Interesting Sandy Links and a Possible Sandy Meaning

• Rav Shteinman Shlit"a suggests people accept upon themselves a strengthening of keeping the laws of Shabbat ahead of Hurricane Sandy. In particular, that the Eruv that they use is 100% Kosher.  (Update: More here)
• Update: Rav Gershon Edelstein Shlit"a says that this storm - and every storm, even if thousands of miles away - is to awaken us to be stronger in Emuna and to rectify anything that requires rectification
• Selihot for Behab, which ends Monday for those who have the custom of doing it, references a storm
• Tomer Devorah has Yad Hashem and Double or Nothing?
• Soul Mazal has his take
• (For storms in general,) G-d's horse
• In this week's Perasha, in the Akeida, we read:

   כִּי-בָרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ, וְהַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה אֶת-זַרְעֲךָ כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְכַחוֹל, אֲשֶׁר עַל-שְׂפַת הַיָּם; וְיִרַשׁ זַרְעֲךָ, אֵת שַׁעַר אֹיְבָיו  that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
  
   וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ, כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ, עֵקֶב, אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקֹלִי and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast hearkened to My voice.'
  
   וַיָּשָׁב אַבְרָהָם אֶל-נְעָרָיו, וַיָּקֻמוּ וַיֵּלְכוּ יַחְדָּו אֶל-בְּאֵר שָׁבַע; וַיֵּשֶׁב אַבְרָהָם, בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba. {P}

  We learn about Avraham's descendants being blessed like the sand which is upon the seashore and his seed (i.e. Yaakov) inheriting "the gate of his enemies" (e.g. occupied Gush Katif). Why? Because he listened to Hashem's voice. When we don't listen to Hashem's voice, on the other hand, we lose out on our inheritance and not only that, but the sand(y) works against us - it causes our schools to be closed and normal life to be disrupted.
  
  Where were schools closed and normal lives disrupted? Be'er Sheva on Sunday due to rocket attacks coming from sandy Gaza which is on the seashore (but they were back to school Monday).  On Monday and Tuesday, the entire New York and much of the US East Coast is closed down due to Hurricane Sandy, including many schools.
  
  The Keli Yakar on verse 17 explains the difference between Israel being as numerous as the stars, the sand, and the dust of the earth. When all is good, we're like the stars. When our enemies are trying to destroy us, we're like the sand.  Just as the sand doesn't allow the waves to overflow onto land, so too Hashem won't let our enemies destroy us.  When we're at the lowest level, we're like the dust of the earth, but this level will be the catalyst for Geula.
  
  Right now, it seems like Hashem is trying to tell us that we're on the sand level - definitely not in peaceful times, but not yet in dire straits (אפס עצור ועזוב), and yet, we're being threatened with destruction from all sides. However, this status cannot last forever - it is soon coming to an end and we have a choice to make: we can either listen to Hashem's voice and merit Redemption immediately or ח"ו face a situation where we will be like the dust. Hashem promised that He won't destroy us, but damage can be done. The waves of Sandy and of our enemies can do damage if Hashem gives them free reign. It's up to us - ובחרת בחיים - we must choose life.
  
  May we not have to endure the lowest level in order to merit the Geula.  May we get there before it reaches that point.  The easiest way to achieve this is to listen to Hashem's voice.

May everyone stay safe and may Hashem protect His people and all good people from both Hurricane Sandy and the rockets coming from sandy Gaza.