He said: "There's something different about what happened from Charlie Hebdo, and I think everybody would feel that. There was a sort of particularized focus and perhaps even a legitimacy in terms of -- not a legitimacy, but a rationale that you could attach yourself to somehow and say, okay, they're really angry because of this and that. This Friday was absolutely indiscriminate. It wasn't to aggrieve one particular sense of wrong. It was to terrorize people."

It is legitimate to kill someone who insults Islam. No mention is made of the murder the same day of Jews who went shopping for Shabbos. It does not even have to be rationalized. The murder of Jews is a non-event and the rationale for it is self-evident. It does not even have to be mentioned.

Let us review what has happened in the past few parshiyos. An event in Parshas Vayeiroh contains a stark contrast to a similar event in Parshas Lech Lechoh. In Parshas Lech Lechoh, Avrohom Ovinu came to Eretz Cana’an and there was a famine. He went to Egypt to survive, knowing full well that the Egyptians will take Soroh for Pharaoh. He asked Soroh to say that she was his sister. Pharaoh takes Soroh as expected, and when Hashem protects her from violation, Pharaoh simply sends her back to Avrohom and tells them to leave. No accusations, no demands for an explanation, just leave.

In Parshas Vayeiroh, where the seemingly identical thing happens, Avimelech complains that he has been terribly victimized! How could Avrohom be so reckless and almost cause me to live with a married woman? What did I do to you to deserve such bad treatment from you? He demands an explanation. Avrohom responds: firstly, that because there is no yiras shomayim in the place, your people would be willing to kill me because of my wife. Secondly, I didn’t lie technically because she is a sister of sorts from my father. Thirdly, ever since Hashem has caused me to wander far from my father’s house, I made a policy that wherever I travel amongst foreign people, I asked Soroh to tell everyone she is my sister. Why? The Targum Onkelos gives an interesting translation:

וַהֲוָה כַּד טָעוּ עַמְמַיָּא בָּתַר עוֹבָדֵי יְדֵיהוֹן יָתִי קָרִיב יְיָ לְדַחַלְתֵּהּ מִבֵּית אַבָּא וַאֲמָרִית לַהּ דֵּין טֵיבוּתִיךְ דִּי תַעְבְּדִי עִמִּי לְכָל אַתְרָא דִּי נְהַךְ לְתַמָּן אֱמָרִי עֲלַי אָחִי הוּא:

Avrohom tell Avimelech that once he rejected the mistaken beliefs of avodo zoro adopted by all the nations, and Hashem chose him to worship Him instead, this rejection has put his life in perpetual danger. By becoming a person representing a separate ideology and a separate way of life, he knew his life was in danger. The moment Avrohom said that his identity revolved around Hashem and His rules of absolute morality that apply to all of humanity, he became a target. Avodo zoro is a very tolerant system of beliefs. Every nation has their own deity which they worship, everything in relative. But we believe in One G-d with one set of rules with no exceptions. He is the absolute power who gives absolute rules of behavior. This is a dangerous, threatening idea. The world can’t tolerate such a dangerous idea.

He told Avimelech that because there is no yiras Hashem in this place, the people are capable of doing anything they please. This is our world today. In one generation some behaviors are totally immoral and unacceptable, and the next generation it becomes a mitzvah and you are immoral if you oppose it. So, although Gerar was a law-abiding society, and rape, murder, and kidnapping are forbidden, without yiras Hashem, the laws can change at a whim, and rape, murder and kidnapping can be legalized for certain desirable ends.

In Nazi Germany, if a German citizen would murder another German citizen, he would be taken to court and tried for murder. Murder is against the law. But if a German citizen would murder a Jew, it’s suddenly okay. Why? Because they are an inferior race, they are a threat to national purity and stability, etc. The rules can change depending on what’s popular and what’s expedient.

So in a relativistic world where there are no absolutes, Avrohom’s life is in danger because he represents absolute morality and the world despises him. His ideas are not acceptable.

Today there are no absolutes and all morality is relativistic. The Secretary of State of the United States can justify the murder of someone who insults Islam and does not even have to justify the self-evident rationale of murder of innocent Jews. Murder at a soccer stadium is evil. Murder at a rock concert is evil. But the murder of Jews shopping for Shabbos is clearly not even a questionable evil.

There are a number of different reasons and levels of understanding that are necessary to confront the events that are occurring today.

One the basic level, Chazal tells it is a known existential reality that Eisov despises Yaakov. The posuk interpreted by the Sifri says that Hashem’s enemies are by definition Klal Yisroel’s enemies. Rashi explains Klal Yisroel represent Hashem in this world and that fact generates an underlying hatred of Jews because our message is very threatening to the non-Jewish way of life. Hitler articulated this very clearly in Mein Kampf.

