Chaim starts the video next to the entrance to a Hamas terror tunnel he and his team have discovered and prepared for demolition in the Gaza Strip, declaring that the IDF is not going to allow the terrorism to continue but will “bring judgement day” to the wicked people who built this tunnel.
He then says that it’s almost Shabbat but he and his comrades are staying in the south of Israel, running missions into Gaza to defend the defenseless against Hamas terrorism. He adds that everyone wants to know when there will be a cease-fire and when the hostages will be released. He mentions that Qatar has finally gotten serious about putting pressure on Hamas to accept the terms of an Israeli plan to this end, but Hamas continues to act like they’re the victim of Israeli aggression, instead of admitting that they did something wrong and taking steps to end the bad situation they created.
The US is putting pressure on Qatar to expel the Hamas leadership which lives in luxury hotels in Doha if the organization doesn’t accept the deal, while it’s also putting pressure on Egypt to seriously address the issue of smuggling weapons and other contraband into Gaza from Egyptian territory.
Chaim says he doesn’t know what’s going to happen, but he wants to give a “midrash” teaching as Shabbat approaches. He says the theme of his teaching is “contentment” which he says is very important for one’s life. It is necessary to constantly remind oneself that one is content with what God has given one. It doesn’t mean one gets lazy or complacent, but that you’re not constantly unhappy about what you don’t have.
He says that he’s seen, in Gaza, some very nice, expensive houses that people owned, including beachfront properties that anyone in the world would be happy to have. The Palestinians could have had a fantastic way of life if they’d pursued it, but instead they were jealous and angry that Israelis had something they thought was rightfully their’s, so they put all their effort into destroying Israel instead of building something for themselves.
Chaim quotes Ecclesiastes 5:10; He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
He also quotes Proverbs 15:16; Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble.
He adds that money is important, as it is a tool we use to accomplish the work that God has given us to do in this world. He gives the example of the Aliyah Return Center, which needs a lot of money to build the facilities that will be needed to assist with the large wave of Aliyah which is coming in the next months and years as Jewish people flee the rising tide of anti-Semitism all over the world.
Chaim also acknowledges that the Children of Israel have had to learn and re-learn this lesson about contentment many times. Examples can be found all the way back in the Book of Exodus when God gave them Mannah to eat in the wilderness, but they were not content with it, saying they wanted to go back to Egypt where there was more interesting food to eat.
But then he switches the focus back to Hamas in Gaza, saying that they’ve received enormous sums of money over the years from various sources, including both Western and Arab governments, NGOs, the UN, etc. But the ordinary people of Gaza have not received many benefits from all that money, as Hamas is corrupt and has stolen most of that money and diverted it to purchasing weapons, building terror tunnels and other things that have nothing to do with caring for the civilians of Gaza.
Furthermore, they’re refusing the deals that Israel is offering to exchange the remaining Israeli hostages for a cease-fire. Instead, they are demanding that they be allowed to continue using their own people, and the Israeli hostages, as human shields. They are also demanding that Israeli unilaterally lose the war and give up all the security gains that have been won at such great cost and sacrifice.
Chaim also mentions all the students at universities in the US, Europe and elsewhere who are chanting and marching in favor of the terrorists. He says they need new chants and he gives some examples of chants he’s come up with which they could try.
He concludes by saying that we’re counting day 45 of the Omer, that Shavuot/Pentecost is close and that he’s grateful and content that he is still alive, hasn’t been seriously wounded and is, in general, in remarkable good shape considering everything he’s been through.
He gives the credit for all this to the God of Israel, quoting Psalms 32:7; You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah