12 Nov AND NOW I KNOW

It was June 1974. Israel was still reeling
from the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War.
The long-term rehab centers were filled
with injured soldiers. My mother a”h
received a call from the IDF… “Rabbanit,
can you please come and speak to our
injured soldiers? So many are still hurting,
so many are nursing physical, spiritual and
emotional wounds. Rabbanit, you will find
the right words to say to them. Words of
chizuk, strength and healing. Words of
compassion and understanding.”
How could my mother say no. And, with
my father’s and grandfather’s brachos, she
was off to Eretz Yisroel.
Being the eldest daughter, I had the
privilege of joining my mother.
Our days were filled. We traveled from
north to south, and not just to rehabs, but
also to army camps. HaShem was with my
mother, and day in and day out, she found
the strength to speak words of inspiration
in a perfect Hebrew.
I remember my mother’s opening words.
Words taken from the beautiful tefila of

Av Harachamim, Father of Compassion.
“…May He recall with compassion
ha’chassidim, the devout, ha’yesharim, the
upright, ha’temimim, the perfect, who gave
their lives for kiddush HaShem…
minesharim kalu, swifter than eagles,
u’mei’aroyos gaveiru, and stronger than
lions, to do their Creator’s will…”
My mother continued. “Hincha Yehudi,
You are a Jew. You have given birth to
every ideal that has shaped mankind.
Justice, peace, love, and the dignity of man,
have all had their genesis in your Torah.
But above all, you have been given the
unique mission of proclaiming the oneness
of G-d.”
There were so many wounded. So many
missing limbs, in body casts, or confined
to wheelchairs. As my mother spoke, the
hardened faces softened. The pintele Yid
was awakened. The spark within the
neshama was ignited.
My mother began to cry as she spoke, and
all those in room (myself included) did so
too. It was the same in the army camps.
The war-toughened soldiers all became
misty eyed.
It was fifty years ago. There were few and
far between religious soldiers in the IDF.

My mother was addressing a mostly secular
audience. But that didn’t deter her from
delivering a powerful message. “Hincha
Yehudi, You are a Jew”, my mother
continued. “You have known every form
of oppression. Your body has been scorched
by fire. You are weary, you have forgotten
your past. But there is one prayer you
remember, a prayer that connects you to
your ancestors. A prayer that speaks of your
mission. Shema Yisrael.”
We had brought along yarmulkes which I
had the job, actually the pleasure, of
distributing to the soldiers. And they all
eagerly accepted them. Hearing my
mother’s words, the soldiers joined together
in saying Shema Yisrael.
I could close my eyes and hear my mother’s
voice. “Chayal chazak, strong, valiant
soldier, from where do you get your
strength?”
My mother spoke about Avraham Avinu.
Avraham, who endured the most difficult
test, the test of the Akeida, the ultimate test
of sacrifice.
In this week’s parsha of Vayeira, we learn
of Avraham’s final and most difficult
challenge, to sacrifice his son Yitzchak.
“V’haElokim nisah es Avraham, and
HaShem tested Avraham,… Vayomer
Hineni, and Avraham answered, here I
am” (Bereishis 22:1)
Ma’aseh avos siman l’bonim, The
actions of the fathers are a sign for the
children. The life events of our
ancestors are our life lessons. As we
say in Tehillim, “Mizkeinim esbonan,
from elders I gain understanding.
(Tehillim 119:100)
The Akeida is one of the most difficult
episodes in Chumash to understand.
The Abarbanel explains the Akeida as
a seminal event for both Avraham and
the future Jewish nation manifesting
the desire to serve HaShem no matter
how difficult and challenging the
circumstances. The Akeida wasn’t just
for Avraham, but for generations to
come. It is the story and source of our
existence. Just as we inherit hair color
and eye color, musical talents and
artistic talents, so do we inherit spiritual
genes. Genes that go back to Avraham.
Genes that give us the strength to say
Hineni, no matter what life brings
our way.
At the end, there was no sacrifice.
HaShem stops Avraham. “Ki ata yodati,
because now I know, that you are a G-d
fearing man.” Rashi, citing a Midrash,
explains that Avraham was confused
by HaShem’s seemingly contradictory
instructions. To which HaShem tells
Avraham “I will not deviate from that
which I told you. I did not say ‘slaughter

him’, but rather ‘bring him up’, and now
that you have brought him up, take him
down.” (Rashi, Bereishis 22:12)
Avraham passed the test not just for
himself, but for his descendants. A test of
strong will and devotion. Traits that give
us the resolve to survive the ages. A test
that created a gene of devotion to HaShem,
and to our people.
Rav Shamshon Refoel Hirsch teaches that
at the time of the Akeida, Yitzchak was no

longer a child. He was an adult of thirty-
seven. His greatness of spirit was no less

than that of Avraham, as he was ready to
sacrifice himself. This is the source of
mesiras nefesh, the giving of one’s very
being, that would be passed on to
generations to come.
Once again, our young soldiers are being
called upon to put their lives on the line.
They know only too well the dangers that
lie ahead of them. Yet, they go. They are
living the Akeida. Surrounded on all fronts.
Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, Houthis,
Iran, etc. Once again, we are fighting for
our land. For the hostages that remain in
captivity. For our very survival as a nation.
And, it’s not just our brothers and sisters
in Israel. It’s the Jewish people worldwide.
Do we need any more proof of this than
the blood-thirsty pogrom that just took
place in Amsterdam. A mob attacking Jews
for one reason. Because they are Jews.
“Chayal chazak, strong valiant soldier”,
my mother asked. “From where do you
derive your strength?” From Avraham and
Yitzchak. From those throughout the
generations before us who were willing to
– and often did – sacrifice themselves for
the sake of HaShem.
When my mother started her kiruv
organization, it needed a name. She chose
Hineni, Here I Am. Words called out by
Avraham, Yaakov, Moshe, Shmuel and
Yeshayahu. My mother said that so many
of our great leaders said Hineni, and now
it is time for each of us to say to HaShem,
Hineni, I too, am ready to commit.
Let us hope that HaShem will speak to our
generation, as He spoke to Avraham, “Ata
yadati, Now I know that you are a G-d
fearing people”, and He will finally bring
an end to all of the difficult and bitter tests
that we are living through, and bring us the
final geulah, speedily in our days. Amein.