Chelkat Yehoshua: Psalm 125 & Asarah B’tevet

The 5th of Tevet is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Yerachmiel Tzvi Rabinowitz, the Biala-P’shischa Rebbe (2003). Born ~1923, the first-born son of the previous Biala Rebbe, the Chelkas Yehoshua. He became Rebbe after his father was nifter in 1982 and opened his beis midrash in the Har Nof section of Yerushalayim.

“For the rod of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, so that the righteous shall not stretch their hands into iniquity.” (Psalm 125:3)

In every generation there are righteous people who, if they desired, could shake the world, rid it of all evil and bring the redemption.

However, when they see that this is not the will of God, Blessed is He, until the time of redemption, they negate their will to God’s. They sit quietly.

They say to God, “For the rod of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, so that the righteous shall not stretch their hands into iniquity.” Since we are so patient because of Your Will, You must protect us from the rod of wickedness. (Chelkat Yehoshua, Psalms)

The Midrash says that the inhabitants of Jerusalem were not concerned about the Babylonian siege because they were sure they could use their great spiritual powers to call on the most powerful angels to protect them. They did not consider God’s Will or instructions. They were only interested in their agendas. God had to manipulate the names of the Angels so that these people could not call on them to save Jerusalem.

The siege was an opportunity for the inhabitants of Jerusalem to submit to God’s Will and accept His mastery, but the people refused to respond, and the siege eventually led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Beit Hamikdash.

Application:
We can use the Fast of the Tenth of Tevet to evaluate whether we are paying attention to the lessons God is teaching us, or if we are simply focused on our own agendas.