Rav Chaim of Volozhin explained why the posuk in Hallel says all the goyim will praise Hashem because Hashem has increased His chessed on Klal Yisroel. He said we Jews don’t know of all the plots and schemes that are concocted to destroy Klal Yisroel. Only the goyim themselves know that 99% of all their attempts to destroy us never even get started. Only one of them gets beyond the planning stage and all the rest get foiled from the beginning. Since they know how all their plans are blocked by Hashem, only they can praise Hashem for all the chessed He does for Klal Yisroel.

Here and there, Hashem allows that hatred to be expressed, but there is always an underlying hatred.

There are two types of hashgocho that Hashem has in this world, and it reflects two types of din. There is the din on the individual and his hashgocho, and there is the din on the tzibbur with its hashgocho. This is an important klal in understanding Jewish history. In our Rosh Hashonnoh davening we say that entire nations are judged on Rosh Hahshonoh as well as each individual.

When there is a din on a tzibbur, we react one way based on the Megillas Eichoh. When there is catastrophe on a national level, we search for cheit, and we try to be metaken with teshuvoh. When there is a din on an individual, we react another way, based on Sefer Iyov. We cannot sit in judgment and determine why any individual endures suffering. When there is a gezeiroh on a tzibur, the response needs to be serious introspection. We need to look and evaluate what we are doing wrong to prevent the situation from worsening. And the Rambam says if someone responds with indifference claiming these things just happen because that’s the way of the world, he is being cruel. Why? Because he is ensuring that the underlying problems are never addressed and he is condemning the tzibbur to continued tzoros.

So when we are confronted today with a tzoro that is befalling Klal Yisroel, than we need to react in different ways and on different levels. Why is there a depth of hatred unleashed on Jews here and throughout the world?

In addition to the threat that we represent, there are things that we do which bring din upon the tzibbur and it requires a cheshbon hanefesh.

We do not have any understanding as to why any specific person experiences tragedy even though Hashem’s mishpot is perfect. That is the message of Sefer Iyov. But when a tragedy befalls a tzibbur, cheshbon hanefesh is demanded. We cannot sit back and say “Hashem has His reasons”. We need to try to figure out with our own minds what failures are present in the tzibbur and what is in need of correction. It could be there are multiple failures, each of which lay at the feet of different segments of the tzibbur. It could be one segment is being mechalel the kedushoh of Har Habayis and another segment is not dedicating their lives completely enough to limud HaTorah. Always keep in mind that there are multiple levels of explanations.

We were confronted by Amolek and they attacked us at Refidim.

Why?

Amoleik represents total irredeemable evil in this world. They despise kedushoh and reject Hashem’s involvement in the world. Hashem Himself has declared war on Amoleik for all future generations and instructed that they be wiped off the face of the Earth. Why did they come to attack Klal Yisroel? They only had one reason in mind—Eisov hates Yaakov and everything he represents.

But despite all this, Chazal give a different reason. They say that Klal Yisroel were vulnerable to attack at Refidim because they became weak in their dedication to limud HaTorah. But if you would ask the Amoleikim why they attacked, would they have given that answer? Of course not! Chazal are telling us there are different levels of explanation for what happens in this world. Amoleik felt compelled to attack for one reason, and Hashem let it happen for separate reasons.

Amolek attacked because Klal Yisroel’s victory over Egypt represented a threat. HaShem had shown that the one absolute force that rules the world exercises complete control over people and the forces of nature. Amoleik had to defy this message. However, Klal Yisroel became vulnerable because they became weak in limud HaTorah.

The cheshbon hanefesh that a tzibbur has to make needs to be serious and relevant to the one’s making it. We are not sitting in judgment on the people who were butchered and viciously attacked. Even if some victims belong to a tzibbur that suffers from a particular failing that we can identify, it doesn’t mean he is being punished for that failing. Not at all. Chazal say if the midas Hadin was given reshus to attack a tzibbur, the destruction is indiscriminate. It can affect both tzaddikim and reshoim unless there is an enormous unique zechus that protects him as an individual. It is totally separate. People should not get confused by a simple-mined approach to sechar and onesh.

We are coming up to Channukah. It is an interesting story of cheit and tikkun.

Chazal are very clear that the failure of that generation was its being greatly enamored and seduced by Greek ideas and Greek culture. It created a weakening of commitment to avodas Hashem and kedushoh. So Hashem responded by showing us what happens when Greek ideas and Greek culture infiltrate and defile Jewish hearts and minds. Greek armies will now come and infiltrate and defile the kedushoh of the Beis Hamikdosh.

