I just came back from a beautiful trip to South Africa. I flew in for my niece’s wedding—along with most of my siblings—and we spent an incredible weekend together.
When I told people I was going to South Africa, the overwhelming response was, “South Africa? Are you serious? It’s so dangerous there now! Don’t go.”
We all know South Africa has been leading the charge in the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, which the Israeli Foreign Ministry called “one of the greatest shows of hypocrisy in history and a series of baseless and false claims.”
And then, while I was there, South Africa submitted an urgent measure to safeguard Rafah in the Gaza Strip (which was ultimately rejected).
Listening to the media, you’d think South Africans really hate Israel. But while I was there, I spoke with at least 100 locals—people I met on the streets, in shopping malls, going about their day-to-day lives—and not one of them had anything bad to say! In fact, they all told me how much they love Israel and the Jews—a poll with 100% success, definitely not what you would expect from reading the news. Moreover, I felt perfectly safe walking around Johannesburg late at night.
So what is it then? How to explain the discrepancy?
It seems that the government hates Israel, but the people love us. I grew up in South Africa. South Africans are generally warm, kind, friendly people. You greet someone on the street with a “Good morning” and they respond with a resounding “Good day!” You stop someone for directions and they don’t just wave you off, they stay with you and try to help you. South Africans are genuinely nice people.
On top of that, the Rebbe promised that South Africa will be good for the Jews until Moshiach comes, and even afterwards.
Clearly, there is a massive disconnect between what we see and hear in the media and what the average South African actually thinks and feels. The media tells us how dangerous and anti-Israel South Africa is, but it’s not true! The government has issues, but the locals love us.
I realized there’s an important message here for all of us.
In this world, we are all blind. We do not see the truth—G-d’s master plan. But ultimately, everything that happens in this world and in our personal lives is Divinely ordained.
Most of the time we don’t see it. We live our lives thinking we are the masters of our own success, but actually we are like the blind groping in the darkness.
Before we say the Shema every day, we beseech G-d: “Have mercy on us!” What does this mean? “Open our eyes to the truth,” we ask G-d, “show us Your ways. We don’t want to be blind.”
Moshiach is about to arrive, bringing redemption and world peace, but we are so blind that you’re probably thinking right now, “This rabbi is so out of touch!”
L’chaim! Let Moshiach come right now, and let G-d open our eyes so we truly trust and believe it will happen.