Tune in to your soul. This is likely IT. A time when only our faith in G-d will save us. Current Events Part 1

Let us better ourselves, and let us study Torah - G-d’s directions for life - and teach others about the Creator.

BS”D

With all the media’s fear and blame propaganda and hate mongering, let’s not lose focus.

G-d is the ONLY true power. Nothing can harm us unless He wills it.

Those who hate are only the stick - the messenger of G-d, sent to remind us all to repent, and to live as He instructed.

When we finally do so, He will send redemption and peace to the world. The earth will be full of knowledge of the Creator, and there will be no more war, illness, or sadness.

Is the current critical situation the world is in, perhaps the most important reason that G-d led me to establish this substack platform, to be able to spread this message, and save people?

We are probably at a more pivotal time now than we were even in 2021. There is little doubt that we are on the brink of something huge and global. Something that will determine the future of humanity.

Perhaps this is the “War of Gog and Magog,” the war that we are foretold will happen before the Final Redemption.

Nothing will truly be able to save us in this war except for faith, prayers, Torah study, and good deeds.

The last couple years, G-d has been peeling away the layers of trust we had in “other (fake) powers,” teaching us that He is only One that is real, enduring, and reliable, and the only One who can protect us.

There are amazing miracle stories coming out of Israel which are a clear reminder that the terrorists have no power unless G-d wills it, and that learning Torah and living one’s life according to G-d’s commandments bring HUGE Heavenly protection.

Here are some of the stories:

• The October 7 massacre occurred on the day that Simchas Torah is celebrated in Israel, and if the terrorists had entered Yeshivas or synagogues, each where dozens or perhaps hundreds of people were dancing with the Torah scrolls in a relatively small enclosed area, the carnage would have been even greater. Indeed, it turns out that the murderers planned to do so, and G-d prevented them. In Sderot, I was told, the map the terrorists used was found afterwards, and the yeshiva was on it - but they had inexplicably walked right by and not even attempted to enter. In another city, Tifrach, I heard that the murderers were actually trying to get into the Yeshiva, but an unseen force was holding them back.

• I read a powerful story of a wounded man, weak from loss of blood, lying in a ditch alongside of dead terrorists, and who was saved from death only because he was wearing Tzitzis (which is a commandment that we know from traditional sources especially affords protection.)

• Two communities were saved because of Sabbath observance - they closed their gates for the Sabbath. I wrote about those stories on October 12, and since then, I found out something fascinating. One of those communities was actually split between those who wished to maintain the sanctity of the Sabbath and those who unfortunately did not. They took a vote about whether the gates would be closed on Sabbath and holidays - and ended up agreeing to close them for Sukkot. October 7, Simchas Torah, was the last day of the extended Sukkot-Shemini Atzeret holiday, so this decision to uphold the sanctity of the festival saved their lives.

• Incredibly, there is also a story I was told of a family saved in another place because of just a promise to keep the Sabbath for 3 weeks. Terrorists were already in their home, and the mother of this non-Torah-observant household got everyone in the family to agree to keep the Sabbath for three weeks - and the murderers walked out!

• I heard two more stories in which the same scenario transpired and the people’s lives were saved at the last minute (one case in a private home, one case an entire synagogue!) when they recited the Shema prayer.

My mother, Esther Margaretten Astruc, penned the following:

“Miracles for Breakfast”

“When Simchat Torah ended and we first learned the real story of what happened on October 7, people were numb. The mind could not process a tragedy of such scope. No one knew what to think, it was so horrible.

“Now, two weeks later, we still don’t know the full extent of the loss, the captives have not yet been released, and we are in the midst of a war that other nations are quickly joining, and is getting to look more and more like the war that was prophesied to take place before the coming of Mashiach (the Messiah.) There is much anxiety and uncertainty.

“But, there are bright spots that illuminate the dark terrain, that keep me going, giving me so much hope and Emuna (faith): these are the stories of people who have turned their hearts to Hashem, taking on to perform His mitzvot (commandments) for the first time in their lives. The girls and women who have taken on to dress modestly, the people who are now keeping Shabbat for the first time, the soldiers who are now putting on tefilin and tzitzit. This wave of teshuvah (repentance) gives so much strength to our hearts.

“And more: There have been so many miracle stories circulating, of how people were saved in supernatural ways, especially when, in the midst of their mortal danger, they took on to keep tzniut (modesty) or Shabbat. I’m reading and hearing so many stories about these two mitzvot in particular. It’s almost as if, when people are facing serious danger (lo aleinu) they seem to know instinctively what will save them.

