The name of the current IDF operation in Gaza is "Amud HeAnan", "Pillar of Cloud". Where does this name come from? It comes from Shemot:14 verse 19."The angel of G-d who had been going in front of Israel moved and went behind them, and the Pillar of Cloud moved from in front of them and went behind them." Rashi explains this verse as meaning that the angel of G-d became the Pillar of Cloud for the purpose of intercepting the ballistic, heavy boulders, stone projectiles and arrows that the Egyptians were shooting at the defenseless Jews, trapped at the Red Sea. Rashi is telling us that the angel in the guise of the Pillar of Cloud was acting as the original Iron Dome Defense System, shielding and protecting the Jews.

The Jewish People are witnessing unbelievable miracles. The missiles and rockets, fired at us, have the power to destroy buildings and kill and maim many people. Yet miraculously there have been very few fatalities. Even the most secular newspapers in Israel report that there is no way to explain these events, according to the natural order. The Israeli media keeps on using the word, miracle, to describe the uncanny escape from harm's way of so many of our people. The critical obligation for every Jew is to ask himself, "Why is G-d performing these miracles for us?"

Another question is, "How should we be conducting ourselves in these extraordinary and miraculous times?" How should we interpret these exceptional events?

Our Rabbis tell us that G-d performs miracles for the Jewish people so that we will become more aware of His Presence in our lives. G-d has made it perfectly clear that no missile or rocket can harm us without His consent. The Lubavitcher Rebbe said that every rocket and missile has an address that G-d predetermines, though the terrorists may believe that they can aim at a particular target.

Miracles are G-d's alarm bells, a "Red Alert" that we must wake up and become truly aware of G-d's Hashgachah, Divine Providence, in our daily lives. We must raise our G-d consciousness and unite and rid ourselves of our internal divisions. G-d's game plan for the Jewish People is to unite in loving brotherhood. When we make peace among ourselves, then G-d will bring us peace from our enemies.