Pray for our heroes

When I was a young boy, I was privileged to visit Israel for the first time. I recall the excitement of seeing the Kotel for the first time, the beauty of the hills surrounding Jerusalem, and, of course, the thrill of ordering food from a kosher Pizza Hut. But there is one part of that trip that stands out, which I still think about often. I had one obsession that kept me excited throughout the entire trip. I always had my eye out for one thing, or really, person: an IDF soldier.

What was so intriguing? It’s possible that it was merely the sight of a real-life warrior living their life in the regular world. After all, in most cities in America, it’s rare to see a soldier in full uniform.

But in Israel, due to the smaller size of the country, and the need for a larger army per capita, you see soldiers wherever you go. Visit a mall, ride a bus or a train, or go to a café, and you are almost guaranteed to encounter a soldier or two.

However, after some thought, I don’t think the novelty of seeing so many of them, or seeing them doing “ordinary” things, are the only reasons that I was so captivated by the presence of IDF soldiers.

We live during a blessed time in Jewish history. It wasn’t that long ago that living in, or even traveling to, Israel was but a distant dream. It was only 80 years ago that Jews desperate to flee the atrocities of Europe had nowhere to go. We can never take for granted the opportunity and privilege of being able to see and experience the land of Israel. And, of course, this is a gift and a blessing directly from Hashem.

But we must also appreciate Hashem’s messengers and our defenders, the courageous and heroic IDF soldiers. These are young men and women who sacrifice years of their youth, forgo basic comforts and amenities, and risk their own safety and wellbeing for the sake of defending the land, Israel, and her people. How can one meet them and not be inspired?

But for thousands of years, Jewish leaders have always known that this is but one aspect of our strength. Moshe Rabbeinu, our greatest leader, arranged a system that perfectly balanced the physical and the spiritual. After the exodus from Egypt, Moshe and the Jewish people needed to prepare an army. In fact, it was one of the first things they did. And one of the several battles they encountered in the desert was an altercation with Midian, the son of Abraham.

Moshe instructed the people to prepare, “One thousand per tribe, one thousand per tribe” (Bamidbar 31:3-4). Why is the phrase “one thousand per tribe” repeated? Our Sages (in Yalkut Shimoni 785:30) explain that Moshe instructed each tribe to appoint 1,000 men to join the physical army, and 1,000 other men to serve as the spiritual force behind them.

One thousand men went out to war, while the other 1,000 men immersed themselves in prayer and Torah. This is the power of the Jewish people, to bravely fight, while always knowing that the true source of our strength is our Torah and mitzvot.

So next time you see soldiers in Israel, thank them, and appreciate the sacrifice that they are making for all of us. They truly are heroes. And, learning from our great teacher Moshe, pray for them, for that is the true secret of our people’s success. And perhaps most importantly, pray that we merit, through our actions and good deeds, to see the day when we can lay down our weapons, and serve God, in Israel, with complete peace and joy.

Rabbi Daniel Fox is the spiritual leader of Darchei Noam Glenbrook.