The surrounding Arab nations declared war on the fledgling state, making their intentions perfectly clear: to drive all of the Jews into the sea. Vastly outnumbered, Jews throughout the country feared for their lives. As the home of the Brisker Rav, Rav Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik zt”l, was located in the center of Yerushalayim, the threat to the Gadol Hador’s life was very real. He continued his learning and davening day and night, begging the only One Who would decide the fate of the Jewish people to have mercy on His children. As the bombs fell in the distance, the worry on the Rav’s holy face was noticeable to all those around him. However, as the bombing increased, and the bombs began falling in the immediate vicinity of the Rav’s home, a sudden calm enveloped his holy countenance.
Members of the household asked, “The bombs have only increased and are now falling all around us. The fear of catastrophe has only been heightened. Why the sudden calm?”
The Rav explained, “Every bomb has its address. Therefore, the constant bombardment is no cause for fear. However, when the bombs were still falling outside of our immediate vicinity, I was worried that perhaps the obligation of protecting one’s life required me to leave Yerushalayim and head to a safer area. Now that the bombs are falling right around us, and the option of leaving is no longer available, I am definitely exempt from that obligation, and therefore have nothing left to worry about!”
Everything is preordained by our loving Father in Heaven. All that we have to worry about is whether or not we have fulfilled our obligation of hishtadlus.