"May we sing for joy at your salvation..."

Yom shishi, 1 Kislev 5769, Rosh Chodesh.

Yesterday evening, when the news reports out of Mumbai were looking hopeful, I saw the following quote in a story that had reported the hostages rescued from the Chabad house: 

"The terrorists who were holed up in the city's Chabad House had offered to negotiate with India's government for the lives of the Jewish hostages they are holding, but the government said, 'No deal.'"

I subsequently commented to friends:

If this sentence from the Arutz Sheva news report is accurate, Israel and the West could learn a lot from India.

Let's listen to the music, boys and girls. It's about time that the so-called civilized countries on this planet start to ask the Mujahedin to protect themselves from us. It is about time the people of Islam and the Arabs should be expected to be apologetic for their crazy brothers. The wrong people are cowering in fear. The wrong people are walking the streets without concern.

Negotiating with evil brings more evil, because evil doesn't play by the nice guys' rules.

As we continue to daven for the safe rescue and return of Gavriel Noach ben Freida Bluma and Rivka bas Yehudis, and their colleagues, Aryeh Leibish ben Elta Nechama Maltshi and Ben Tzion ben Elka, among all of the other holy captives of Hashem's enemies, let us not turn away from that fact.

And as we sit, wondering how we can stop the madness from our kitchens and cubicles and classrooms around the world, let's take a brief glance at the Shir shel Yom for Yom Chamishi, the day this most recent horror seems to have begun:

"If only My people would heed Me, if Israel would walk in My ways.  In an instant I would subdue their foes, and against their tormentors turn My hand."*


*Artscroll translation of the Song of the Day for Thursday