This week we entered the month of Menachem Av; a month plagued throughout history with troubles for our nation.
Last Friday night, leil Shabbos mevarchim Menachem Av, a nineteen-year-old barbarian (pereh adam) broke into a home where a shalom zachor was celebrated and murdered three people and injured others. The kedoshim were the grandfather of the baby, his son and daughter R”l.
In addition to reciting the brachos of entering into the bris of Avraham Avinu, this family recited the bracha of Dayan Ha’emes, accepting God as the ultimate righteous Judge.
In addition to entering a new baby into the bris of Avraham Avinu, this family has entered three other members into another bris of Avraham Avinu. We are told that the ability that so many of our people have to give their lives for Hashem was instilled in them from our forefathers at the akeida. There Avraham Avinu brought his son Yitzchak who willfully allowed himself to be bound on the alter. This imparted into all of their future generations the ability to give their lives al pi Kiddush Hashem. These kedoshim were living in a part of Eretz Yisrael that can sometimes be threatening; yet they and many others chose to live there and fulfill the mitzvah of Yeishuv Eretz Yisrael.
The pereh adam stated on social media prior to the attack that he was motivated by the recent horrific act of installing metal detectors on Har Habayis. The installation of these detectors came after a group of pereh adam attacked and killed two Israeli police officers. It was a necessary and understandable measure. In many Muslim sites there are such detectors, which enhances security amid a populace of murderers. However when they are installed on Har Habayis it created a worldwide controversy. Why is this so?
There are two reasons that come to mind. Firstly, because the world is biased against the Jews, as is evident from nearly every vote in the UN. Secondly, it is because Hashem wants to keep Har Habayis on our minds as we near the day designated for national mourning over the loss of the Beis Hamikdash that stood once on Har Habayis. Hashem wants us to realize that we are not in control of Har Habayis, and this should disturb us. It should create a yearning and a desire to once again see malchus beis Dovid reign supreme on Har Habayis. A malchus that is not intimidated or pressured by any exterior forces; but would serve as a light to the nations. A malchus that would not need to install metal detectors in the first place, but if it did would not cave to the demands of others to remove them. A malchus that would allow its soldiers and citizens to treat terrorists properly; by properly I do not mean offering them humanitarian aid.
The chief Rabbi and several other Members of Knesset have called for the execution of the terrorist from the Friday night attack. Yet, one need not look father than Elor Azaria, who was convicted for killing a terrorist, to know that current conditions are not what they should be.
May we be zoche to see the coming of Mashiach, which will lead to the revelation of malchus beis Dovid ruling supreme in Yerushalayim once again, amen.