Finding Hashem in the PAIN | Words of strength from Rabbi Efrem Goldberg

the master of the universe, the creator of the world. And when he's going to make an appearance, he does it in a thorn bush, not magnificent flora, in a thorn bush. Hashem doesn't watch from a distance and from afar. Hashem is not following the news of what's happening. He's in it. He's a target. This is his war. Wherever we have to run and flee and hide, wherever we have to take cover and safety, The Almighty himself is with us. So I want to send a few words and this is a biggest virtual hug and I wish I don't know my wife wishes but I wish second the first went off I want to take the first flight to Israel in those moments I don't want to run away I want to be there. So I want to get I want to just send the biggest hug virtually through this. I wish I could be in person and I want to do it with these words and they're the humble thoughts of a small Jew in who desperately wishes he could be there with you but understanding that that this is your story and what you're living and you are our heroes and we have endless gratitude and you are what make us undefeable, impenetrable, unbreakable. You are what make unlike we just celebrated his site and leaving the cave writes. Wherever the Jewish people are exiled, Hashem himself comes with us. Did spend his life in running and fleeing from Romans who wanted to execute him having to hide in a cave. He understood that wherever a Jew is, he hid in that cave. He hid in his shelter. He had to go to his maad. And when he was there, what was his message? What did he take away? How did he feel? Wherever we have to run and flee and hide, wherever we have to take cover and safety, the Almighty himself is with us. He doesn't say, "I don't need Iron Dome. I'm good to go. No missile can touch me." He doesn't say, "I'm the infinite. I'm the omnipotent. I'm the source of all existence. Good luck to you. I'll be watching from afar. He says, "Wherever you go, I am with you." So, while we are searching for him, while we're looking and trying to feel him and find him, if you're in a bomb shelter, just look over. He's right next to you. These moments are opportunities to feel his presence more intensely than any other. to feel his love, to feel his embrace, to lean on him and to lean into him. These are moments where he says, "I am more accessible and I am more available and I am more with you than ever." Wherever you're forced to run and take cover, wherever you're forced to flee and exile, what is the word? a neighbor, a close confidant, available. He's right there. That Hashem who ordinarily is so distant and far. That Hashem who we can't understand who sometimes we can't feel, but he's a he's a he's right there when Hashem doesn't watch from a distance and from afar. Hashem is not following the news of what's happening. He's in it. He's a target. This is his war. So we said on Shabas we take out that Torah is who are our enemies? These are those who hate the Jewish people and are dedicated to our demise says if you hate the Jewish people then you are then you hate the creator of the world. This is not a war between Iran and the Jewish people. This is a war between Iran and God. It's not the Houthis firing on Israel. It's the Houthis firing on the Almighty. And if a Jew has to run to a bomb shelter, the Almighty is with us. There's a P read with all their pain. Lo, no anguish to Hashem. But we're told to read it differently. Not low notes are but V low. He has tar with all of our tar, with all of our pain, with every siren, with every struggle, with every campus protest, with every member of Congress who doesn't get it. Too many of them Jewish somehow with all the every network, every media pundit, every person who doesn't get it with each of them. You know that you can get through anything if you're not alone. To feel I'm not alone. One of the writers, one of the authors of an email describes I'm alone. And they speak I'm alone. No, you're not alone in that shelter displaced from your apartment or home. Not with your loved one is on miluim or stuck outside of Israel. You're not alone because wherever a Jew has to go, we were looking, we're searching, we're trying to find man in search of God, trying to find him everywhere. But if you're in a bomb shelter, you know exactly where he is. He's sitting right next to you low. And to the degree we're in pain, we're in pain with you, for you. We're watching. We're in our own pain. The rise of anti-semitism, we're in our own pain. protests and marches. We're in our own pain. Members of Congress who don't get it, we're on our own pain. Fake news misinterpreting what's happening. Low, not that Hashem doesn't have pain, but low he has pain with us. And tells us and promises us he doesn't leave the gullus until we do until there's an all clear and everybody can leave the shelter. He doesn't leave the shelter until the Jewish people are home. He's not fully home. He's with us through thick and thin, from beginning to end. He's with us all the way. He's doing it from a sense of He's doing it from a sense of Hashem says, "I'm with you." When Hashem first appears to Moshe in the bush, the sn the fire, the bush that's on fire but not being consumed, Rashi there says, "What kind of a bush is it? It's a lowly thorn bush. It's not a rose. It's not a bed of roses. It's not violets. It's not Bavalia. It's not any other beautiful, magnificent landscape. He's not sitting in a magnificent centerpiece from a wedding or school dinner. Where is Hashem? In a thorn bush. Talking about the Almighty, the master of the universe, the creator of the world. And when he's going to make an appearance, he does it in a thorn bush. Not magnificent flora. In a thorn bush. Says Rash. You know why? Hashem says, "If the Jewish people are in Egypt in servitude, suffering, subjugation, then I'm not in a bed of roses. I'm in a thorn bush with you." If Jews are running to shelters, says, "I'm in a thorn bush with you. And I'm not leaving till you can leave. I'm not in the clear till you get in an all clear. You're looking for me. You want to find me. You'll never find me more easily. You'll never feel me more intensely than when you're in distress because I'm in distress and I'm right by your side. And for us, we should know that could be, God forbid, in a hospital room, that could be in a rehab center, that could be in a doctor's office, that can be online for unemployment. Anytime a Jew, that could be being treated for fertility. Anytime a Jew is it's the rest of the time when all is going well that we have to look and we have to search and we have to try to find. But when we're in pain and distress, when we're in crisis, we can find him most easily. He is most available and accessible. His presence is most intense. With all says, I'm right there with you. But it's more than that. It's not thus Hashem is that right there with us in this moment. Hashem says,"I not going to defeat Iran as a favor for you. I'm not doing it because you're my children. I'm not doing it because you're my chosen. I'm not doing it because we've been through a lot together." Hashem says, "I'm doing it for me." Because they're not just attacking you. They're attacking me. Any enemy of the Jewish people is an enemy of the Almighty. Iran, the modern personification of evil and wickedness. The modern the modern amik they're trying to diminish Hashem's ya. They're trying to diminish Hashem's presence. Hashem says, "This is personal for me. I'm not just like a hired assassin. I'm not just going to fight for you because it's a favor. Because we're allies." Hashem says, "I'm not just your ally. This war is against me." And that's why Hashem is going to do everything he has to do to take them out. So what do we have to do? What's for us? And for us, I'm not so brazen or bold or presumptuous or pompous to talk about our brothers and sisters in Israel. We are in awe. And every Jew outside of Israel should non-stop be sending messages and checking in. And someone shared with me yesterday a beautiful idea. Just send they have Uber Eatats in America and they have what's it called? Woot. Woot. Walt. Walt in Israel. Just the people just send surprises, iced coffee and donuts and for no reason deliver hamburgers and French fries. Let the people you know in Israel get a knock on the door and answer. Have cupcakes and donuts for no reason because there was a Jew in Bokeh or somewhere else who thought of them. That's your job.