Kedoshim

This year, Simchas Torah in Eretz Yisroel saw the onslaught of heartbreaking atrocities. Men, women and children were killed just because they were Jews. When someone dies only because he or she is Jewish, אין כל ברי’ יכולה לעמוד במחיצתן!

פרשת ויחי תנש"א - See Here

Simchah Nonetheless

There were times when the Rebbe agreed with arranging a taanis shaos and even said a sichah on some of them. However, when the Yom Kippur War took place, he strongly held that Tishrei is not the time to fast, citing the Tur and Beis Yosef to this end.

The following article is an interesting background report by Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Levin, the secretary of Agudas Harabbonim of America for many years. He relates how some Rabbonim attempted to establish a fast day to be held at the end of Tishrei and how this was circumvented in a Lechatchilah Ariber’dike way.

See here - כפר חבד פסח תשפא

Involving the Children

On the one hand, we need to be sensitive about what and how we share information with children. At the same time, however, we must involve them as they have a unique power and a closeness to Hashem that can help us in the fight against terror.

Before Purim 5739, the Rebbe held a rally for children. In the sichos, the Rebbe spoke about the greatness of gathering children together, drawing a parallel to the times of Purim when Mordechai gathered children. Towards the end of the rally, the Rebbe spoke about how children today can help eliminate terrorists. In conclusion, the Rebbe asked the children to sing the niggun of Utzu Eitzah so that all the plans of the terrorists, their comrades, and their supporters would be thwarted as if they had never existed.

See here - י"ב אדר תשל"ט