This Sunday night and Monday, the Jewish People pay tribute to the brave heroes of Israel who gave their lives so our nation could emerge from the ashes of the Shoah, and survive the continuous war(s) being waged against us.
As our leaders wisely proclaimed years ago, there is no allowance, no permission for celebration on Yom Ha'atzmaut until we first give honor on Yom Hazikaron to those who made such celebration possible.
The thinking Jew is continually confronted by the obvious question: Why must joy be preceded by suffering? Why must we first be traumatized by war and pain, and only then be delivered into victory and triumph?
The past week's sedra projects the same message, when discussing the malady of tzara'at in the walls of one's home. The owner of the home must remove his possessions and then tearfully stand and watch as his house is demolished.
But wait! There is good news here, too, says the midrash. Inside the walls are gold and jewels, secreted there by the former owners who fled, hiding their valuables first. The distraught homeowner finds this treasure and his pain is ameliorated.
But why did he have to endure the ordeal? Why did G-d not somehow reveal the treasure without the trauma?
This is the same issue we saw in the previous sedra, when Nadav and Avihu died. Said Moshe to Aharon, "I knew the Mishkan must be sanctified through someone," implying that the death of Aharon's sons was a necessary prerequisite to building the Mishkan. But why? Why is there such a concept of "Bikrovai ekadesh" - "I shall be made holy via my dear ones"? Of all the mysteries of the Torah, this is one of the most confounding, most inscrutable.
I therefore submit that we can only approach this issue as a scientist views the world. We can faithfully know what happens, but not necessarily why it happens.
The facts are these: Liberation follows slavery; healing follows sickness; Peace follows war, and life follows death. If we are alive today, if we have a holy, vibrant Jewish country, if we have resurrected our People in an eternal Israel, it is only because G-d's holy ones gave their lives Al Kiddush Hashem.
Acknowledging our heroes on Yom HaZikaron reflects a profound belief and trust in Hashem, whose hand fashions every event in the world; it reflects a sense of gratitude, hakarat hatov, for those who made our lives liveable. A Jew who does not stand in respect as the siren sounds on Yom Hazikaron does not just dishonor our brave soldiers, he dishonors and denies Hashem.
Our stance on Yom Hazikaron is the strongest prayer we can possibly utter that we desire to be granted the treasure, and not the trauma.
May it be G-d's will.
As our leaders wisely proclaimed years ago, there is no allowance, no permission for celebration on Yom Ha'atzmaut until we first give honor on Yom Hazikaron to those who made such celebration possible.
The thinking Jew is continually confronted by the obvious question: Why must joy be preceded by suffering? Why must we first be traumatized by war and pain, and only then be delivered into victory and triumph?
The past week's sedra projects the same message, when discussing the malady of tzara'at in the walls of one's home. The owner of the home must remove his possessions and then tearfully stand and watch as his house is demolished.
But wait! There is good news here, too, says the midrash. Inside the walls are gold and jewels, secreted there by the former owners who fled, hiding their valuables first. The distraught homeowner finds this treasure and his pain is ameliorated.
But why did he have to endure the ordeal? Why did G-d not somehow reveal the treasure without the trauma?
This is the same issue we saw in the previous sedra, when Nadav and Avihu died. Said Moshe to Aharon, "I knew the Mishkan must be sanctified through someone," implying that the death of Aharon's sons was a necessary prerequisite to building the Mishkan. But why? Why is there such a concept of "Bikrovai ekadesh" - "I shall be made holy via my dear ones"? Of all the mysteries of the Torah, this is one of the most confounding, most inscrutable.
I therefore submit that we can only approach this issue as a scientist views the world. We can faithfully know what happens, but not necessarily why it happens.
The facts are these: Liberation follows slavery; healing follows sickness; Peace follows war, and life follows death. If we are alive today, if we have a holy, vibrant Jewish country, if we have resurrected our People in an eternal Israel, it is only because G-d's holy ones gave their lives Al Kiddush Hashem.
Acknowledging our heroes on Yom HaZikaron reflects a profound belief and trust in Hashem, whose hand fashions every event in the world; it reflects a sense of gratitude, hakarat hatov, for those who made our lives liveable. A Jew who does not stand in respect as the siren sounds on Yom Hazikaron does not just dishonor our brave soldiers, he dishonors and denies Hashem.
Our stance on Yom Hazikaron is the strongest prayer we can possibly utter that we desire to be granted the treasure, and not the trauma.
May it be G-d's will.