Page 39 - HaMizrachi Chanukah 2021 - USA

Holocaust and overcame impossible form of gevurah. It represents the collec- Nonetheless, the Chashmona'im of old
odds; with their improbable victory tive will of the Jewish people to stand and the chayalim of today are bound
over six Arab nations, Hashem blessed together in righteousness, to uphold together through their gevurah, their
them with the State of Israel. Today we our Divine values even in the height heroic willingness to fight on behalf of
witness this gevurah in young people of battle. Hashem, His people and His land. For
who put their personal lives and aspi- this we recite Al Hanissim.
The IDF's mission dictates that "Sol-
rations on hold and dedicate years of
diers of the IDF shall act according to When we sit at an Armored Corps
their lives to national service, in cha-
the values of the IDF and its commands, swearing-in ceremony or see a proud
yalim who risk their lives by wearing
while abiding by the law, upholding young Jew crossing the street in uni-
a uniform that makes them a target
human dignity, and respecting the form, defending the land of our fathers,
of our enemies. Many thousands of we are witnessing a modern Chanukah
values of Israel as a Jewish and demo-
these heroic young men and women miracle - but not an unexpected one.
cratic state." As Rav Avraham Yitzchak
have made the ultimate sacrifice, going Long ago, the rabbis promised us that
HaKohen Kook explained in his note
up to the Akeidah ofYitzchak, the para- the gevurah of Chanukah would one day
on the daily ill."1:lP ,~qip~ 1rix blessing:
digm of gevurah, but not returning from shine forth again among our people,
"This is the gevurah that is the bond of
their journey. il·!iJ m-r~ Di}i} D'T,l!~, "as it was in those
Israel, that is fitting for the ethically
days, so it will be again in our time."
The IDF has revealed new dimensions pure foundation and elevated value of
of gevurah within our nation. The a human being." il·!iJ v:lz U¥W:q u~~R1 U!t:)vW, Blessed are
You Hashem, for the gift of seeing this
Ramban interprets gevurah as "over-
The members of the Chashmonai clan, promise fulfilled, before our eyes!
whelming force" (Bereishit 7:18), a
whose individual and collective gevu-
form of strength and power the Jewish
rah we celebrate each Chanukah, are
people could only dream of during our
reborn in our own time through the
long exile. But this form of gevurah is Rabbi Reuven Brand is the Rosh Kolle I of the
holy and heroic soldiers of the IDF.
no longer a fantasy, and the IDF's rep- YU Torah MiTzion Kolle!, a community Torah
Certainly, the legacy of the Chash-
utation as a great military force is a institution with a vibrant Beit Mid rash, array
mona'im is complicated, their efforts
constant source of pride for our people. of creative learning opportunities, unique
did not produce complete redemption women's initiative and diverse outreach pro-
Most importantly, the IDF's purpose and not every aspect of the IDF has gramming. He lives in Skokie, Illinois with his
and guiding values express the deepest achieved Rav Kook's spiritual vision. wife, Nech a ma, and their five children.
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