Due to the times that we are in, we continue with the concept of Noseh B’Ol/Carrying the yoke of your friends, empathizing when somebody is suffering.
We can go back to the times of Yetziat Mitzrayim with Moshe Rabbenu to learn about Noseh B’Ol. We also learn about it from Hashem Himself, as He appeared to Moshe Rabbenu in the burning bush.
And when Hashem appeared to the Jewish people, it says that they saw God, so to say, on the throne, and under His feet, was a sapphire brick.
What sapphire brick?
Rashi tells us that when the Jewish people were suffering in Mitzrayim, God put a brick under His legs to remember that His people were suffering. Later, when they got out, He turned it into a shining, sapphire brick, because they were no longer in Galut.
From this, the rabbis bring out an unbelievable concept. Of course, Hashem is doing this to teach us, but He used a reminder, to remind Himself that His people were suffering. If that’s the case, surely we humans need reminders as well. During these times, we should do things to remind ourselves as well. This doesn’t mean that we have to abstain from everything, but it has to be on our minds.
Many years ago, at the beginning of the intifada, there were horrible terror attacks, and they did very gruesome things.
There was a picture in the newspaper of an Arab after he killed a Jew, with his bloody hands proudly raised in the air. Rav Yissachar Frand cut the picture out of the newspaper and put it on his closet door, so that when he woke up in the morning and got dressed for his day, he would have a reminder of what was going on.
Everybody should try and do some thing, in whatever way that speaks to them. I am not advocating that you get a newspaper or go online, but if you happen to see a picture of a train load full of people, or a bombed out building, or a mother carrying her baby, or any other sight that talks to you, cut it out and stick it on your windshield.
Do something to remember that it is not business as usual. Pray for these people, have them on your mind. And ask Hashem to bring the ultimate Yeshua.
Besorot Tovot