The Satan’s Speed Bump

In the very first piece (EmunahSpeak: Mañana) that was posted on EmunahSpeak, it was posited there that Hashem doesn’t do Hollywood and that Moshiach will come on a day just like this one (and it’s irrelevant on which day you read this).

Now with the world moving (or rather galloping), under the cover of the Satan’s machinations in Aza coupled with the affected outraged response by way of the international community of wicked nations to Israel’s attempt to defend itself against the Satan’s deadly mischief, this world’s third act shows signs of heading towards an Aristotelian climax after all.

But the pace of events notwithstanding, if you’re betting on Moshiach to put in an appearance in your lifetime, then put your money on today, not tomorrow.

In EmunahSpeak: The Satan Double Dips, we pointed out that Yidden are hard wired to do chesed.  So much so that the Satan, who knows how and when to pick his battles, very rarely gets between a Yid and chesed opportunity. 

Achdus is a different story.

After noting the outpouring of chesed that was part and parcel of the context of EmunahSpeak: The Satan Double Dips, we said there:

So the Satan shrugged off all the chesed, but as he was packing up to leave he heard someone say achdus, and then another, and then another.

He froze in place.

In the world of the Satan achdus means trouble.  It’s the trip wire that will set off the inevitable arrival of Moshiach speedily in our days, which will in turn render the Satan an unpleasant memory.  Achdus is the Satan’s ultimate nightmare, and as such, he opposes it with everything he has.  And he gets some help along the way because unlike chesed, achdus doesn’t come pre-installed.  It is hate that comes easy says Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, whereas peace is unnatural. 

Unfortunately, it was all a false alarm, because upon investigation the Satan realized that all the buzz about achdus was actually nothing more than an innocent mislabeling of what in reality was the multitude of chesed, Ahavas Yisroel, mesiras nefesh, and kiddush Hashem that had manifested itself during his stay in Boro Park.

Chaval to be sure, but it just may different this time around the track.

For those who can see past the inevitable government spin that will attempt to morph long term defeat into a short term victory of sorts, it is important to understand what's going on. Nothing has actually changed aside from the fact that Hashem continues to give us less reason to rely on my power and the might of my hand (both in the military and political sense) and more reason to look towards Him (as if we needed one).  The balance of power remains at status quo ante as long as we realize that it is Hashem that has our back, not the squatter in the White House.

The truth, as Rabbi Lazer Brody tells us, is that achdus will bring Moshiach and nothing else.  And he adds that from an Emunah perspective the latest Aza war has been a tremendous victory for Klal Yisroel because of the unbelievable outpouring of achdus from all sectors of the Klal.  It is an achdus so palpable that no examples need be given because we all witnessed it.

And that is the Satan’s speed bump and it doesn’t allow for any wiggle room to the right or left because as we quoted R. Yisachar Dov of Belz ztvk”l in EmunahSpeak: Nu?, it is of utmost importance that the Jews love one another.  One must love even the lowliest Jew as himself.  One must engender unity and keep far away from anything that causes disunity.  The salvation of Israel during times of trouble rests on this.”

So when is Moshiach coming anyway?

If the achdus that every Jew with a pulse presently feels is certifiable then we are talking today, not tomorrow.