This week, Homeland Secretary, Tom Ridge, gave us the get ready website and launched it’s ready campaign.  According to the Associated Press we are to have the following items:  Three days’ worth of nonperishable food and water, flashlights, battery-powered radio, extra batteries, blankets, first aid kit, medicine, manual can opener, duct tape and plastic sheeting (to seal a room for several hours during a chemical or biological attack).  After reading the report I was reminded of the following story:

A gentleman developed a terrible phobia “Monsters under his bed”.  Night after night he would wake up in fear “The monsters were coming to get me” he cried.  Seeking help he tried all kinds of medicines, anti-depressants and Xanax, the foremost anxiety calmer.  After this he tried another host of prescribed drugs and only became more anxiety ridden.  He visited physician after physician, analysts to gurus, but to no avail.  Biofeedback, yoga and aromatherapy, nothing helped.  His distorted fears and thoughts interfered with his everyday living.  Depression and despair set in, he thought he was finished.

Years later, after years of suffering, he suddenly became well and began to live an anxiety free life.  One day his friend met him and asked “How did you get cured?”  He answered, “I finally went to my teacher, a rabbi from the old country.  He suggested I cut off the legs of my bed and trust in G‑d.  As soon as I did that the monsters had no place to hide and I began to sleep.” 

Are you aware in the State of Israel close to a hundred deaths were attributed to fear of scud missiles from Iraq.  The deaths were blamed on stress and anxiety and not one Israeli was killed by a scud.  There is a lot to say about fear and stress. 

I strongly believe, as a clergyman, that we have a great Almighty in heaven Who wants the people of the world to live in peace, harmony, and tranquility.  When I hear of world-over protests running in the tens of thousands for and against the war in Iraq I too become anxious and seek a way to calm myself.  When I look at the different grades of color provided by our news media for high alert to low alert I think color blindness may be a blessing.

If possible there should be a special department of Homeland Security encouraging prayer and faith.  Every home should have a bible to pray with.  There should be guidelines of praying for a peaceful end of this conflict as stated in Proverbs 28:30:  “The faithful will be abundant in blessings.” 

Now you ask, “What do we do with all of the duct tape?”  I recommend that you keep it to tape your ears closed from listening to the bad predictions and tape the mouth of the doomsayers.  Our government’s motto is “In G‑d we trust” and that should be the greatest way to live your life.  As in the words of the great Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Chabad, world Chassidic leader (1745-1812), “Faith is beyond intelligence and perception.”