The Blogs: A Father's Prayer To His Son - The IDF Soldier | Arie E. Pelta

On April 6th 2022 (5th of Nissan 5782), our precious son Yehuda was drafted into the IDF. He is in the Chareidi draft. After completing a year with the “Betzavta” Yeshiva pre-army program, he joined the Kfir Brigade with Nezach Yehuda. Unfortunately, I was not able to join him on induction day, since I was in Miluim, with the Alexandroni Brigade in the middle of “war games” in the field. My wife Alyssa had the privilege of taking our son to the induction center. In lieu of my being with him, I wrote him this prayer and words of inspiration to do G-d’s work here in Eretz Yisrael.

To Our Dearest Son: Yehuda Aharon Pelta:

שמע בני היקר, יהודה אהרן פלטא נ”י:

May G-d grant you an easy draft גיוס. You should not suffer at all in your גיוס. May you not experience any physical or spiritual harm, G-d forbid. May you be able to help the Jewish Peopleעם ישראל , everywhere you go. May G-d help you sanctify his Name in all your actions and make a קידוש השם.

May your commanders ,מפקדים treat you well and give you proper guidance as a fighter, as a Torah observant Jew and take care of you.

May Hashem give you the strength עז ותעצומות, to fight the enemies of Israel and not be afraid. May our enemies fall before you. May G-d forgive you daily of all your sins, since you live in Eretz Yisrael and demonstrate daily your Emunah and Bitachon in Hashem. It is a fact that G-d Himself organizes the battles and wars of Am Yisrael.

ה’ איש מלחמה, ה’ שמו (שמות טו:ג)

May Hashem’s angels protect you.

כי מלאכיו יצוה לך לשמרך בכל דרכך (תהילים צא:יא)

May G-d fight all your battles for you.

הֹוָה יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם, וְאַתֶּם תַּֽחֲרִשֽׁוּן (שמות יד :יד)

Be strong and have courage.

חזק ואמץ!

You are now joining the long Jewish history of conquering the Land of Eretz Yisrael that began with the first Jewish Army Commander – Yehoshua Bin Nun.

May the bracha that Hashem gave Yehoshua on the 7^th of Nissan also be given to you. You are drafting on the 5^th of Nissan. Your first Shabbos in the IDF will be a great Shabbos, it’s Shabbos HaHagadol! On the 10^th of Nissan, the battle started for the conquering of Israel and you will be beginning your “Basic Training” תירונות. May all this spiritual power inspire you; what happened then is happening now on the annual cycle, בימים ההם בזמן הזה.

יהושע א:א-ט

וַיְהִי, אַחֲרֵי מוֹת מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד ה’; וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן, מְשָׁרֵת מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר: מֹשֶׁה עַבְדִּי, מֵת; וְעַתָּה קוּם עֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה, אַתָּה וְכָל הָעָם הַזֶּה, אֶל הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לָהֶם לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: כָּל מָקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר תִּדְרֹךְ כַּף רַגְלְכֶם בּוֹ לָכֶם נְתַתִּיו: כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי, אֶל מֹשֶׁה : מֵהַמִּדְבָּר וְהַלְּבָנוֹן הַזֶּה וְעַד הַנָּהָר הַגָּדוֹל נְהַר פְּרָת, כֹּל אֶרֶץ הַחִתִּים, וְעַד הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל, מְבוֹא הַשָּׁמֶשׁ יִהְיֶה, גְּבוּלְכֶם: לֹא יִתְיַצֵּב אִישׁ לְפָנֶיךָ, כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ: כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיִיתִי עִם מֹשֶׁה אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ, לֹא אַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא אֶעֶזְבֶךָּ: חֲזַק, וֶאֱמָץ: כִּי אַתָּה, תַּנְחִיל אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה, אֶת הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבוֹתָם לָתֵת לָהֶם: רַק חֲזַק וֶאֱמַץ מְאֹד, לִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ מֹשֶׁה עַבְדִּי, אַל תָּסוּר מִמֶּנּוּ יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאול: לְמַעַן תַּשְׂכִּיל, בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵך לֹא יָמוּשׁ סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה מִפִּיךָ, וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה, לְמַעַן תִּשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת, כְּכָל הַכָּתוּב בּוֹ: כִּי אָז תַּצְלִיחַ אֶת דְּרָכֶךָ, וְאָז תַּשְׂכִּיל :הֲלוֹא צִוִּיתִיךָ חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ, אַל תַּעֲרֹץ וְאַל תֵּחָת: כִּי עִמְּךָ ה’ אֱלֹקיךָ, בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ:

