Where is Leiby?
An Article Written by HaRav Hillel Weinberg, Rosh HaYeshiva Yeshivas Aish HaTorah
When the Jewish world heard that an eight year old boy was missing from his parents they asked, what could have happened to this small child? They gathered together, davened and grew to become as "Ish Eched, B’Lev Achad” (One person with one heart).
Each Jew felt the pain of the boy’s parents and everyone felt their own heart rip open from the anguish of worrying and searching for their lost boy. Jews from all over the New York area came together, contributed money, energy and any resources they could to play a part in bringing little Leiby home to his parents, whole and healthy.
The entire community put aside their differences and united in the task of finding this innocent little boy. The unity that was created that day was unstoppable and unimaginable.
Every person forgot their differences. No one asked if the boy was from their community or if his family davened like them or dressed like them. Because everyone knew- a Jewish child was lost and missing from his parents.
As Jews, we need to know that the Al-mighty has a purpose for everything that happens. It is He who ultimately is organizing all types of situations and as difficult as it may be, we need to know that in this tragedy, the Al-mighty is sending us a message.
It is no coincidence that this happened as we Jews worldwide enter into the three weeks preceding Tisha B’Av, the most mournful time of the year. This horrible tragedy contains within it a message to us and it is a message that we must hear before we enter into this disastrous time of year before Tisha B’Av.
It contains within it a call for us to atone and to renew within us all the goal of this season- the achievement of unity and the destruction of "sinat chinam” (baseless hatred).
Rabbi Avram Rothman, the Rav of the Aish Thornhill Community Shul in Toronto wrote to his community and asked, "Do we really need to force the hand of the Al-mighty to take the life of a precious eight year old boy in order to remind us of the significance of ridding our hearts of sinat chinam? Have we become so coarse as to not be prepared to unify as Jews unless something as horrible and tragic as this happens? Could we not learn to love each other and unite without this?”
I would like to add another important thought on this tragedy.
Thousands of Jews gave up what they were doing to go and comb the streets of Brooklyn searching for little Leiby. Jews from all over the world and particularly Jews from all over the New York area came to Borough Park that day because they felt the pain of a father whose son was lost. They felt in their heart the anguish of the mother of a lost boy and they acted.
The prime, central question that we have to ask, that we must ask is, how many Leibys, how many Moshes, how many Jerrys or Cobys or Saras or Rachels-How many millions of Jewish children are lost to their Father in heaven and how many among us feel that pain?
The Al-mighty cries out for his lost children all day: Where are my sons and daughters? His pain is not a momentary pain. His pain is not a seventy year pain. It is a pain that is infinite in its depth. His pain is forever and greater than any of us could imagine.
The murder of a young boy is a horrible tragedy that should never happen. However, let us remember that as the neshama of Leiby approaches the Kisei HaKavod (the divine throne), his neshama is merited with the zechus of awakening feelings of unity and love among the Jewish people. He died al kiddush HaShem and his neshama rests in the holiest of places.
What about all of the other Leibys? Those who have gone astray, gotten lost and may not even know that they are lost? Their Father, our Father, loves each and every one of them. He cries over them and He feels the pain of losing his children.
Where are the thousands of Jews who must find rachmanus in their hearts to search for the lost boys and girls from our Father in heaven?
We gave of our financial resources, our care, our tears and our time to search for lost Leiby. Who gives of their heart, their love, their time and resources to return the millions of lost "Leibys” to their Father in heaven?
We have been sent a message. One that is tragic, frightening and horrible, but, we must hear that message. We cried out for the lost boy. We cared and gave of ourselves to unite and find the lost boy. We felt the pain of his parents and we acted.
Let us all gather together at this auspicious and difficult time and become like "one person with one heart” and give of ourselves, our resources, our time, and love to bring all of the little lost Leibys and Saras and Ashleys and Kevins back to their Father in heaven who weeps for them eternally.
Let’s gather together, let us turn to our friends, to our brothers and sisters, to be strong and determined and bring back all of the lost Jewish children throughout the world.
Let us unite to find the lost, torn, injured children of the Al-mighty and return them with healthy bodies and spirits, neshama and nefesh, to their Father, our Father, who cries out for them -
Ayekka? (where are you?)
Where are you my beloved children? Return to me, feel my pain and come back home.
Through such unity, with a common bond we will hear the sad message of the tragedy of Leiby and bring back all of the lost Jewish children.
In this merit, may we return b’teshuvah and march with Moshiach speedily in our days back to our land.
Rabbi Hillel Weinberg
Rosh Yeshivas Aish HaTorah
Jerusalem, Israel
This should be a zechus for Leiby Kletzky a”h
Source: AJOP
