Adapted by Moshe Goldberg Note: The following is an extract from “Bechayil U’v Ruach,” the last book that Rav Haim Drukman wrote and approved for publication before he passed away, less than a year before the start of the war in Gaza. The title of the book hints at the verse, “Not by might nor by power but by my spirit, the God of Hosts says” (Zecharia 4:6). The army of Israel applies this principle, as it fights - “By might – with the spirit of God.” A. When a Torah Scroll Is Burned The Talmud in Moed Katan (25a) states: "One who stands over a dying person at the moment of their soul’s departure is obligated to tear their garment. To what can this be compared? To a Torah scroll that has been burned, for which one is also required to tear their garment." Rashi, in Tractate Shabbat (105b), writes: "One who sees a Torah scroll burning must tear their garment... so too, the soul of a Jew that is taken is similar, for even the seemingly 'empty' among Israel are filled with Torah and mitzvot." Every Jew is like a Torah scroll, filled with Torah and mitzvot. When a person dies, their Torah and mitzvot can no longer be manifest in the world, just as the Torah and mitzvot written in a burned scroll can no longer be revealed. This idea is emphasized by Rish Lakish (Eruvin 19a) when he expounds on a verse from Song of Songs (6:7): "Like a slice of pomegranate are your temples (rakatech)." He explains: "Do not read 'rakatech' (temples), but 'reikatech' (your empty ones), for even the seemingly empty among you are as full of mitzvot as a pomegranate is full of seeds." Thus, even those who appear to us as spiritually empty are, in truth, full of mitzvot. Every Jew, in essence, is a Torah scroll; Torah is embedded within their soul, even if it is not always evident in their actions. B. The Living Stand Because of Them Midrash Tanchuma (Vayechi 4) cites Rabbi Meir, who states that idol worshippers really die, whereas the deceased of Israel do not, "for through them, the living stand." This is true for all deceased Jews, as their passing is not absolute—after their death, they continue from the heavens to sustain and support those they have left behind. If this applies to all Jews, how much more so must it be true of our fallen soldiers, who gave their lives for the holiness of the people and the land! We live because of them—not only in a spiritual sense but also literally. Their willingness to sacrifice themselves for us enables us to continue living in our homeland. Thanks to the fallen soldiers of the IDF, the people of Israel live! Thanks to those brave soldiers who risked their lives for the rebirth of Israel, the State of Israel exists! Though they are no longer with us, in essence, they are not dead. They continue to live in a grand and eternal way! What is the purpose of life? Why do we live? There is no doubt that the purpose of life is to do good, to observe mitzvot, and to perform acts of kindness. This is life’s true purpose. Those who gave their lives for the existence of the people of Israel in their land did not merely perform one or two good deeds—they dedicated their entire lives to the greater good: the survival of the Jewish people in their homeland! They gave up their very existence for this cause! C. Am Yisrael Chai! (The Nation of Israel Lives!) After the Yom Kippur War, the newspaper Maariv published a story about a condolence visit to bereaved parents who were sitting shiva for their fallen son, a soldier: Two visitors arrived to comfort the grieving parents at their kibbutz. As they sat, the father placed a bottle of liquor on the table, poured small glasses, and said: "Let us drink 'L'Chaim'—to life! Am Yisrael Chai!" The visitors trembled, exchanging puzzled glances. Seeing this, the bereaved father explained: "You think I have lost my mind and do not understand what I am doing? Not so! I am fully aware and ask you, in full consciousness, to drink 'L’Chaim'! "More than forty years ago, I left my hometown in Lithuania. I left behind my parents, siblings, and their children. I was among the pioneers of this kibbutz. Here I built my life, married, and raised our children. After the Holocaust, I was haunted by the question: How did my parents and family perish in that terrible time? From testimonies I found at Yad Vashem, I learned that everybody in my town—including all my family members—were forced into mass graves dug by the Nazis, and they were buried alive." His eyes, filled with tears, glistened. He paused briefly, then straightened up and continued: "That is how my family died there. But my son died as an officer on the turret of a tank. Am Yisrael Chai! He lifted his glass, turned to his visitors, and said: "Drink, my friends. Drink to life!" They drank—and wept. The bereaved father did not cry. Instead, he offered words of comfort. D. Yom HaZikaron – Memorial Day for Israel’s Fallen Soldiers On Yom HaZikaron, we remember our sons and daughters who gave their lives for the establishment and survival of the State of Israel. The Jewish people are not a nation that wants war. Our greatest aspiration is to bring true peace to the world, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah (2:4): "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." Why should we invest immense resources in weapons of destruction? What we should do is to build and create! This is the true aspiration of the Jewish people. However, when necessary, the people of Israel also know how to fight—with courage, strength, and deep faith in the righteousness of their cause. What gives life its true value? Living for meaningful ideals. These fallen soldiers gave their lives for the greatest cause—ensuring the continued existence of the Jewish people, which is the key to the bright and blessed future of humanity and the entire world! On this day of remembrance, we honor their memory. This reflects the essence of the Jewish people—we do not forget our fallen sons. Instead, we cherish their memory in our hearts and express our gratitude for their ultimate sacrifice for the nation and the homeland. On Yom HaZikaron, an entire nation stands still to remember its fallen. A whole country pauses in silence at the sound of a siren, uniting in remembrance of its heroes. May their sacrifice not be in vain. May it strengthen the State of Israel and propel the Jewish people forward toward fulfilling its great mission—to lead humanity to true happiness and peace.