And it was after the death of Moshe the servant of Hashem, said to Yehoshua the son of Nun, Moshe’s minister, saying: Moshe my servant has died and now arise cross this Yarden, you and this nation, to The Land which I give the children of Yisrael: Every place on which the soles of your feet will tread I have given to you, as I have spoken to Moshe: From this desert and Levanon to the great river, the Euphrates, all the land of the Chiti to the great sea westward shall be your boundary. No man shall stand up before you all the days of your life, as with Moshe, so shall be with you. I will not weaken My grasp on you nor will I abandon you: BE STRONG and HAVE COURAGE; for you will cause this nation to inherit The Land that I have sworn to their ancestors to give them: Just BE STRONG and VERY COURAGEOUS to observe and do in accordance with all of the Torah that Moshe My servant has commanded you. Do not stray there from the right or left, in order that you succeed wherever you go: This book of the Torah shall not leave your mouth, you shall meditate therein day and night, in order that you observe to do all that is written in it, for then will you succeed in all your ways and then you will prosper: Did I not command you? BE STRONG! and HAVE COURAGE!, do NOT FEAR! and do not be dismayed, for Hashem your G-d is with you wherever you go (Yehoshua 1:1-9).

Be a servant, עבד ה’ of G-d. As a soldier you are doing a mitzvah by crawling and walking over the stones of Eretz Yisrael and crawling breathing and eating the dust of Eretz Yisrael.

תהילים קב: יד-טו

אַתָּה תָקוּם תְּרַחֵם צִיּוֹן, כִּי עֵת לְחֶנְנָהּ כִּי בָא מוֹעֵֽד: כִּֽי רָצוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ אֶת אֲבָנֶיהָ וְאֶת עֲפָרָהּ יְחֹנֵֽנוּ :

You will rise, You will have mercy on Zion for there is a time to favor it, for the appointed season has arrived. For Your servants desired its stones and favored its dust.(Tehilim 102:14-15)

You will become one with the Land of Israel and at the same time get closer to Hashem; it’s a natural progression.

קודשא בריך הוא, וארייתא, וישראל חד הוא (זהר, נפש החיים)

G-d, The Torah, Yisrael – is all one (Zohar, Nefesh HaChayim)

Become familiar and read Tehillim 91 צא daily, known as the song trouble or שיר של פגעים . This was the advice given by Rav Hutner to Meyer Birnbaum (father of your Rebbe in Toras Moshe), before he went into battle, as a soldier in WW2. This Tehillim, written by the Soldier Dovid HaMelech, is considered an actual protection and a Segula from injury and harm.

תהילים צא

יֹשֵׁב בְּסֵתֶר עֶלְיוֹן בְּצֵל שַׁדַּי יִתְלוֹנָֽן: אֹמַר לַֽה’ מַחְסִּי וּמְצֽוּדָתִי אֱלֹ-הַי אֶבְטַח בּֽוֹ: כִּי הוּא יַצִּֽילְךָ מִפַּח יָקוּשׁ מִדֶּבֶר הַוּֽוֹת: בְּאֶבְרָתוֹ יָסֶךְ לָךְ וְתַחַת כְּנָפָיו תֶּחְסֶּה צִנָּה וְסֹֽחֵרָה אֲמִתּֽוֹ: לֹֽא תִירָא מִפַּחַד לָיְלָה מֵחֵץ יָעוּף יוֹמָֽם: מִדֶּבֶר בָּאֹפֶל יַֽהֲלֹךְ מִקֶּטֶב יָשׁוּד צָֽהֳרָֽיִם: יִפֹּל מִצִּדְּךָ אֶלֶף וּרְבָבָה מִֽימִינֶךָ אֵלֶיךָ לֹא יִגָּֽשׁ: רַק בְּעֵינֶיךָ תַבִּיט וְשִׁלֻּמַת רְשָׁעִים תִּרְאֶֽה: כִּֽי אַתָּה ה’ מַחְסִּי עֶלְיוֹן שַׂמְתָּ מְעוֹנֶֽךָ: לא תְאֻנֶּה אֵלֶיךָ רָעָה וְנ֗גַע לֹֽא יִקְרַב בְּאָֽהֳלֶֽךָ: כִּי מַלְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה לָּךְ לִשְׁמָרְךָ בְּכָל דְּרָכֶֽיךָ: עַל כַּפַּיִם יִשָּׂאוּנְךָ פֶּן תִּגֹּף בָּאֶבֶן רַגְלֶֽךָ: עַל שַׁחַל וָפֶתֶן תִּדְרֹךְ תִּרְמֹס כְּפִיר וְתַנִּֽין: כִּי בִי חָשַׁק וַֽאֲפַלְּטֵהוּ אֲשַׂגְּבֵהוּ כִּֽי יָדַע שְׁמִֽי: יִקְרָאֵנִי וְֽאֶֽעֱנֵהוּ עִמּֽוֹ אָֽנֹכִי בְצָרָה אֲחַלְּצֵהוּ וַֽאֲכַבְּדֵֽהוּ: אֹרֶךְ יָמִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵהוּ וְאַרְאֵהוּ בִּישֽׁוּעָתִֽי:

