The Prophetess Devorah, in setting out to describe the heroes of Israel who have sacrificed themselves for the sake of their people, says, ?Those that love Him are like the sun when it goes forth in all its might.? (Judges 5:31) Our sages comment, ?This refers to those who suffer insult without insulting in return, who hear themselves scorned without responding, who act out of love and rejoice in suffering. (Shabbat 88b)
Indeed, one of the characteristics of a Torah scholar is that he should be amongst those pursued and not amongst the pursuers, amongst those who are insulted but do not insult in return. Of such people it says, ?He said to me, ?You are My servant, Israel, through whom I shall be glorified.?? (Isaiah 49:3) (Rambam, Hilchot De?ot 5:13)
In every generation there are servants and lovers of G-d, through whom G-d is glorified. These people sacrifice themselves for the good of all of Israel.
Abraham sacrificed himself for faith in the existence of G-d and for following His pathways. Joshua and Calev stood alone against the spies and against the whole nation by demanding that Israel go into the Land and fight for it and settle it. During the times of Ezra the Scribe, minuscule numbers came up to the Land. Most stayed in the exile. The Hasmoneans fought as the few against the many.
In our own days as well, the first pioneers came into the Land and settled it. They fought for it with great self-sacrifice, despite their being the few against the many. Not only Arabs fought against them. From within the Jewish People themselves, there were those who opposed their moving to the Land and their struggling to get a foothold in it. Trumpeldor and his colleagues were an example of self-sacrifice. Only after their deaths did they merit to be glorified as heroes, even by their antagonists.
Today, the settlers of Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha) are the pioneer and heroes of our times. They, with their self-sacrifice, improve the plight of the whole Jewish People, the State of Israel and all future generations.
It is true that opponents have risen against them from within, people who through weakened faith have relaxed their hold on the land of our life?s blood. Yet, the people of Yesha hear themselves scorned and do not respond; they suffer insult without insulting in return; they are pursued, yet do not pursue. They can be said to act out of love and rejoice in suffering. Through them, G-d is glorified, and through them future generations will be glorified, as well. All those who insulted them and pursued them will yet ask their forgiveness.
How fortunate we are and how fortunate is our generation that these righteous people live amongst us, defending us and improving the plight of us all. Their influence on the whole nation will yet increase to be like the sun when it goes forth in all its might.
Indeed, one of the characteristics of a Torah scholar is that he should be amongst those pursued and not amongst the pursuers, amongst those who are insulted but do not insult in return. Of such people it says, ?He said to me, ?You are My servant, Israel, through whom I shall be glorified.?? (Isaiah 49:3) (Rambam, Hilchot De?ot 5:13)
In every generation there are servants and lovers of G-d, through whom G-d is glorified. These people sacrifice themselves for the good of all of Israel.
Abraham sacrificed himself for faith in the existence of G-d and for following His pathways. Joshua and Calev stood alone against the spies and against the whole nation by demanding that Israel go into the Land and fight for it and settle it. During the times of Ezra the Scribe, minuscule numbers came up to the Land. Most stayed in the exile. The Hasmoneans fought as the few against the many.
In our own days as well, the first pioneers came into the Land and settled it. They fought for it with great self-sacrifice, despite their being the few against the many. Not only Arabs fought against them. From within the Jewish People themselves, there were those who opposed their moving to the Land and their struggling to get a foothold in it. Trumpeldor and his colleagues were an example of self-sacrifice. Only after their deaths did they merit to be glorified as heroes, even by their antagonists.
Today, the settlers of Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha) are the pioneer and heroes of our times. They, with their self-sacrifice, improve the plight of the whole Jewish People, the State of Israel and all future generations.
It is true that opponents have risen against them from within, people who through weakened faith have relaxed their hold on the land of our life?s blood. Yet, the people of Yesha hear themselves scorned and do not respond; they suffer insult without insulting in return; they are pursued, yet do not pursue. They can be said to act out of love and rejoice in suffering. Through them, G-d is glorified, and through them future generations will be glorified, as well. All those who insulted them and pursued them will yet ask their forgiveness.
How fortunate we are and how fortunate is our generation that these righteous people live amongst us, defending us and improving the plight of us all. Their influence on the whole nation will yet increase to be like the sun when it goes forth in all its might.