The MERIT of protecting lives in the HOLY LAND | Letters #11 and 12 of 30 Letters in 30 Days

All right, Bar Hashem. We're uh we're live Thursday night, double class. Sorry for the late start if you're watching live. It's uh been a busy day and it's it really is um challenging to get a class out every single day. Um it's just for 30 days. People are asking me, why does it have to be 30 letters in 30 days? It should be 365 letters in 365 days and just do it every day for at the whole year. and I would love that, but it's pretty intense. Anyways, um yeah, it's very meaningful. I wish I could share with you more of the personal stories that I am privy to. Um and that's just the stuff that I know about where people actually reached out to me and told me their personal stories. But it is incredible. Truly truly. I mean, I guess you have to believe me when I tell you this that you can really see how the words of a righteous individual are eternal because like the way that people are connecting with these letters right here and now is really wild. Like astounding actually. I'm and I'm not a person who's easily impressed. If anything, I'm a bit cynical. Um, yeah. Okay. Now, I teased you with all that and I'm not going to tell you any of the stories, but I don't know. Maybe uh I'll get permission at some point from some of the people to share some of these stories and maybe at a Fabangan, maybe at the Nissen Fang. Now, I'm teasing the idea that there might be a Yalefang when we learn our 30th letter. Um, and maybe it'll be at the Soul Word's house. Maybe, God willing, the Soul Wordwards House will be up and running. You know about that. Half a block from the aisle. Soul Word's House, which will be a center for gathering and Torah study and good deeds. Okay, at any rate, let's jump in uh to tonight's letters plural. We have two letters. Thursday night, we do a double letter. A letter for tonight and a letter for Friday night. Um yeah, as has become our custom, I'm going to give some uh sedaka because the Reb said the best way to give him a gift is to do some Torah study and to do some uh charity together. Okay, let's do uh get the Kabad Pushka app. I'll put the link below if you're watching YouTube. I'll also put the PDF link below if you're watching YouTube. Also, do yourself a favor and subscribe to the YouTube subscribe. Just push the button right there. And turn on notifications. That's another button. And then every time we go live live, you'll know automatically. Okay, we're going to give a little tedda. I didn't have my sound on so you didn't get to hear it. Hold on. Turning my sound on. Awesome. I also want to mention that tonight's share of uh double letters is dedicated to a personal friend and a friend of soul words and a friend of the 30 letters in 30 days project my friend Rabbi Mayor Schmukler. Um so we are wishing collectively the the whole community here uh mayor Elazar Benifka should have a hata today. Uh Ad was his birthday in LA. It's I don't know if he's in LA right now, but if he is, it's still before. So, it's still uh so we wish him a year of success in all material and spiritual uh endeavors, in uh revealed good, easy to see good uh in in his personal and uh public matters and in all possible ways. Okay. Um tonight's letters. Let's jump in. The letters are related in theme. They're not just related in theme. They're written around the same time. One is from Tesvadal. The other one is from uh Zaneka Tin Lamadal. So they're written about two weeks apart from each other. And if you know Jewish recent Jewish history, so you know that the Yam Kipper war was uh Tish and and andh of Toshin Lamadal. So we're talking about 1973, the last few months of 1973. Um and there were a lot of casualties. There were many deaths and many casualties in that war. Um, so many many wounded soldiers, veterans emerged from that uh time. And I'm just mentioning that because that sort of sets the backdrop for both of these letters. I made a braha earlier, but I will wish you all to life. And here we go. Tesla Brooklyn, New York. I don't know who Orura Shafir is other than a Jewish mother. Um, and I know some more details. Actually, I shouldn't say that. She's a Jewish mother with a son that the Rebbit says she should be very, very proud of. And I know why, too. Because it says so in the letter. Let's read. is the customary greeting to a woman. I'm hereby acknowledging receipt of your letter from the 26 of as well as well as the one preceding. It seems like she wrote twice and this would really be right on the the tail of of the Yam Kipper war. Now in in commenting on the beginning of your first letter that you wrote to me uh that you have a merit that we are related that we are relatives. which is what does that mean? We are from the family of the alterbat of who is the author of the Tanya, the author of the Okay, so apparently this woman is a descendant of the Alterb. Apparently, she mentioned that to the Rebe in the beginning of her first letter to the Reb, perhaps even to sort of introduce herself and explain who she is, you know, to give a context. Like, you know, this might sound like a flippant term when you're writing to a Reb, but you know, Jewish geography, when two Jews meet, oh, who do you know? Oh, who are you related to? And you sort of give them a context. So she began her correspondence with the Reba by explaining that she is also a descendant of the Alterba as as is the