Even if circumstances (and smart maneuvering) didn’t leave President Trump that much choice, we obviously owe him great thanks for the historic decision in blowing-up the Iranian nuclear reactors, and pray that America not suffer repercussions for the help they provided us. Nevertheless, “פלגי מים לב מלך ביד ד’ על כל אשר יחפץ יטנו”, “The heart of kings are [like] a stream of water in the hand of G-d, He directs it [their heart] wherever He wishes” (Mishlei 21, 1). Especially regarding Jewish history, the world leaders’ free-will is significantly dictated from above (Shmot 10, 1) and how much more so during the process of ge’ula, as we have seen time and again (R. Kook, Ma’amarei HaReiya, p. 321). All Am Yisrael and really the entire free world, needs to really thank Hashem for facilitating the IDF’s success in first neutralizing the Hizballah, Syrian and Iranian anti-aircraft missiles, which subsequently enabled Israel and America to bomb the actual nuclear reactors. It’s definitely in order to ADD TODAY in our tefilot, Tehilim 117, 118 and 126.
As Rav Kook blessed England for their good fortune and foresight a century ago, to be the ones to grant Am Yisrael the Balfour Declaration recognizing the right to a Jewish Homeland in Eretz Yisrael, similarly we bless America who are zocheh to be partners with Hashem in helping His closest nation (Tehilim 148, 14) in these historic times.
Rav YM Charlap, one of the closest student of Rav Kook, explained that the “oath” that, as if it were, Israel made to the nations that we won’t go up to the Land against their will (Ketuvot 111a, which most know from the Satmar rebbe’s inflating this aggadita into an anti-Zionist principle of Judaism, he equates with the 3 cardinal sins!, VaYoel Moshe, ch. 20), is to stress that the redemption is not just for the Jews but for all mankind. Accordingly, they should also participate and aid us in our just and historic returning to our Land (MiMaynei Hay’shua, p. 245).
The Radak explains the pasuk we recite each day, “אל תבטחו בנדיבים בבן אדם שאין לו תשועה”, “Do not trust the benevolent, the person who has no salvation” (Tehilim 146, 3), that it doesn’t mean to negate man’s receiving aid from humans, but rather as Yirmiyahu (17, 5) writes, don’t forget that He is the One Who activates it all: “Rather, [even] if one relies on a human being, he should make the primary trust in G-d, Who places it in the heart of the benefactor to help us… for without the will of the Almighty, a person cannot save his fellow from distress. For salvation belongs to G-d alone, [but] He orchestrates it through human agents, just as He brought about the redemption from the Babylonian exile through Koresh (Cyrus, in the time of Ezra), so too in the future He will bring about the redemption of Israel via the kings of the nations”.
This is a good time to focus on what we recited last night in havdala: הִנֵּה אֵ-ל יְשׁוּעָתִי אֶבְטַח וְלא אֶפְחָד…: “HERE! Hashem is my salvation, I am confident and will not fear. For He is my strength and song, and has been a salvation to me.. Deliverance is the L-rd’s; Your blessing is upon Your people forever. The L-rd of hosts is with us; the G d of Jacob is our everlasting stronghold… ‘For the Jews there was light, happiness, joy, honor’, so too it will be for us!” Shavua Tov and continued B’sorot Tovot and Refuah Shleima to all the wounded! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)