It feels like the whole world has been holding its breath this week.
Will the United States and Israel attack Iran? Will they not? Is it happening tonight, tomorrow, or not at all?
I joined an Israeli WhatsApp group with thousands of people on it—and I need to leave, fast. Every minute brings another “update”: Americans are leaving their base in Qatar. Israel is ready. Iran has closed its airspace. Trump is putting them to sleep—but really, he’s attacking.
The flurry of speculation is relentless.
The reality is, no one knows exactly what’s going on in Iran right now. What began with brave protesters standing up to one of the most brutal regimes on earth quickly spurred a violent crackdown and internet blackouts. One thing, however, is heartbreakingly clear: people are being killed.
And the world is watching, nervously, helplessly, to see what will happen next.
Israelis, meanwhile, do what Israelis have always done in impossible moments: Memes. Jokes. Sarcasm. Dark humor. Not because they aren’t afraid, but because this is how they’ve learned to cope with fear and uncertainty.
Emergency services are on standby, hospitals are preparing for the worst, flights are canceled … uncanceled … then canceled again.
And the headlines spin faster than we can keep up.
Trump decides to attack. Then not to. Then yes. Then no.
With so much uncertainty, we have to turn to the one thing we know to be true at all times and in all places:
Hashem is in control.
Not Iran.
Not America.
Not presidents, generals, or armies.
And certainly not us.
Any control we feel is merely an illusion. And that means that the chaos and fear gripping much of the world right now is actually just the collapse of the illusion of control.
The only thing that is certain is Hashem.
And when you truly believe that—when you internalize it—you realize something liberating: panic is optional.
That doesn’t mean we should ignore reality or minimize the danger. It means that while the world focuses on “What will happen next?” we ask a different question: “What will I do next?”
And the answer to that is the same as it’s always been: Lay tefillin. Study Torah. Join a daily minyan. Keep Shabbat. Eat kosher. Light Shabbat candles. More kindness. More courage. More faith.
We do what Jews have always done in moments like this. Bring more light into the world. More kindness. More courage. More faith.
When the world feels dark, our job isn’t to doomscroll and predict what will happen, but simply to illuminate the darkness.
So take a breath, sit back, and trust Hashem. Because amid all the uncertainty, there is one thing we feel confident about: the current turmoil is surely a sign of the imminent coming of Moshiach! May it happen speedily.