivlosam, and he saw in their pain.” Rashi writes:  He placed his eyes and heart to be pained […]

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