It has been an unbelievable week in so many ways.
As I write my weekly message to you, we are feeling the effects of this morning’s direct hit by the evil regime of Iran on our civilians and medical facilities. We continue to experience the Almighty’s protection, minimizing the effects of the few missiles that do manage to get through. The Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday morning that 24 hours earlier, the Health Minister Director-General ordered the surgery floor of Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva be cleared for safety. We see the Almighty’s miracles revealed. And continue to pray for those injured, and for our brave IDF soldiers in the air and on the ground who tirelessly seek to keep us safe.
When I flew into Israel last Thursday, it turned out to be one of the last flights to land before Israel carried out the most decisive military response to Iran in modern history. That night, at Aish, we were asked to close our roof for two hours. Why? Because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was coming to the Kotel to pray alongside his friend and a true friend of the Jewish people, President Javier Milei of Argentina.
We watched him arrive. We watched him pray. What we didn’t yet realize was the full magnitude of what we were witnessing. We were watching the leader of the Jewish State approach the King of all Kings at our holiest site, not just as a political act, but as a spiritual mission. He came not just as a Prime Minister, but as a Jew seeking Divine partnership in the face of danger.
This is the Jewish way. We fight. We prepare. We do everything within human capacity. Yet, we understand that the results rest with the Almighty. We’ve seen this again over the past few days: as missiles fell, families ran for shelter. Some lives were tragically lost. And yet, Israel stood strong. The IDF showed incredible courage. And the Iranian regime, so long a source of terror, began to crumble under the weight of Jewish strength and resolve.
Just a few weeks ago, I wrote an op-ed reminding people not to panic when it seemed like Israel was being sidelined during President Trump’s Middle East visit. Social media was ablaze with concern. I reminded us then, as I do now: we must work hard. We must lobby. We must act. Yet, we must never forget that the Almighty runs the world.
This past Shabbos, I had the zechus (merit) to spend a beautiful Shabbos with our students. Baruch Hashem, both the yeshiva and the seminary are full, with incredible young men and women who came to learn, grow, and connect to their heritage this summer. I shared with them a powerful moment from the end of Sefer Bamidbar (Numbers).
When the tribes of Reuven and Gad approached Moshe Rabbeinu, they asked to settle on the eastern side of the Jordan. At first, Moshe was upset, it sounded like they wanted comfort over commitment. They quickly clarified: “We will go and fight. We will not abandon our brothers. We will take responsibility.” For a full recording of my Dvar Torah, click here.
Responsibility. It’s one of the three core values we teach at Aish.
Alongside Wisdom: knowing what we’re fighting for. Deep Jewish learning, clarity of values, and a strong sense of our people’s mission as well as our history. Our claim to Israel dates over 3000 years!
Alongside Love: real, deep, unwavering love for every Jew. Love that runs from Jerusalem to the Diaspora, from seminary girls comforting each other in bomb shelters to families abroad sending support and prayers.
These three values: Wisdom, Love, Responsibility are not just ideas. They are the essence of what has held the Jewish people together for thousands of years. They’re what’s driving our people right now, whether in Gaza, Iran, or standing together in synagogues around the world.
We must not forget: October 7th didn’t happen in a vacuum. For years, Iran funnelled resources to our enemies. That ends now. Israel is taking responsibility. We are cutting off the head of the snake.
I am reminded of one of the most powerful moments in modern Jewish history, when, in 1981 Prime Minister Menachem Begin stood outside the windows of Aish at the Western Wall and revealed to the world that Israel had destroyed Iraq’s nuclear reactor. Survivors of the Holocaust from around the world had gathered for a reunion, and Begin looked them in the eye and said: “Never again will the Jewish people stand by when threatened by our enemies.” He truly and deeply meant it.
As we enter this second Shabbos of our war with Iran, as hostages remain in Gaza, and as evil still lingers, we storm the gates of heaven. We turn to the Almighty, our Supreme Commander, and we beg: Be with Your people. Stand with us. Help us bring light to this world that so badly needs it.
We are the nation that brought ethics and morality to civilization. And no matter how loudly our enemies scream, we will not be silenced. We will love. We will learn. We will fight and we will win. Am Yisroel Chai.
Shabbat Shalom, dear friends. May it be a Shabbos of peace, strength, and revealed blessings.
