The passing of Ahron HaKohen is mentioned three times in the Torah; in parshas Chukas, in parshas Masay and in parshas Eikev. In parshas Eikev it is mentioned immediately following a narration of Moshe’s receiving the Luchos, the sin of the golden calf and the subsequent breaking of the Luchos. Rashi comments that the passing of a Tzaddik is like both the day of the sin of the golden calf and the breaking of the luchos.
In a fabrengen on parshas Eikev 5730 which fell out as it does this year on Chof Av, the Rebbe discussed the Rashi mentioned above. When a Tzaddik passes it’s like the luchos being broken. Also, although the Yidden were successful in defeating King Arad, still they feared and retreated all the way back to Gudgoda. This caused Shevet Levi to chase after them and fight with them until they returned. The fact that the Yidden chose to retreat is comparable to the golden calf. By running away, they were running from Hashem instead of going forward with the trust in Hashem that they would continue to be successful.
This fabrengen took place three years after the Six Day War. The Rebbe had voiced his opposition against the cease fire that Israel had just agreed to keep with Egypt. He said that the Egyptians would just use the opportunity to position new missiles. At this point in the fabrengen the Rebbe became animated and spoke with emotion. He said that we had seen the miracles in the Six Day War and that the Israeli Army should go forward with a preemptive campaign and bomb their missile sites. He said that it was permissible to use their phantom jets to fly sorties even on the Shabbos as it was a matter of pikuach nefesh. (It is known that many of casualties in the Yom Kippur War were due to the lack of airspace caused by Egyptian missiles). Just as with with the assault of King Arad, the Bnei Yisroel were afraid even though they were the victors. They kept retreating further and further, from one place to the next until they reversed course a distance of eight journeys! It’s as if they were saying that indeed there were miracles yesterday, but today is new and who knows what will be if we do not retreat. Amalek arrives and cools down the neshama. After this, fear settles in. If Shevet Levi had not intervened, who knows how far they may have retreated.
Fourteen years earlier in 1956 Israel won decisively against their enemies yet pressure lead to giving up territories. We know what kind of peace comes from giving up territories, often enough the peace is not even temporary. Forty years ago the Rebbe said that in the government there are Jews that are prepared to give not just territories but the entire Golan and Yerushalayim as well R’L. The only reason they have not done so is because they have not been able to come up with the proper diplomatic wording. They characterize Yerushalayim as the place of three great world religions, while everyone knows the truth that it’s the place that Shlomo HaMelech built the Beis HaMikdash. There was no other great center for the others. Instead they speak about a horse going into Heaven.
The Rebbe said that when he was a child their teacher taught them that by looking into the parsha they could see what was happening in the world. He also said that it makes him happy when he finds a connection between the parsha and current events.
The Rebbe then began to weep and said that when he read the Haftorah he saw in it a connection to current events. The Rebbe shouted the words of the Haftorah. Hashem says, “I came and you were not there”. Not only did I come, but; “I call and you do not answer”. There is no response. “Am I unable to bring your salvation?” At this point the Rebbe could not continue. The words of this Sicha from 41 years ago ring in our ears today as we realize that we are making the same mistake again in Eretz Yisroel הי לא תהי".
Just as we apply this lesson from the parsha to global events, so too we need to apply it to our individual daily lives. Hashem provides our needs and nevertheless the yeitzer hara throws us a curve ball. Then we become fearful. We need to strengthen ourselves by remembering that we are Chassidim connected to the Rebbe. We saw with our own eyes repeatedly that what the Rebbe said came true. The Rebbe also said that we need to learn inyanei Geula and Moshiach. We need to prepare ourselves, our children and the world at large for Moshiach.
ב"ה