At this time, it’s impossible to think about much else but Israel. It’s my fervent prayer that by the time these words go to print, their contents will no longer be applicable, that the mission in Gaza will have already been concluded successfully and will have put down – for now, if not permanently – the terrorism emanating from Gaza.

The following is part of an address (taken from notes) made during the Yom Kippur War in 1973 in the Mirrer Yeshiva in Jerusalem by the then rosh yeshiva, the late Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz.

“The Babylonian Talmud, in Bava Batra (10b) makes a passing, almost cryptic mention of ‘the martyrs of Lod.’ Of them, and in particular of their station in the world to come, the Talmud states, ‘No creature is able to stand in their place.’ Who were these martyrs of Lod and what did they do to merit such a statement, placing them in rarefied and highest echelon of the heavens?

“Their time in history was a difficult one, when Israel found itself under the Roman commonwealth. The leadership then was under the infamous and evil Turnus Rufus. Apparently, his daughter, missing for some time, had just been found murdered. The incensed Turnus Rufus quickly and conveniently concluded that the blame for this crime rested none other than with the Jews, in particular those living in the vicinity of Lod.

“A standing army soon stood in siege around the city waiting for the orders to avenge her death. They were ready to utterly destroy Lod and all of its innocent, but ill-fated inhabitants. All that would be gained by this senseless slaughter was that the rage of a madman would perhaps be somewhat abated. Just then, two young men, brothers Louliannus and Papus, stood up to profess their guilt and to turn themselves in.

“The mad totality of Turnus Rufus’ livid fury was quickly unleashed on these two hapless souls. They were tortured by means beyond comprehension or human imagination, until such point in time that death itself was merciful. Louliannus and Papus were, of course, wholly innocent and in no way implicated in the murder of Turnus Rufus’ daughter. Their only motive in making themselves scapegoats was to protect the poor people of Lod from the madness of Turnus Rufus. For their ultimate and selfless sacrifice, the Talmud testifies that ‘of their station in the world to come, no creature is able to stand in their place.’”

From this episode, Rabbi Shmuelevitz concluded that if this was the reward for those who protects others, that is how we should view the soldiers of the Israel Defence Forces, who go to battle and place their lives on the line to defend our people in Israel. He continued by imploring his listeners that it’s a responsibility of the highest order to offer our many and heartfelt prayers on behalf of the soldiers of the IDF, prayers for quick and decisive success in their mission, that they should be returned soon to their homes, to their mothers and fathers safely, and that they do so alive and in full health.