As Hurricane Irma approaches Florida, I can’t help but think about the lessons that can be gleaned from its arrival.
A storm that is breaking records as the largest and strongest storm ever to form in the Atlantic, with maximum sustained winds of 185 MPH and gusts measuring it at 225 MPH. A storm that measures close to 400 miles across as it steadily makes its way closer and closer to Miami a mere 2 weeks before the Yom HaDin. I would have to be blind not to see that Hashem is talking to us.
What am I supposed to learn from it? What are we, as a community, supposed to learn from this?
As we watch people pack up and flee with the sole intention of keeping their families safe from harm. What is the Ribono Shel Olam telling us?
Well, there are a few thoughts going through my mind right now.
The first is the unbelievable Chesed that is born from an עת צרה like this. Communities across the United Stated have opened their doors and offered to house families who are evacuating. Can you imagine welcoming people into your home with no knowledge of how long they will be staying? Maybe a few days? Maybe longer. Atlanta, Baltimore, New York- galvanizing and sending out open invitations to anyone needing a place.
Not far behind are the communities readying supplies and manpower – ready to head to Florida the minute the storm leaves in order to provide help in any way possible.
Hand in hand is the achdus of the various Hatzalahs and other emergency organizations across America forming teams to help (even remotely during the storm) with answering phones, giving out information, preparing for medical intervention if Chas V’Shalom it is needed. מי כעמך ישראל!
Finally, as I prepare to evacuate myself and I start pondering what I should take with me, I realize how unimportant the material things we possess are. As we pack a few basic necessities, along with important papers and documents and prepare to leave, we look around and realize that everything else can be replaced. Someone told me that I needed to make sure to take my “precious possessions” with me and I assured her that I was – since all of my children and my husband will be leaving with me.
We continue to daven that the storm (which is right on a course that has the eye of the storm hitting Miami directly), turns drastically and does not wreak havoc and devastation. We continue to daven that we somehow got the messages Hashem is sending us and that in the zechus of all the chesed being done, our communities will be spared a direct hit from this very powerful storm.
Miriam Cohen – Miami
NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN.
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9 Responses
You know, you said one would have to be blind not to see that Hashem is sending us a message. Well…I guess I was blind because the thought did not occur to me. Thank you for being the shaliach to open my eyes!! It is so true! But now my question is what can I (we) do? Its true there are lots of chesed organizations, boruch Hashem!! But I am not part of them! I can and do donate some money, but what are we as a nation of Ovdei Hashem supposed to take from this and do??
Ahavas yisroel- Daven, daven, daven!! That is a huge thing you can do!
After reading this letter, I can’t help but add that we also may be blind in understanding Hashem’s message to us. Everyone agrees that we are in the days of Moshiach. We see the huge surge of Aliya to Israel, kibbutz galuyos happening right in front of our eyes. Is Hashem not sending us the message that it’s time? He’s waiting for all His children to come home! Hashem speaks to us through “nature”. Isn’t He saying “My children! You have nothing left to find here in Galus. Come home to Me so you may be redeemed…”?
People evacuating should remember to take their Kesubah along.
Bneibrak1, you make “one” particularly interesting point, in my humble opinion.
It’s been said that when Moshiach comes would we and could we leave all t hat we have in this goldene medina and go to Eretz Yisrael. Could we Americans who have it all just leave our million dollar homes behind and just go!! It’s likely a sad reality that not everyone wants him really to come although we say we’re awaiting his arrival every day lest we be heretics.
But the point you make is that these destroyer storms, Andrew, Sandy, Katrina, Harvey and now Irma what will keep us here? This land will be an ארץ אוכלת יושביה as the מרגלים said t hen of Eretz Yisrael. HaShem is making it easier for us to leave it all behind!
“What am I supposed to learn from it? What are we, as a community, supposed to learn from this?”
When a public tragedy like this or the Solomon family in Neve Tzuf murdering happens it is Hashem talking straight to us waiting for us to gather together as 1 loving nation and do teshuva (not the personal Yom Kippur teshuva but the public teshuva of return of achdus-on all levels from drum to reform to chassidish etc….-and ahavas yisroel)
How many horrific tragedies occur on a daily basis to our loving brethren worldwide? Why have we not woken up and started doing teshuva together? It shocks me… I beg my brother’s in klal yisroel. We need to end this time of non-stop horrific tragedies.
The situation is so bad. To help you understand with a parable. How many thousands of accidents have happened with texting and driving? Do you know ANYONE that has stopped texting while driving? We are laughing in Hashems face and saying ha ha you can’t get me to stop texting unless you make something happen to me C”V. that’s how bad it’s gotten.
I beg my loving brethren worldwide to gather together now in Elul and prepare for teshuva with Achdus so all tzaros can come to a final halt and Mashiach can finally come.
Your brother in pain
Yaapchick I completely agree. In the times of Yetzias Mitzrayim the jews also complained and didn’t really want to leave. We have to always look at the bigger picture. And while I agree that Teshuva and Achdus are vital for the Geula, we still have to try and read the signs that Hashem is sending.
Bneiibrak1 & Yaapchik :
Thank you for your insights. Florida is the new retirement rage these days. Hashem’s message is .. Uh, uh !!
Did anyone notice the hurricane is in the shape of a shofar?