With Every Fiber: Embracing the Pain, Awaiting Redemption - Ari Abramowitz: The Land of Israel

Just as we feel the love and the joy and the gratitude, we also fully embrace the pain and the tears and the grief. We don't avoid these emotions. We embrace them with every fiber of our being. And when necessary, we transcend them. And that's why I believe the redemption will be miraculous and transcendent because that is who we are. You know, on Shabbat, Jeremy's daughter Eden read to us a letter composed by a soldier named Gadi Ezra. He wrote it to his fiance Galit Meck from the front lines of the war in Gaza. And even though it isn't short, I couldn't cut any of it out. I didn't have the to edit any of it out. I just wanted to share the whole thing with you. He wrote, "Dear Galiti, if you receive this letter, it's a sign that something has happened to me. This morning, we received the news that the military operation that was planned for yesterday will take place with God's help today." I told you that the operation had changed and that it was different than the one originally planned. I told you this, dearest, because I didn't want to worry you. It was very hard for me not to tell you the truth, but I preferred this than to cause you worry. The Gamarra, he says, one, the Gamarra says, one may distort the facts for the sake of peace. Shalom. Also, the inner peace of someone you love more than anything on earth. My beloved, if my beloved, on one hand, I feel that there's nothing more that I want than to be with you, to love you and establish with you a home and a family. But on the other hand, there isn't anything that I would want more than to participate in this military operation and strike those terrorists, a blow so strong that they will never again even consider carrying out a terrorist attack. To do this, there is a price we must pay. And I am willing to be this price. Don't be angry with me, my love, but at moments like this, your feelings for Kali Israel are supposed to guide you. And you must relate to this evil as if your private life does not exist. Men in King David's army divorced their wives before going off to war. My beautiful one, my only distress is that you will be sorry and that I will not be the one to make you happy because there isn't anything in the world you deserve more. I therefore request, my beloved, that you should be happy. That you will be joyful, that you will love, and that you will blossom because that is what you deserve. I will always watch over you and I will make sure that I will meet the man who will give you more happiness than I have given you. My darling, everything that happens is ultimately for the best. And if this is the will of the Almighty, then that's the way it has to be. What is left for us is to accept it with love. I want you to know that you will be my last thought at the moment when what happened when what happened to me takes place. And I will leave this world with the knowledge that I was the happiest person I possibly could be due to you. It is you who brought me to the highest summit of joy and happiness. And it is you who helped me reach the accomplishments that I only dreamed about. I thank you for all the good and happiness you've inspired me with when we were together. It is not that we were together, but we are always together. We were together before we came into this world and we're also together when we separate from it. Remember this my dearest we are always always together because the root of our souls is one everything is for the best even this I promise you that wherever I am it is the most wonderful place I am not suffering and I am not regretful my only sorrow is the sorrow caused to those who are left behind to you the family and the friends please spread this message my dearest Just don't despair. Be always happy. This is what I request of you. Even if it is difficult. I know that I am able to ask this of you because I know the natural happiness and joy that shines from within you always. It is your joy and happiness which I so much love in you. Was was Gaddy Ezra afraid? I can answer that. Absolutely. He was afraid. He didn't even get to start his life with his beloved Galit yet. He stood to lose everything. He was absolutely afraid. But he transcended that fear for God. Every parent who has stood over their freshly buried child in Mount Herzel Cemetery, military cere cemetery, recites the cottage prayer and blesses God through their tears of grief and devastation and sanctifies his name. Were each and every one of them not broken into a thousand irreparable pieces? Absolutely they were. But they transcended that brokenness and they blessed his great name. Right? In the name of God, the prophet Mali proclaims, "Turn back to me and I will turn back to you, said God of hosts." Sometimes I feel like I don't know what more we could do. As a nation, as a people, we are transcending ourselves and turning back to God. And so, how can I not eagerly anticipate his transcendent redemption in return? I think that's why I believe it's going to be so transcendent because it will just match our return to him. [Music]