SURFSIDE TRAGEDY

We can never attempt to find a reason for a tragedy. Reasons are known only to the Creator of the world.

But we can sometimes look at a situation as a reflection of things going on in the world or in society and take action to correct certain things in order to avert future tragedies.

What has been happening lately in the world?  Collapses. In meron, bleachers collapsed.  Erev Shavuot, benches collapsed in a synagogue.  In Italy, a cable car broke (collapsed). And now in Miami, an entire half of a condo building collapsed.

In society what has been collapsing ? Our foundations. Our foundations of holiness, purity, modesty, family life, everything decent and normal.  Society has been destroying the foundations of the home, the family, marriage etc. People are destroying everything that is normal, trying to force people to accept a shaky foundation of life without values.   People are ignoring what is proper, holy and good and promoting (through social media in particular) values that are against Torah, against G-d and against humanity.  This needs to be corrected. We need to speak out against people or ideologies that oppose truth.  We need to strengthen our spiritual foundations. 
The Lubavitcher Rebbe always used to bless a groom and bride with the blessing to build their home on the foundations of Torah and mitzvot.  And he explained that if a foundation of a building is faulty, the entire building is at risk. Same with a marriage, a Jewish home: it all depends on how strong the foundation of the home is.

So let us strengthen our foundations; let us encourage homes to be built on the right foundations, and let us make sure our children are brought up and educated with the proper morals and values. 

Let us go back to basics and fix the world. May we merit the redemption of the world with the coming of Moshiach.

Today is the 17th of Tamuz, a fast day, and may this day commemorating the breaching of the walls of the Beit hamikdash help us to correct any breaches in our own walls and borders and may we merit the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash very soon. 

Yerushalayim (the Hebrew word for Jerusalem) is made up of two words: Yirat Shalem, complete fear of G-d. May our fear of Heaven not be breached and may we stand strong against the lies of the world.