Reba descendant of the Alterb. And this next line is just so powerful. I want to thank actually he's he's not going to like that I'm calling him out but Shaw Wilhelm from Oslo is the one who pointed this out to me and um gave me the the privilege and the opportunity to be blown away by this. The Eb says to this misura, "Yeah, you are a descendant of the alterb." And and everyone, you have to understand the incredible not just respect, but the awe the awe with which the Reb regarded the Alterb. And the Reba writes to this woman and says, "Yes, you are a descendant of the Alterade. Yes, you are my relative. But you have a much greater than that. And it is that your son may he be wellagu defended our holy people and holy land. And then through that also all of our brothers and sisters everywhere they may be. There's at least two bombshells in that sentence. One is that the Reb tells this woman, you have a greater than the fact that you are a descendant of the Alterba and you are my relative. You have a greater hus than that in that your son is a soldier and he protects Jewish lives. The holy nation in the holy land. The second the second bombshell. I turned on my notification so that I would hear my pushka. Now I'm getting dings turning this off. The second bombshell is that the Reba says that because he's protecting the holy people in the holy land then also by extension he is protecting his brothers and sisters Jewish people wherever they are and it's an incredible concept that by protecting Jewish lives in the holy land that is by extension protecting Jewish lives everywhere in the entire world. It's also a remarkable concept. Uh, a little bit of transparency. I think I'm pretty clear about the fact that I grapple personally with how much commentary to give and how much not to give. Um, you guys have not been helping me because I've been getting friendly comments in both directions. Some people are like, I love how you just read the letter and you explain the letter and you don't give personal commentary. Then some of you are are reaching out to me and be like, don't hold back. give personal commentary. We want to hear your fabangan, right? Sorry, I'm so conflicted. But I think I'm going to air on the side of caution and not give my personal commentary. But what I want to try to do is just like fill in context without I'm not it's not my job here to editorialize or to create a verbal essay on the Labavaj's approach to the uh the Israeli army. That's I'm not that's not I don't think that's even appropriate here. I think the context is we're we're reading a letter that the Reba wrote to a person and that letter is a window to a relationship and that letter which is a window to a relationship is also an opportunity for us to learn a perspective. So without having to get into a whole discussion of the Reb's stance on military service and the army and let's just say this, here's what we know. Here's what we know that Eb is writing to a mother of a soldier and conveying words to her of of such pride of such admiration like you the fact that your your son protects Jewish lives and and also just the way that frames it what's his he protects Jewish lives and not just and also this this is important the the language The Rebi uses uh Aenu and Artenu. So Au are people and Artsenu our land. Kadeshim holy. So our holy people and a holy land. Um those who are discerning will pick up on the language that Abba uses and the language that the Abba does not use. And for me to be more explicit than that, I think is editorializing. But we here's what we know. The Reba is conveying the greatest praise and and language of of admiration possible to this mother that she should be proud of her son because of what he has done to protect Jewish lives in the not only in in in the holy land but wherever Jewish people live. So that itself is I think if we can just absorb that idea it gives a lot of clarity. It sheds a lot of light. Okay. It's a short letter Hashem's will. This this abovementioned this abovementioned merit which said is a big merit bigger merit than being descended from the alterba or being related to the merit should stand up for your son should basically protect him and his colleagues his friends meaning the other soldiers in everything that they need. Um, and first and foremost, what should the this what should this merit uh bring them? What should it uh convey to them? First and foremost, a spirit of strength of of courage, recovery, healing. Um, as I mentioned, there were many injured soldiers. So, Rafu here is in the literal sense of people who were injured. And by injured, I don't mean a paper cut. I mean people, God forbid, missing limbs, uh, maimed, crippled, and that their lives in all their various aspects of life should be set up well, should be organized well, should go well. Um, [Music] uh I think based on the tone in the spirit the tone in the spirit of your letters I'm permitting myself a very interesting expression I'm permitting myself to also write your son may he be Well, it's very interesting. The son did not write the deb. So the deb is explaining why he's contacting why he's initiating contact with the son. So that is saying to the mother, listen, the way you wrote to me, I kind of feel like I have permission to reach out to your son even though he didn't reach out to me first. Can you believe that? Like again no commentary but just reflect upon this. The Labava