None of us is going to miss Bashar Assad who escaped from Syria yesterday.
But what exactly is going on here?
Without a Jewish perspective on recent events, it’s easy to think that the world has gone mad—that everything has become chaotic, out-of-control, and scary. But it’s important to understand the story as it really is.
We are witnessing a process with a clear direction and purpose. History is unfolding before our eyes, changes of biblical proportions. The Jewish people are returning to their ancestral land after 2,000 years of exile, and it’s not a simple process. We must teach the world to distinguish between good and evil, pure and impure. Whoever participates in this mission will be blessed, but those who interfere with this process will be relegated to the trash heap of history.
The nation of Israel is small but eternal; our enemies are great in number but transient. Sunday marked another historic day: After 52 years of tyrannical rule, the Assad regime has crumbled overnight and Israeli forces have crossed into Syria.
Do we remember the president of Iran who was killed in a plane crash? The explosive pager attack targeting Hezbollah? The elimination of Nasralla? Sinwar’s elimination in Gaza? And what about the countless clandestine operations we will never hear about?
Events are still in progress and we don’t really know how it will all end. How amusing (or sad) it is now to reflect on the geopolitical analyses written by “experts” only 24 hours ago.
In the face of such upheaval, it is important, first of all, to rejoice over the downfall of yet another despot. One must continue to hope for a good outcome, to pray, and to strengthen oneself with Torah study. We must acknowledge the efforts and courage of those who brought about these changes (especially those working behind the scenes), and to recognize the complexity of this situation, filled with pain and hope. And finally, it is essential that we remain humble and hold on to our faith.
We should also keep in mind that we are now in the midst of Kislev—the month in which we celebrate Chanukah— and are reminded of the importance of preserving our identity, and that there can be victories and salvations, miracles and wonders, not only “in those days” but also in “this time.” The Maccabees didn’t realize while fighting the Greeks that their victory would be celebrated with a new holiday. Fifty years from now, how will we look back on the days we are going through now?
The events of Simchat Torah 5784 were more shocking than we could have ever imagined. May we soon be surprised by all the good, beyond our wildest dreams, that will come our way, Amen.
