SOLDIERS OF IDF VS ARAB TERRORISTS

SOLDIERS OF IDF VS ARAB TERRORISTS

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Elef LeMateh.......

Harav Simcha Hakohen Kook (Chief Rabbi of Rehovot in Israel), together with the Bostoner Rebbe have launched an innovative program to help protect our soldiers and all residents of Israel who may be in danger.

They quote Numbers 31:4 - Parshat Matot - The context is that the children of Israel were in the desert, about to do battle with Midian. Under G-d's instruction, Moses tells the people that they are to go to war, and that "a thousand from each tribe a thousand from each tribe of Israel is to be sent to the army."

So what is this duplication of "a thousand from each tribe" (in Hebrew "elef lemateh")? Was it one thousand or two thousand? The English texts solve the question by simply skipping the duplication. The traditional explanation, however, is that each soldier was "twinned" with someone of his own tribe who stayed back from the battle and prayed for the soldier that was doing battle on his behalf. One thousand fought and one thousand prayed. And, at the end of a particularly difficult battle, verse 49 witnesses the result of this unity amongst the Children of Israel - "And they said to Moses: your servants have counted the warriors among us, and not single one is missing."

King David, when he went to war, also had each soldier "twinned" with someone who stayed behind and prayed and learned Torah specifically for him.

The idea launched by these great Rabbis is to ask Jews - especially those overseas, who are not part of the daily battle for Eretz Yisrael, to adopt a soldier, or a person who lives in one of the danger zones, or has been forced out of their home as a result of shelling, or just lives in Israel. Take their name and pray for their safety. A very personal one-on-one concern for your fellow Jew and for your fellow man.