is a busy man and he is looking for an excuse to be able to start a correspondence with an Israeli soldier to become pen pals. I mean, if if that's not too coarse of a way to explain to to to to phrase it, but the the deba is saying, "I hope it's okay, but you know, the way you wrote to me, he's saying to the mother to to Miss Oro, the way that you wrote to me, it makes me feel like I have permission to write your son. I'm going to write to your son." Can you believe that the Rebbit is is desires contact with this with this young man? Okay. uh and that letter is included here uh in in this envelope. And it is my hope that in spite of the injury and the pain, okay? He's an injured soldier that he will receive the letter in the spirit with which it was written. meaning, I understand that your son was injured. I understand he may not be in the mood for me to reach out to him, but I I hope that he will receive my my words in the spirit that I intend them. Uh, may all of the blessings written in my letter be fulfilled for your son. Uh, what poetry and all of the blessings that come that flow from the hearts of all of our brothers, the Jewish people, wherever they may be. that says this is so poetic and beautiful these words. May the the blessings that I've written in my letter be fulfilled for your son and the blessings that flow from the hearts of all of our brothers and sisters everywhere. The the the good wishes, the the positive feelings that Jews everywhere have for your son, even though they may not know him. they they don't know him as as an individual but all of that positive regard should flow to him and take the form of of blessings just so beautiful and again if we can just absorb that without sha having to make any commentary just absorbing the clear love and respect and and deep admiration that the rebba is conveying in this letter um with blessings for good news and all of the above mentioned and also uh regards to your husband may he be well and with wishes that he meaning your husband I don't know what this is referring to but your husband should have much success in his esteem deemed responsibility, his position of responsibility. I I I don't know what that was. Okay. Um that is letter number one for tonight. Okay. Very powerful. Just extremely powerful. The tone of that letter, the language, some of the language there is just very moving. Um yeah. Okay. Let's do letter number two. Again, this is seltzer, by the way. I'm not chugging uh vodka or anything over [Music] here in Brooklyn, New York. Shalom. Now, this is to a man. It's written to a man. And this is Ze Khaneka. So, the last day of Kaneka. So this is like two weeks after the uh previous letter written to a different person but again with the background of the war just having ended when and with the many injured. Okay. Um I'm acknowledging receipt of your letter and I'm happy uh to read I was happy to read about the improvement in your health. Okay. From context what is the improvement of of health? It seems that this person is himself a soldier and he himself was injured and in fact he was awarded I I forgive my ignorance. I don't know what it's called in America. It's called a purple heart. When a soldier is injured that's the award that he's given with a medal. So whatever the equivalent is inherit well the the medal for uh being injured. Okay that that that's clear from context. I'm going to read I'm going to read on. You're going to see that that's uh what what happened. So God willing, your your healing should be uh rapid and it should be complete and and that means in the simple sense in the in the most literal sense you should return to your full strength you know like like you you were never injured uh you should be completely healthy completely whole. Okay. It's understood that your recovery that the Reb was just referring to, you should completely recover like become completely healed without any trace of previous injury. That recovery does not diminish does not diminish from the medal of honor that was given to you for your putting your life on the line. That's literally means putting your life on the risking your life for again similar language as the previous letter uh where the Reb referred to So over here it's similar the and the the the the people the people the Jewish people and the land. So both those both of those concepts um and and so so well here's what that I was saying. Your you should have a complete healing. Your complete healing will not diminish from the medal that you were given for laying your life on the line to protect the holy people in their holy land. And what I'm referring to is to use the language of our [Music] sages. It's an expression means the uh diminishing of my flesh and blood. Um the original context where this is used in rabbitic literature is usually talking about fasting that fasting grants atonement because similar to the sacrifices which animal sacrifices are bringing flesh and blood of the animal on the altar. So when somebody fasts, they don't have food to replenish their flesh and blood and so they're burning off flesh and blood. Um similar to burning flesh and blood on on the altar. So the deba says that you literally lost flesh and blood um on on the battlefield which was caused by your your injury which is actual actually surrendering yourself not just the willingness to do so you know talks about ina every Jew has a willingness to be my sonish