Whoever sits in the refuge of the Most High, in the protective shade of the Almighty he shall dwell. I will say of Hashem [that He is] my shelter and my fortress, my G-d in Whom I trust. For He will save you from the snare that traps from the devastating pestilence. With His wing He will cover you, and under His wings you will take refuge; His truth is an encompassing shield. You will not fear the fright of night, the arrow that flies by day; Pestilence that prowls in darkness, destruction that ravages at noon. May a thousand enemies fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not approach you. You will but gaze with your eyes, and you will see the annihilation of the wicked. For you [said], “Hashem is my refuge”; the Most High you made your dwelling. No harm will befall you, nor will a plague draw near to your tent. For He will command His angels on your behalf to guard you in all your ways. On [their] palms they will carry you, lest your foot stumble on a stone. On a young lion and a cobra you will tread; you will trample the young lion and the serpent. For he yearns for Me, and I shall rescue him; I shall fortify him because he knows My name. He will call Me and I shall answer him; I am with him in distress; I shall rescue him and I shall honor him. With length of days I will satisfy him, and I shall show him My salvation (Tehillim 91).

May Yakov’s bracha to Yehuda, also apply to you.

בראשית מט :ח – יב

יְהוּדָה, אַתָּה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ יָדְךָ, בְּעֹרֶף אֹיְבֶיךָ; יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ, בְּנֵי אָבִיךָ: גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה, מִטֶּרֶף בְּנִי עָלִיתָ; כָּרַע רָבַץ כְּאַרְיֵה וּכְלָבִיא, מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ : לֹא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה, וּמְחֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו, עַד כִּי יָבֹא שִׁילֹה, וְלוֹ יִקְּהַת עַמִּים: אֹסְרִי לַגֶּפֶן עִירֹה, וְלַשֹּׂרֵקָה בְּנִי אֲתֹנוֹ; כִּבֵּס בַּיַּיִן לְבֻשׁוֹ, וּבְדַם עֲנָבִים סוּתֹה:. חַכְלִילִי עֵינַיִם, מִיָּיִן; וּלְבֶן שִׁנַּיִם, מֵחָלָב.

Yehuda, [as for] you, your brothers will acknowledge you. Your hand will be at the nape of your your enemies, [and] your father’s sons will prostrate themselves to you. A cub [and] a grown lion is Yehuda. From the prey, my son, you withdrew. He crouched, rested like a lion, and like a lion, who will rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Yehuda, nor the student of the law from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him will be a gathering of peoples. He binds his foal to a vine, and to a tendril [he binds] his young donkey. [He launders] his garment with wine, and with the blood of grapes binds his raiment. He is red eyed from wine and white toothed from milk.

May Moshe’s Bracha to Yehuda, also apply to you.

דברים לג:ז

וְזֹאת לִֽיהוּדָה וַיֹּאמַר שְׁמַע ה’ קוֹל יְהוּדָה וְאֶל עַמּוֹ תְּבִיאֶנּוּ, יָדָיו רָב לוֹ וְעֵזֶר מִצָּרָיו תִּֽהְיֶֽה:

May this [also be] for Yehuda.” And he [Moshe] said, “Hashem, listen to Yehuda’s voice and bring him to his people; may his hands do battle for him, and may You be a help against his adversaries.” (Devarim 33:7).

Be a leader of the Jewish people like Moshe Rabeinu and Yehoshua bin Nun, they were both called servants of G-d, עבד ה . There is no greater honor in this world than to be a servant of The King in the Palace of The King (Eretz Yisrael). In this fashion, you are always under his guidance and protection.

For protection always:

– Have your head covered. This reminds you that Hashem the King, is always protecting you.

– Wear Tzitzis. It protects you, reminds you that we are here in Israel doing Mitzvos.

– Always have a sefer with you. Have a Chumash so that you can learn שני מקרא אחד תרגום; there will always be some down time. Take a few minutes to say these pesukim daily and you will always be protected and be brought closer to Hashem.

– Before every mission say Tehillim 91 צא – it will protect you. It speaks of your enemies falling before you.

– When you feel scared or in danger, Rav Chaim Voloshin promises that you will be protected by G-d if you repeat and concentrate on the pasuk that demonstrates that ONLY G-d is in charge; therefore, no harm can befall you. This Segula actually works:

י-ה-ו-ה הוא האלו-הים, אין עוד מלבדו

I give you the ultimate bracha from Moshe to Yehoshua, from Hashem to Yehoshua, from one soldier to another, from a father to a son, who is a fighter for the Jewish People in Eretz Hakodesh. Be strong: in Derech Eretz, in Torah, in war; lead by example and you will be successful.

חזק ואמץ!