“And these stories restore the soul, they revive and strengthen the heart. When we hear of what the enemy was able to do to our people, it could make a person wonder, How could this happen? But when we hear amazing stories of how Hashem (G-d) saved people in supernatural ways, we know that He is here with us and He’s fighting this war for us.

“Two stories stand out in particular: In the first, a girl who was one of the participants at the music festival on October 7, was dressed modestly. When the terrorists attacked, one of them said to her, “What are you doing here? You don’t belong here— run, run away!” And she escaped. It was almost as if Hashem were speaking through the mouth of the terrorist, saying, “Because you are dressed modestly, you don’t belong here with what’s happening. You will escape unharmed.”

“Covering oneself with clothes, is like covering with a spiritual armor and protection. Hashem showed us that even in the midst of sheer terror, He can protect a person and He is in control. And this was a clear message to Am Yisrael.

“The other story is my absolute favorite. It’s the one where the soldier, along with his battalion, is called in to eliminate the terrorists in Be’eri. His rifle worked perfectly for the 36 hours of fighting and eliminating the enemy— until he returned to his base and discovered that it was actually a defective rifle and never should have been able to fire at all! And this happened to other soldiers, too. Hashem was in control, shooting the enemy for them! Not the rifle— it was HASHEM!

“This is so powerful because it brings home the truth, that Hashem is doing everything. Not the soldiers, not the enemy, not the government, not the rockets or tanks or weapons— only Hashem Alone. And this is what we need to focus on with all our might, to get through these days of Chevlei Mashiach (the “birth pangs of the Messiah”.)

“Rabbi Shimshon Pincus writes, quoting words from Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs), “I found the One Whom my soul loves, I took hold of Him and didn’t let go of Him”.

“Rabbi Pincus says that this is referring to the tumultuous times before Mashiach. In order to survive, we must hold onto Hashem with all our might, and not let go.

“How do we “hold onto Hashem”? By focusing every moment on the fact that there’s nothing besides Him. Everything we see in the physical world, is only a manifestation of Him and His Will. He is keeping the world in existence every moment, and through His Divine Providence He manipulates everything that happens, placing people and objects where He wishes and putting into the hearts of people and leaders to act as He sees fit. Nations may choose to act in a certain way, but Hashem uses them as puppets, knowing what they will choose, and placing them wherever He wants, accordingly.

“The Ramchal, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato, teaches that in the days of Chevlei Mashiach, events will be played out in the world according to what must happen through Divine decree, for reasons that are unknown to us. But we are taught, there is always a reason for everything.

“But the Chafetz Chaim says, that in the final stage of Gog U’Magog, whoever calls out in Hashem’s Name, will be protected. This brings to mind the story of the man who was holding the door to his home shut against the terrorists who were trying to break in, and he called out to Hashem, “Hashem, I’ll keep Shabbat!” And the door handle fell off, preventing the terrorists from entering.

“Or the girl who, running away from the terrorists at the festival, cried out, “Hashem! I’ll keep Tzniut (modesty)!” And she was saved.

“We need to read and hear emuna (faith) stories, like we need to eat food—food to keep the soul strong. We need to feed them to ourselves for breakfast (and lunch and supper!)

“The more we look for Hashem, the more we ask Him to help us, (even for mundane, simple things)—the more we thank Him for His help—we will see His Hand in our daily lives, and “walk together” with Him all day every day. And with thinking “Ayn Od Milvado” (there is nothing besides Him) thereby bringing Hashem’s Presence continually into focus— this is how we will “hold onto Him and not let go”.

“And He will “walk us” into the World of Mashiach, where we will finally open our eyes, and see that His Presence will be as clear to everyone in the whole world, as is the light of day. People will run to do Hashem’s Will and to do chesed (kindness), the way people chase after diamonds. We will watch as all evil is obliterated before our eyes.

“May it be soon and with Mercy!”

On that note, can you try to keep the Sabbath or improve your Sabbath observance, encourage a Jewish friend to keep the Sabbath, start praying daily, keep another commandment, or simply begin to learn what G-d asks of each of us?

My Rabbi explained to me yesterday the huge protection from danger that Torah learning affords.

For more information on learning about the 7 commandments binding on all of humanity, go to asknoah.org.

Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Smith has ongoing classes weekly for both Jews and non-Jews. You can find him at RabbiSmith.org.

In the video below, Rabbi Smith teaches a special class for non-Jews on the Torah, very relevant to today’s times. Please share!

May we hear good news very soon, news of redemption and peace for all humanity.