"The strengthening of bnei Yisrael is achieved through announcing: 'And Yaakov lived,' that 'Yaakov our Patriarch did not die ... just as his seed lives, so too he is living,' i.e., to emphasize the true level of each and every Jew - the seed of Yaakov - that he is a 'Jew' and therefore notwithstanding his standing and revealed situation, he can and needs to reveal his true level through doing teshuvah and keeping Torah and mitzvos - that is the way to strengthen and encourage.
"However when one stresses and emphasizes the disadvantage of those who are non-observant, also adding warnings of punishment and retribution, Heaven forbid, not only is this not the way to strengthen the keeping of Torah and mitzvos, rather it weakens observance and distances the non-observant from doing teshuvah. Particularly in this generation, the only way to draw the hearts of bnei Yisrael closer to our Father in Heaven is to rebuke in ways of pleasantness and peace with ahavas Yisrael.
"This is all important in this generation in which those who are until now non-observant are in the category of a tinok shenishbah, and their status is as clearly ruled by Maimonides as quoted above; as the Rambam says - it is correct to bring them to do teshuvah and to draw them with peaceful words until they return to the strength of the Torah.
"Another fundamental point in not speaking derogatorily about bnei Yisrael - and particularly not mentioning words of impending retribution (which because of the imperative, 'Do not open your mouth,' it would not be right in repeating them, in addition to the negative effects it would have in kiruv as mentioned before) is that such words are completely untrue and the opposite of 'respect' for G-d and the opposite of 'respect' for the Jews.
"The opposite of the truth:
"Maimonides rules: 'This balancing of iniquity and merit is not according to the number of sins or merits but according to their greatness. There is such merit that balances many sins, etc., and this balance can only be balanced with Divine Judgment; He who knows the true valuation of merits vis-à-vis debits.'
"In our case: Since, as mentioned above, those who are non-observant until now are in the category of a tinok shenishbah, who is like one who has been compelled or forced, the rule is that 'Torah exempts one who is forced.' On the other hand, when a tinok shenishbah keeps even one mitzvah - and definitely one who keeps many mitzvos - as the Sages have testified that there is no man of Israel who has not kept many mitzvos - this is surely very precious and beloved by G-d!
"Furthermore, it is particularly in this generation that there has been an arousal amongst the tinokos shenishbu to return to the ways of Torah and mitzvos, to the extent that tens of thousands of Jews have become observant, and this number is increasing.
"Who therefore has the right to weigh in his own human - of flesh and blood - mind the weight of the sins of this generation and to pronounce that because of these sins will come retribution. G-d forbid such a thing. This is the opposite of that which the Torah rules: that these people are in the category of a tinok shenishbah whom Torah exempts!
"The opposite of Heavenly honor:
"To describe G-d as One who sits and calculates the number of sins and waits until there is enough to take retribution, G-d forbid, and then when punishment is exacted again starts counting, etc., this is surely the opposite of respect for G-d, as it gives the impression that G-d can be compared to a cruel king who is waiting to punish. This is in fact the opposite of the truth that G-d is a 'Merciful Father' as explicitly stated in numerous verses, particularly in the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.
"G-d is primarily engaged in creating additional simchahs for the Jewish people, as the Midrash states: 'What has G-d been doing since creation until now? He has been making shiduchim!' i.e., creating additional brides and grooms and fulfilling the command of 'Be fruitful and multiply' by creating more children - which is connected with the simchah of the Redemption - the marriage of G-d and the Jewish people as it says in the wedding blessings, 'Speedily ... will be heard in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the voice of delight, and the voice of joy, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride.'
"Moreover, when the A-lmighty does punish for sins - after He has been abundantly patient - the punishment is not G-d forbid a revenge, rather it is for the good of the person, in order to cleanse and purify him from the impurity of the sin. In the words of the Alter Rebbe: 'Like a merciful father who is wise and righteous who strikes his son ... like a great and awesome king who himself washes the excrement off his only son out of his great love for him.'
