Finally, a few words of chizuk from Gila in Neve Yaakov:

A few words of chizuk.

When HaKadosh Baruch Hu chose us to be His Am segulah, His selection was powerfully influenced by one particular character trait. We are a stiff necked people! This inherent stubbornness, can of course, be a negative thing, but it is also a very positive midah (character trait)- we see ample evidence of it today and we should feel good about ourselves.

At various times in the history of the state of Israel many Arabs, fearing our wrath, fled their homes and now live relatively miserable lives in refugees camps. This panic exit also occurred on a grand scale in '48 when the State of Israel was declared, no doubt during the six day war from the 'administered territories of Yehudah and Shomron. Fear, psychological projection and panic inducing stories, even threats from fellow Arabs, caused this compulsive abandonment and flight. More Arabs fled when the PA gained control of certain parts of Yehudah and Shomron. They had come to realize that Israeli administration was a pretty good deal after all, and dreaded the jurisdiction of the PA.

By stark contrast, Pesagot, Beit Hadassah, Gilo and Beitar and many other Jewish communities have been suffering daily intense and vicious attack over the past six weeks. Do they show any signs of evacuation? On the contrary- the attacks have only served to strengthen their resolve to stay just where they are. Yasher co'ach! They are Jewish families, just like ours, just like yours- showing just what they are made of when things get really tough.

Arab children are trained, encouraged and incited to harm us. If they die in the attempt they are called "shaheeds", martyrs. Such an abomination! This is called the El Aqsa Intifada and yet, do I see Arab youths risking themselves just to be allowed to pray in the El Aqsa mosque? Since the riots on Rosh Hashanah, Arabs under a certain age were banned from the Temple Mount. Do we see them risking themselves just to pray at their 'beloved shrines'? I've never heard about it if they've been trying. Where is the concept of 'shaheed' when it comes to 'praying at the third holiest Muslim place in the world and connecting with Allah??' It's only a 'marytrdom' of hatred, not of love.

By stark contrast, Arab snipers in Beit Lechem threatened to shoot worshippers at Kever Rachel for no good reason at all. The worshippers at Beit Lechem weren't threatening to tip boulders on any Arab head or cause riots in Beit Lechem. They just wanted to go to the kever and say some Tehillim. Were they intimidated by the snipers' threats? Did they stay away? They organised buses and escorts. They begged to go, they demanded to go. Some of them actually walked there. They put themselves out, go to tremendous trouble, even some risk- just to daven at the place they love. And what about all the people who go to the cotel every day? Don't they know how likely it would be for a chamas terrorist to try something on one of those buses? G-d forbid, they should never succeed. Don't they know that whenever the bus passes Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem and the traffic is held up, as it usually is at that spot, a riot could begin? Don't they know that the cotel is a minute from the Muslim quarter and two minutes from the Silwan valley and a riot like that of Rosh Hashanah could blow up any minute? Sure they know, but they trust God will protect them and they go. And all is quiet, again.

We are a people of emunah, we are a stubborn people and we have to give ourselves a lot of credit. Since Yitzhak lay down to be an Olah Temimah on that very Temple Mount, fully ready to give himself totally into G-d's hands, and got up again shortly afterward to continue his avodas Hashem, still with the gift of life- so we continue.