Wednesday, June 18, 2025 כב סיון תשפ”ה
Today has been my busiest day this week; with full nights of sleep I’m able to be a lot more productive! I took my car in for an annual inspection this morning, and since I expected it to take a while I came equipped with things to do. I davened Shacharis, video-chatted with my daughter and her kids, caught up on my online Scrabble games and then started grading my students’ finals from last week. Before I knew it my car was ready, Boruch Hashem. So glad to have that taken care of!
I found out on my neighborhood chat this morning that not everyone slept as well as I did, unfortunately. I was half-asleep when we got an alert at 12:30 AM, and was so grateful it wasn’t followed by a siren. There were quite a few booms, though. Then there were more alerts and loud noises at 1:30 AM, but I knew nothing of them until I saw this conversation! A couple of neighbors even took video footage of the intercepted missiles, which means they were REALLY close. Yet Bet Shemesh was right outside the danger zone, Boruch Hashem! This was confirmed by our mayor online. And it was blessedly quiet again today!
Yocheved and I learned together again, and it was her birthday so we gave each other Brochos. Then I put up something for dinner and went out to try to donate blood. I have never yet been successful in doing this in Israel, and today was no exception. I don’t understand why Magen David Adom is so much stricter than the blood donation facilities in the US! Even my soon-to-be doctor daughter says it doesn’t make sense… But while I was out I finally got my grocery shopping done. We still have no guests for Shabbos so I’m kind of making up my menu on the fly.
I got home in time to quickly eat something and set out the Seforim for my weekly Novi class, The Life and Times of Dovid HaMelech. Some of the women have been part of this series for the past five years, while others have joined more recently. Some are local enough to come in person, but most participate through Google Meet–including two from Pittsburgh who are still steadfast students for nearly ten years! We had a lively discussion with several valuable digressions 😀
Tonight and tomorrow is a very powerful day to ask Hashem for whatever we want–and what do we want more than the revelation of Moshiach?! I’m attaching the following announcement, relevant to this:
HISTORIC CALL TO ALL THE JEWISH PEOPLE
Tomorrow – Thursday, June 19 | 23 Sivan 5785
A moment history will not forget.
We are living through days beyond imagination.
Days where reality catches up with prophecy.
Days when the Master of the Universe displays His power and kindness before our eyes.
The skies over Iran, once impenetrable, now open before our pilots like celestial highways.
Nuclear sites collapse. Missiles vanish. And the people of Israel are protected by miracles that defy all understanding.
But…
Have we thanked Hashem in proportion to what He is doing for us?
“If we had given thanks with full recognition, the Final Redemption might already have come.”
the day King Ahasuerus accepted Esther’s request, allowing all Jews to defend themselves against their enemies.
This marked the beginning of the miraculous turnaround of Purim.
And on this very same day, in our generation, we once again see Heaven turning in favor of Israel.
In every city, in every home, in every heart.
Let us not miss this moment. Let us not remain silent.
Let the world hear our gratitude, and may the heavens open even more.
Let this 23rd of Sivan become a turning point in the history of our people,
and may it be the day when unity, faith, and gratitude open the gates of Redemption.
| I can’t wait to see you all at the Beis HaMikdosh! |