Never before in history has humanity faced as great an evil as today's Islamic extremists. Even the Nazi's Y"M were not suicidal! When it was obvious that they were losing ground in WWII, they withdrew their troops and ultimately surrendered. But today's Muslim extremists are prepared to die, just to kill a few "infidels". All over the world, Jihadist are perpetrating monstrous suicidal attacks against innocent civilians. And in Israel, Palestinian kids as young as 11 and 14 years old are stabbing people in the streets knowing they will be killed.
David Hamelech prayed in Tehillim (Hallel) "סבוני כדבורים דעכו כאש קוצים בשם ה׳ כי אמילם" - "They surrounded me like bees, they are quenched like fire of thorns, but in the name of Hashem I cut them off."
Why like bees? When a bee stings, it knows it will die and yet it still stings. David prayed to Hashem to save him from such people who are willing to sting even though they know they will die. For such people are impossible to win without divine intervention.
Where do these Muslim extremists get the strength to perpetrate such attacks? Every nation receives its strength from their angel (Sar) in Shamayim. It seems that in the generation before Moshiach, Evil has been given its strongest weapon; messiras nefesh, rachmana litzlan!
But my friends, there is a good side to all this!! מידה טובה מרובה! For every bad force that comes down to this world, an equal and opposite force comes down for GOOD. That means that in our generation, Hashem has surely opened the gates of messiras nefesh for good to anyone who truly wants it! There must be a great opportunity now for us to grab these spiritual kochos for the good.
EVERY TIME WE TURN AWAY from the Yetzer Hara; every time we say "No" - even when it feels like we'll DIE if we don't give in, we are latching on the the spiritual forces of the days before Moshiach! Hashem offers the koach of Messiras Nefesh to anyone who shows they are ready to do whatever it takes!
This message is especially relevant on Chanukah, which is all about Messiras Nefesh - about giving the fight over to Hashem.
The Sefarim say that every year, the same great light that came down in the time of the Chashmonaim comes down again on Chanukah. In the zechus of their messiras nefesh back then, every Jew can be zoche to this madrega on Chanukah.
This fight is BIGGER THAN US. We can't win without a miracle. But if we are ready to be moser nefesh and turn away from these poisonous temptations no matter how much it hurts, He will give over the "strong" into the hands of the "weak".
We are up against the whole world. But this is not our fight, it is Hashem's. Let us throw ourselves into His hands and be ready to do whatever it takes and then He will fight for us!
GuardYourEyes is calling out to every Jew: מי לה' אלי!