"And since this cleansing is done out of love, it causes pain to G-d and He also shouts, 'Woe to Me...,' 'I (G-d) am with man in all his troubles.'
"The opposite of honor to the Jewish people:
"Since the bnei Yisrael are the children of G-d, as it says explicitly in the verse, 'You are children to the L-rd your G-d,' and additionally referred to as 'My son, My firstborn Israel,' and the A-lmighty loves them as it says, 'I love you, says G-d,' and as the Baal Shem Tov taught, that the love of the A-lmighty to every one of Israel is greater than the love of elderly parents to an only child born to them in their latter years, it follows that G-d does not wish to hear derogative words regarding His people, and such words are insulting as it says in the verse in Zechariah 'One who touches you is as if he has touched the apple of His (G-d's) eye.'
"Even the prophets of whom it is said that, 'The spirit of the L-rd spoke in them and His word was on their tongue,' are warned that, 'The A-lmighty does not desire one who speaks badly of His people.' We find that Yeshayahu, one of the greatest of the prophets, was punished when he said, 'and in the midst of a people of impure lips I dwell.'
"Maimonides, in his famous epistle Iggeres HaShmad, writes: 'If the pillars of the world (i.e., the Prophets) were punished for speaking unfavorably of the people, how much more so less important personalities who loosen their tongue against communities of Israel to call them wicked.... Any orator should not speak in public until he has reviewed what he wishes to say a number of times ... and how much more so the written word should be reviewed a thousand times....'
"It is also important to bear in mind the warning the Torah gives us about 'not opening our mouth to the Satan.' Strong words can arouse the Divine attribute of judgment and bring about punishment, whereas with good words and seeking merit in the people, one causes that G-d accepts this merit. An example of this concept is found with Gideon, in whose days Israel was in great danger and the A-lmighty was looking for a person who would see merit in them.... As soon as Gideon saw merit in them an angel appeared to him. It was only in the merit of Gideon seeking merit in the people that they were redeemed.
"We find many examples in Jewish history of great leaders seeking merits for the Jewish people even though they were on a spiritual low. How much more so in our generation where the only reason why Jews are not more observant is because they are 'forced,' and in the category of a tinok shenishbah, it is not necessary to search for merits for the merits are obvious. Each and every mitzvah today, whether in thought, word or deed, is very precious, and multiplied manifold is the merit of the vast teshuvah movement which is growing in momentum.
"Most important on the agenda is that all this positive merit should hasten the Redemption. The Talmud already states that 'All the end dates for Mashiach's arrival have passed.' This was true in the times of the Talmud, how much more so today after a lengthy and difficult exile lasting longer than 1900 years and Mashiach has still not come!
"As regards teshuvah - (as the Talmud states that Mashiach's arrival is dependent on teshuvah) - the Jewish people have already done teshuvah, for there is no member of the people who did not have a 'thought of teshuvah' at least once in their lives (if not many times), and with one thought of teshuvah one can be transformed in a moment from a complete rasha to a perfect tzaddik, as the Talmud rules that one who betroths a woman on the condition that he is a (perfect) tzaddik, even if we know him to be a rasha, he is considered married because perhaps he had a thought of teshuvah.
"In light of all the above, Mashiach should and needs to come immediately. And in addition to all the above, many prominent rabbis in this generation have issued a halachic ruling that Mashiach needs to come immediately, and since Torah is 'not in the heavens,' the halachic ruling of an earthly court can force the Heavenly Court to confirm with the ruling!
"One further point: 'Closing the Satan's mouth' on this issue and looking meritoriously at the Jewish people is of particular relevance to this generation.