Why should the Greek breach the walls and set up idols in the Beis Hamikdosh in particular? Again, this has many levels of explanation.

As long as Klal Yisroel were doing the avodah and have a symbol of Hashem’s presence within the physical world, Greece couldn’t tolerate it. Even with avodo zoro spread throughout the entire world, the avodah to Hashem that was going on in Yerushalayim represented an existential threat. To neutralize this threat, they needed to raid the Beis Hamikdosh, breach its mechitzos, be metamei the pure oil, and replace the avodah with avodo zoro.

But that was their thought process. Why did Hashem let them succeed? That is a different question entirely and needs a separate explanation. That requires cheshbon hanefesh by the tzibbur and steps to be taken to correct it. Hashem had to show the Jews that you can’t take “the best of Greek culture” and integrate it into your lifestyle as a Jew. When you import Greek culture, you are letting avodo zoro follow in its wake. You can’t compartmentalize the two.

Torah has a very clear approach to chochmoh. All of our true understanding about the world comes from Hashem and the infinite wisdom He put into His Torah. The midrash in Eicha says that when Yirmiyahu was mourning over the churbon, a Greek philosopher expressed his bewilderment. Why is such an intelligent man, who taught me all of my wisdom, sitting and shedding tears over a pile of stones and wood? Yirmiyah explained—where did all my wisdom come from? These very sticks and stones that are lying in ruin. Without the Beis Hamikdash, without the hashro’as haSchechinoh that the avodah in the Beis Hamikdosh brought into the world, the wellsprings of chochmoh are blocked.

The Greek approach to wisdom is that man is self-made. He is the source of his insight and knowledge and he is also the source of his ethics and morality. Nothing comes to him from without or from above. He fashions his gods in human form with very human character flaws and petty desires.

We pray to Hashem three times daily for wisdom and understanding. True knowledge only comes from the pure source of Hashem’s infinite intellect. The struggle between us and the Greeks is about who lies at the center of the universe—Hashem or the human being.

Hashem tells us that we cannot separate the Greek culture that we are so attracted by from the Greek avodo zoro. It is all one big focus on the self.

If you want to bring Greek ideas and Greek culture into your minds, this infiltration will be reflected in the physical Beis Hamikdosh. This deep connection between the Jew and the Beis Hamikdosh—the mind of a Jew and the Kodesh Hakodoshim-- is firmly established by Rav Chaim Volozhin in Nefesh Hachayim. When you allow things of tumoh into your mind, it is as if you are bringing it into the Kodesh Hakodoshim. Bringing Greek culture into your mind will eventually bring Greek avodo zoro into the Kodesh Hakodoshim.

What was the victory of Channuka all about? It is a very strange story. The heart of the miracle of Channuka is exactly as we say in ‘Al hanisim’. It wasn’t just a stunning military victory that gave us political sovereignty over Har Habayis. It wasn’t that a group of people decided to learn martial arts and decided to rise up to defend themselves. It was a war fought by Hashem for our ancestors. We take no credit for the military victory.

It was a battle—not over sovereignty, but over the attempts of the Greeks to keep us from learning Torah and fulfilling His will. How did Hashem bring about the salvation? All Jews were suffering under the harsh hand of the Greeks. Not just the Chashmonaim! Why did only this small group decide to fight back? Because they were the ones who understood the source of the failure of Klal Yisroel that allowed the Greeks to gain control. They were a bunch of weak talmidei chachomim, completely untrained in military warfare and strategy. But they were tohor completely, they were tzadikim and they were oskei sorosechoh. In order for Hashem to make sure that the underlying problem would be rectified, Hashem chose a small group with these characteristics to get rid of the entire Greek army. It would make sure that everyone understood what the true causes for golus Yovon and its geuloh were.

Today, secular Jews want to forget this lesson. They call their athletic competition the ‘Maccabiah’ in order to rewrite history in their favor. Every Channuka when we light those holy neiros and say ‘Al hanissim’ for eight days, we declare they are wrong. The Maccabim were a bunch of physically weak yeshiva bochurim. They were tzaddikim who understood the source of the danger and Hashem enabled them to make the necessary correction. They came to the Beis Hamikdosh and found the last pure flask of oil with which to light the menorah. The menorah represents the pure wisdom of Torah which encompasses all true wisdom of the world that the Greek so desperately sought. The oil has to be pure and untouched by goyim.

