Rav Judah Mischel tells the following story about the Lubavitcher Rebbe:

In May 1957, the small fledgling community in Kfar Chabad—founded by Russian Lubavitcher immigrants—was shaken to the core when Islamic terrorists (“fedayeen”) attacked the village, murdering five children and their melamed during Maariv, in their classroom. Ten other children were severely wounded, and all the residents of Kfar Chabad were left with shattered hearts.

Unsure of the future, these Yidden who had survived the brutal Russian exile considered a logical course of action: dismantling their settlement and moving elsewhere. First, of course, they turned to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, zt”l, for guidance.

In their telegrams to the rebbe, they filled in details of the massacre and poured out their pain and their doubts. Should they continue in their mission of establishing a settlement and kehillah in that particular area? And in any case, where would they find the strength to continue after such a horrifying, painful attack?

The rebbe’s telegram response contained a single sentence: The rebbe’s telegram response contained a single sentence: “B’hemshech habinyan tenuchamu—by continuing to build will you be comforted.”

The theme of rebuilding after great tragedy is a recurring Torah theme. Rabbi Akiva (Yevamot 62b) famously rebuilt the Torah world after the devastating loss of his 24,000 students:

“The world was desolate of Torah until Rabbi Akiva came to our rabbis in the South and taught his Torah to them. This second group of disciples consisted of Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua. And these are the very ones who upheld the study of Torah at that time.”

These five students emerged as the pillars of Torah study for succeeding generations. Sanhedrin 86a teaches: “An unattributed Mishna is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir; an unattributed baraita in the Tosefta is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Necḥemya; an unattributed baraita in the Sifra—the halachic midrash on the book of Leviticus—is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda; and an unattributed baraita in the Sifrei is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon. And all of these are in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Akiva, as all the Sages mentioned were his disciples.”

Moreover, Bava Batra 91a relates: “People say: Why do you need the 60, the 60 children that you beget during your lifetime? Go to the trouble and beget one who will be more diligent than 60.” This adage refers to Boaz, who had 60 children who died, and yet his last child—born from Ruth—is his glory, as King David was born from this line.

Accordingly, the Mashiach (a descendant of David HaMelech) emerges from a man who was able to rebuild after enduring an awful series of tragedies.

Conclusion

Jews have always excelled in rebuilding after disaster strikes. Many note that Noach could not rebuild after the mabul—unlike Avraham Avinu—who mustered up the psychological strength to have 12 more children after the passing of his beloved Sarah Imeinu, to whom he was married for more than a century! The Jewish people reconstituting itself after the catastrophe of the Holocaust is beyond heroic. In fact, the Jewish communities with the largest population growth after World War II were the displaced persons (DP) camps, where survivors of the Shoah eagerly married and bore children after their liberation.

Moreover, the ability to rebuild is a Messianic theme. It is from Boaz’s child with Rut that the Mashiach will emerge. Furthermore, the Mashiach emerges from Lot’s awful union with his daughters since the daughters—explains Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik—sought to rebuild the world after severe destruction. Indeed, it is not just, “b’hemshech habinyan tenuchamu,” but “b’hemshech habinyan tigalu—with the continuation of the building, we will be redeemed!”

Rabbi Jachter serves as the rav of Congregation Shaarei Orah, rebbe at Torah Academy of Bergen County and a get administrator with the Beth Din of Elizabeth. Rabbi Jachter’s 19 books may be purchased at Amazon and Judaica House.