"In the Haftorah of Shabbos Chanukah which is taken from the prophecies of Zechariah, it is written: 'And G-d said to the Satan, "G-d shall denounce you, O Satan, and G-d Who chooses Jerusalem shall denounce you (again); this is indeed a firebrand rescued from the flames.'" G-d denounces the Satan for wishing to bring evil upon the people. G-d declares that He chooses Yerushalayim. Yerushalayim is compound of two words: yirah=fear (or awe), shalem=perfect: Yerushalayim=a perfect state of awe. The true essence of every Jew is a state of perfect awe. G-d adds in His denouncement of the Satan, 'this is indeed a firebrand rescued from the flames,' i.e., there are only a few of Israel remaining like a firebrand saved from the fire, and you (the Satan) want Me to destroy them?
"Of relevance to us:
"This generation, the remnant of the Holocaust in which six million Jews - may G-d avenge their blood - were killed, may be compared to a 'firebrand rescued from the flames.' G-d forbid therefore to speak ill of them to the extent to warn them of another holocaust! Heaven forfend it should never take place - 'A trouble shall not appear twice.'
"Such an outburst against this generation is made sevenfold worse when it is connected with desecrating the honor of those who died in the Holocaust by stating that the Holocaust happened because of their sins.
"By way of introduction:
"There are things that happen in the world that do not happen as a punishment for sins, but rather as a result of a Divine decree that does not have any rationale in the wisdom and intellect of Torah. In reference to Rabbi Akiva who was murdered in a most horrific manner when the Romans raked his body with iron rakes - and similar horrific deaths of the Ten Martyrs - the Sages say that G-d's response when challenged with this question was, 'Be silent, it has risen thus in My thoughts,' and 'it is a decree before Me.' In no place is G-d challenged with injustice.
"The prime example of this is the decree of the Covenant Between the Parts, where G-d says to Avraham, 'Know with certainty that your children shall be aliens in a land not their own; they will serve them, and they will oppress them four hundred years.' This decree was not due to any sins, rather it was a Divine decree.
"So it is with the Holocaust.
"The destruction of six million Jews in such a horrific manner that surpassed the cruelty of all previous generations could not possibly be because of a punishment for sins. Even the Satan himself could not possibly find a sufficient number of sins that would warrant such genocide!
"There is absolutely no rational explanation for the Holocaust except for the fact that it was a Divine decree - definitely not the inner will of G-d - rather a moment when, 'for a brief moment I left you.' Why it happened is above human comprehension - but it is definitely not because of a punishment for sin.
"On the contrary: All those who were murdered in the Holocaust are called 'Kedoshim' - holy ones, since they were murdered in sanctification of G-d's Name since they were Jews and it is only G-d who will avenge their blood. As we say on Shabbos in the Av HaRachamim prayer, '...the holy communities who gave their lives for the sanctification of the Divine Name ... and avenge the spilled blood of His servants, as it is written in the Torah of Moshe ... for He will avenge the blood of His servants.... And in the Holy Writings it is said ... "Let there be known among the nations, before our eyes, the retribution of the spilled blood of Your servants." ' G-d describes those who were sanctified as His servants and promises to avenge their blood since their murder is the opposite of His will.
"So great is the spiritual level of the Kedoshim - even disregarding their standing in mitzvah performance - that the Rabbis say about them, 'No creation can stand in their place.' How much more so of those who died in the Holocaust, who, as is well known, many were of the finest of Europe's Torah-observant Jewry.
"It is inconceivable that the Holocaust be cited as an example of punishment for sin, in particular when addressing this generation, which as mentioned before is a firebrand plucked from the fire of the Holocaust. In fact, such words will have no effect whatsoever and there should be fulfilled the continuation of the verse in Zechariah: 'See I have removed your iniquity from upon you and had you clothed in fresh garments.... Let them place a pure turban upon his head.... The angel who spoke with me returned and woke me as a man is awakened from his sleep. He said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see and behold! - There is a menorah made entirely of gold...," ' i.e., the true and essential level of every Jew is revealed through the illumination of 'the lamp of the mitzvah and the light of the Torah.'"
Source (with citations): http://www.sichosinenglish.org/books/ah ... oel/10.htm
