Shoshanah stopped reading. She could feel her heart beating very fast and a wave of shock swept through her

The Cossacks were nearing, and the fear of their arrival hung over the village like a black cloud. People spent their days boarding their doors and windows, preparing food, and davening to the Master of the World to save them from the impending danger.

One day Shoshanah left Baruch and walked across town to visit her parents. When she arrived, it was already close to evening, so she decided to stay for supper.

“Papa, you don’t look scared. Why? Everyone else seems to be walking around as if the sword of death is literally resting on their neck.”

“The sword of death is resting on our necks,” Chaim said softly. “But there is no such thing as despair.”

“Even now, Papa?”

“Yes, even now. If one believes that everything that happens is decreed by Hashem, what is there to fear? Hashem is good and everything that He does is good. Even though right now it seems bad to us, we know the truth. Not even one Cossack can lift his sword against us, if Hashem does not decree for it to happen.”

“But still, it’s a very scary time.”

“Scared of whom, my dear daughter? The Cossack? The puppet with the sword? No! Chas v’shalom! But fear of Heaven is allowed. We do not want to be punished by Hashem’s attribute of Justice, so we must certainly daven for Hashem’s infinite compassion.”

Suddenly there was a sound outside of the door.

“I’ll get it!”

Shoshanah opened the door and blinked in surprise. There was no one in sight. Then, she stared into the distance and saw a figure escaping into the forest. At that moment her eyes drifted downward, and she spotted a black envelope at her feet. She bent down and opened it with trembling fingers. She recognized it from somewhere, but from where? Aha! Yes, now she remembered! That night she had seen Papa sitting at the table after she had chased the mysterious cloaked figure.

She began to read it.

Dark times are falling across the land, but there is great joy in my heart. I have very big news to share with you….