Slaughter At Mercaz HaRav

Just about an hour and a half ago, a few hours into the month of Adar II, at least 7 young Jewish men were murdered in cold blood by at least one Muslim terrorist at the flagship yeshiva of Religious Zionism, Mercaz HaRav. Reports are wildly varied - for the latest, go to Israel National News. At this point, officials believe one terrorist opened fire on students in the school's library, killing seven and wounding 10, some seriously. The terrorist was shot in the head by a student of the yeshiva.

This horror can only be increased by the fact that bombs continue to fall in the Western Negev and in Ashkelon. A chilling picture I saw today of an elderly man being evacuated to the hospital after a missile fell in Ashkelon, city of 120,000, has since disappeared from the news site in which I saw it.

Reports from Gaza suggest an atmosphere of celebration and merriment in the wake of these events.

I'm not even sure how to react yet, other than to try and contain the nausea and trembling that want to overtake me. As I struggle with it, I am starting to piece together a recent understanding - the rabbis are under attack.

The reason I note this is because of two other recent news stories. The first piece of news I heard a few days ago, during the first wave of major missile fire against Ashkelon. Somewhere toward the end of an article on the aggression, I read that the area around the Baba Sali's tomb in Netivot had been hit by the rockets. Today I heard that the grave of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak from Berditchev was desecrated in Ukraine. And now, on the beginning of the month of Purim, the happiest month of the year, Rav Kook's yeshiva is attacked - Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook's yartzheit is on Purim.

I'm trying to make sense of this realization so that I can better grasp what Hashem is trying to tell us in this very difficult, painful time. In the meantime, I leave it to you to ponder, and to pray.

As for myself, I pray that Hashem will give strength and comfort to the families of these holy young men, who were gathered in the evening for the purpose of learning Torah. May Hashem allow them to see justice for their sons and for their nation, and have no mercy in destroying everyone connected with this slaying, and all of their allies, down to their very foundations. I pray that Hashem will give us the wisdom to see past these events, and give us the gift of surviving until a better day will dawn. May the G-d of Israel have mercy on His people, and guide us forward in strength and holiness.