Our way of looking at history is very different than other people. If something happens to us, it demands an explanation that is rooted in spiritual failure. There is a problem that needs correction. By Channukah, it was only a small group of people who were able to identify the problem correctly. Most people said it is the expansionist ambitions of the Greek empire! Alexander the great wanted to spread Hellenism across the civilized world and we are a part of that world. What’s the big mystery? No. It needs a cheshbon hanefesh to explain why the Greek army took over Klal Yisroel. The Chashmonaim were uniquely able to identify that problem and they had the purity of soul to rectify the problem and remain in power over Klal Yisroel to make sure this problem wouldn’t repeat itself again.

It is a unique approach to Jewish history. What do we do in difficult times? What is our response?

The first of everything is to realize that Hashem runs history. He runs it on a global level, on a national level, and on an individual level. Hashem occasionally allows an enemy to be successful against us in order to awaken us to do a serious cheshbon hanefesh. The enemy may have his own vicious reasons for attacking Klal Yisroel. They hate Klal Yisroel and they hate Hashem and there’s nothing we can do that’s going to change that. The first thing we need to do is make a communal cheshbon hanefesh to see where we are failing as a tzibbur. Then we have to take normal hishtadlus. Not crazy hishtadlus but normal hishtadlus. Finally, we have to look into our own personal lives to see what we can do to rededicate ourselves to Torah and yiras shomayim, to bring our avodoh to a new level and do our little part to correct the situation.

Every tzoro in Klal Yisroel is a wake-up call. We have to hear it and we have to internalize it.

What was the Maccabim’s rallying cry? Mi La’Shem Eilai! There name stood for “Mi Komochoh Bo’eilim Hashem. They weren’t fighting a national struggle for sovereignty. Their crowning achieving wasn’t to take back control over Har Habayis. They were fighting for taharas Beis Hamikdosh. They were trying to remove the influences of kefiroh and tumoh and human egocentricity. To restore the kedushoh and taharoh of the Jewish mind by removing Greek influences completely. Who were able to understand this struggle and fight it successfully? Only the few, the weak, the pure and the righteous talmidei chachomim. Hashem doesn’t do miracles for the sake of restoring Jewish national pride. Hashem does miracles for these people to show us what the problem was and what the correction was supposed to be.

What is important for us to know about this difficult period is that the movement to reclaim Har Habayis from the Arabs has nothing to do with avodas Hashem whatsoever. It is a complete distortion and corruption of the kedushoh of Har Habayis—a desecration similar to what the Arabs themselves are perpetrating on it. A minister in the Israeli government said openly that her dream was to see the Israeli flag flying over Har Habayis. Not to see korbonos being brought, the Beis Hamikdosh being rebuilt, the kedushoh and schechinoh being restored. No. To them, it is first and foremost a symbol of national pride and sovereignty. They are completely and utterly misguided.

Har Habayis is the mokom hamizbeach from time immemorial. It was the place of the Akeidoh, it was the place where Noach brought his korbon after the Mabul, and it was the place where Kayin and Hevel brought their korbonos . It was the place where Odom Horishon brought his korbon and the place from where he was created. It is a mokom kodosh ve’tohor. It is the place where we connect to Hashem because the schechinoh is felt there more intensely than anywhere on Earth. That is what Har Habayis is all about.

So the whole issue today surrounds a very skewed and distorted idea of what Har Habayis stands for. But underlying it all, Hashem only lets that unbridled hatred come to the fore because we need to be woken up and see what our failure as a tzibbur is. We need to try to figure out how we as part of the tzibbur are contributing in some way to the problem and what we can do to correct it.

Chazal told us the reason why Hashem allowed Amoleik to attack us. It was because we were lax in our limud HaTorah. Chazal don’t just tell us fascinating stories about our distant past. They are sharing with us an insight as to why Hashem allows our enemies to attack us in every generation. If Hashem allowed the Greeks to take over Har Habayis and contaminate the Kodesh Hakodoshim, it was because we allowed Greek culture to infiltrate our minds and contaminate our neshomo.

The question for us is very simple. We need to address the problem with our Torah and our tefilloh, but if the tzoro we are facing is coming from a desecration of the concept of Har Habayis, then perhaps our failure as a tzibbur is that we are allowing and enabling the kedushoh of our minds to become desecrated as well.

The Nefesh Hachayim’s idea of a parallel between the Beis Hamikdosh and the human mind and neshomo runs very deep. If the whole conflict today surrounds the mokom hamikdosh being desecrated, then to what extent is this being caused by our personal Beis Hamikdosh being desecrated? This is the serious cheshbon hanefesh that we have to make. If we didn’t allow our own nefesh to become tomei then Hashem would not have allowed the mokom hamikdosh to be misused in the way that is has.

It is not the time to go around and point fingers at everybody else. It is incumbent upon each and every one of us and each tzibbur as a group, to correct our mistakes; and that is the only way this tzoro can be brought to an end.