that's implanted in the soul that's in the DNA of the soul that's the inheritance from the patriarchs so the says but I'm not just talking about the potential to do it the willingness to do it you actually did it you went out there and you endangered your life in actual fact and were and and were also injured in the course of doing so so the says the fact that you're going to heal from that and your healing will be complete without a trace of ever having been wounded will not diminish from the medal of honor that you were given. Now this merit you have that you I mean you have to really translate this word means that you brought forth your blood but also it's the same word as a carbon as a as a sacrifice as a offering on the altar meaning you were you brought forth yourself as a sacrifice. Um it's very it's powerful language. uh again again the Reb uses that term the holy people in the holy land that will continue to exist that will continue to exist even after your complete healing and that that merit will stand you in goodstead in this world and in the Next, you follow what the Reb is saying here? You might think, well, I was injured. I gave something up. Um, so in replacement of that, I have a I have a merit. But if I were to be completely healed and it to the extent where it was like I never got injured at all, then I guess I would lose that because one was in the exchange for the other. It was, you know, sort of like a barter. The says, "No, no, you can have your cake and eat it too. You can have the best of both worlds. You can have the merit of having given your flesh and blood for for your for your brothers and sisters, the holy people in the Holy Land. And you can completely heal and be intact and whole just like you were before and not lose the the the the incredible merit of having given your flesh and blood even after your flesh and blood heal. Again, a very beautiful powerful imagery. Hanitan alam. Now, if this is true with the metal, they're not going to take your medal away. Again, I'm calling it a purple heart because I'm an American boy. That's what we call it. Um, they're not going to take your purple heart away when you heal, when you become as good as new. Even if it's lying in a chest somewhere, it's like tucked away in a drawer. shall make it the your is not diminished because because you were given this award. So how much more so the the I wouldn't translate it so much as a ward but this special quality tion means how you are uh set apart in a in a in a in a special way by having given your flesh and blood uh with in your blood or with your blood you shall live with your blood you shall live that. Well, the Neb says it clearly that this merit of having given your blood for the holy people in the holy land. Uh this will continue forever even after you have a complete healing to the extent where there is no trace. ation means there's no trace of your having been injured. You're not going to have a limp. You're not going to have a scar. You're going to be completely intact and it won't diminish the the incredible merit that you have. Again, you can have your cake and eat it too. Beautiful concept. You know it it again I without elaborating but just trying to savor the sentiment here. We don't have to cling to suffering as a trophy. We may have to go through certain amounts of suffering but in the end we can be triumphant. We can be healed. We we can be recovered. we can be restored. Um, and that doesn't diminish the incredible value of that time when we did have to make a sacrifice that did cause us a loss. But even later, when we're intact, and that's the ultimate goal is to be completely intact, is not to be uh diminished. There's no pride, there's no nobility in being uh being wounded. Um, I mean, it's not a dishonor obviously to be wounded, but my point is as as far as identity, I I I don't have to cling to the remnants of my victimhood in order to retain the merit of being willing to sacrifice myself. I can become completely healed and reinstated and retain the merit of having gone through a loss even though the loss becomes completely made up for. It's a it's a it's a such a it's such a powerful idea. It really is. I mean, you could read this letter very quickly. Oh, that I was writing a wounded soldier and telling him I hope that you get better and you have a lot of merits. But if you slow down and you unpack it, it's such a powerful concept that you can really you can have your cake and eat it too. You can have the best of both worlds. You can have sacrifice without sacrificing anything. You can get everything in the end. You can be whole. You can be complete. It's it's very powerful. Very very powerful. What can I tell you? God willing um may it be God's will that with with good health in good health both physical health and spiritual health you should remember and speak about Hashem's wonders and miracles And um you should do so in a state of peace in reminiscent of the the words that are written in the Torah. I will grant peace in the land and you will lie down and none will make you afraid. I will be for you a god. and you will be for me a people. These are the holy words of the Torah promise to the Jewish people with esteem and blessing. Okay. Two powerful letters. Wow. Just soak that in. Just think about that. Yeah. Okay. Uh, good shabas. We will see you God willing Shabas for another letter. And, uh, thank you. Thank you. Okay. Good night.