The Jewish people for years have endured anti- semitism that made the Jewish people a victim of society. The list of countless Jewish lives that were taken, and thousands of casualties inflicted upon the jewish society is endless. Today we are fortunate enough to have our own country to call home, but every single day we are fighting for it's existence. Wether it is a fight against the anti-israel media, a fight against false Palestinian propaganda, or a military response against those who threaten our livelihood, the Jewish nation is constantly at war. Something remarkable about Am Yisrael is that we are all given the obligation to fight against those who pray for our demise, together. This bond demonstrates something beautiful as seen in this weeks parsha. Everyone in the nation of Israel is responsible for one another. In this weeks parsha, the obligation is laid out explicitly.
| They said, "If it pleases you, let this land be given to your servants as a heritage; do not take us across the Jordan." | | ה. וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִם מָצָאנוּ חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ יֻתַּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לַעֲבָדֶיךָ לַאֲחֻזָּה אַל תַּעֲבִרֵנוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן: |
| [Thereupon,] Moses said to the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben, "Shall your brethren go to war while you stay here? |
| ו. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה לִבְנֵי גָד וְלִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן הַאַחֵיכֶם יָבֹאוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה וְאַתֶּם תֵּשְׁבוּ פֹה: |
When the tribe of Reuven asks that they be exempt from war to raise cattle Moshe is stunned. Moshe, the leader of Israel understands that war is an obligation of all the people. Millitary preperation is not the only thing neccasary in waging battle. As we know from the time of Yaakov, torah and prayer are needed as well. Winning a war has miltary and spirtutal components synthesised as one. No one demonstrated this synthesis better than Rav Amital ZL" who passed away earlier this morning. Rav Amital the founder of the Meimad movement believed in two integral obligations of the Jewish people. These two obligations as used in war were that everyone take part in defending the Jewish state and nation through torah and military preparation. It is fitting that Rav Amitals death coincide with this parsha for Rav Amitai exemplifies the lessons learned in this parsha. Rav Amital believed that we all shared the common goal and part in protecting the Jewish people, and impacted our nation by sharing his marvelous torah with the Jewish people. May we all be zoche to follow in his footsteps.
Shabbat Shalom
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