All of Your Nation is Righteous
Image provided by the author
“All of your nation is righteous.”
There’s an idea in Judaism, specifically in the Hasidic world, of attaching one’s prayers spiritually, through thought and intention, to the righteous ones of the current generation as well as to those of previous generations buried in the ground. So that in their merit our prayers will be answered.
I’ve been doing this for many years. Before praying, specifically the main Amidah prayer, I’ll think about certain righteous rabbis and rebbes, both alive and dead, who have had a huge influence on my life and on the Jewish people in general, and I’ll “attach” my prayers to their essence, their righteousness and their legacy.
And then, some years ago, I heard in the name of a very prominent rabbi that every single IDF soldier, while in uniform and actively defending the Jewish people and the State of Israel, is on the same level of a righteous person. On the same level. No matter what. Incredible.
And then October 7th happened.
And our holy soldiers, both those in active duty and those in reserve duty, including those who were scattered around the world and did all kinds of unbelievable things to get back to Israel as quickly as they can, jumped full on with all of their hearts and all their souls and all their bodies to fight back the enemy, to save our people, to rescue our people, and to defend our people from further attacks
Ever since those early days of the war, I’ve been including these holy soldiers in my thoughts before prayer as I attach my prayers to the holy righteous ones of our generation. Including them amongst the righteous of our generation.
At the same time I thought about the 1200 holy souls were taken from us on October 7th and thought about the ancient teaching in the Jewish tradition that any Jew who dies because he or she is a Jew, called dying “Al kiddush Hashem,” they are lifted up to the highest place in Heaven, to a place even higher than the righteous ones reach.
And so I thought about them too before I prayed and attached my prayers to them as well in the highest places in Heaven.
And then, from the holy defenders of our people, our land, and our nation, there were those who started to fall in battle. First in the single digits, then in the double digits, and eventually in the hundreds.
And I attached my prayers to them as well, part of the expanding circle of righteous ones who died “Al kiddush Hashem.”
And then I thought of all the families, the spouses, the kids, the parents, and the siblings who lost family members, loved ones, and were now dealing with a gaping hole in their lives. They were on the front lines of experiencing Jews being killed just because they were Jews.
I started to include them in my thoughts as well as I attached my prayers to the righteous ones of Israel in this generation.
As the war continued on I started to become aware of the fact that there were still more on the front lines of this war, though they weren’t holding guns or in uniform. They were the wives of soldiers who were holding the families together on the home front, doing everything alone they used to do together with their husbands, in addition to comforting their kids and assuring them that Abba would be home soon safely.
I started to include them in my thoughts as well as I attached my prayers to the righteous ones of Israel in this generation.
Then I thought of the thousands and thousands and thousands of people who weren’t fighting, who weren’t on the front lines, who weren’t in uniform, and whose spouses weren’t called in to fight, but they were giving so much of their time, their hearts, their energy and their efforts to do whatever it was that would help the soldiers and help the nation during this time. Cooking food, delivering food, creating hospitality spots for soldiers during their few hours between battles, volunteering at those hospitality spots. Helping out the wives whose husbands were in battle with food shopping and cleaning the house and babysitting the kids so they can have a few moments to breathe.
I started to include them in my thoughts as well as I attached my prayers to the righteous ones of Israel in this generation.
Then the war with Iran started. And I visited multiple places that were hit directly by ballistic missiles and witnessed throngs and throngs of everyday people coming out to help those whose homes were destroyed and lives were devastated. Helping them carry out the few things in their homes that were still intact and sweeping up the thousands of pieces of broken glass scattered around apartments that could be salvaged. Driving those who lost their homes and their everything to their new temporary dwelling and making sure they had what they needed for the short-term future.
I started to include them in my thoughts as well as I attached my prayers to the righteous ones of Israel in this generation.
And then it hit me. The circle of the righteous ones of Israel in our generation was expanding more and more until it essentially included the entire nation.
When I stood in prayer, I was now attaching my prayers to the entire nation of Israel.
And then I thought about the verse from the prophet Isaiah that says “All of your nation is righteous.”
For years, I’ve heard that verse and never quite understood how it could be true. How could the entire nation be deemed righteous?
But during this war, we have seen the Godly light of each member of this nation be revealed and shine so bright. Each one in his or her own unique way according to his or her own capabilities and abilities.
And I realized for the first time how the entire nation of Israel could actually be righteous.
Because I’ve been seeing it unfold before my own eyes.
What incredible merit to be part of the nation.
What an incredible merit to be alive at this time.
Despite all the darkness, this nation shines.
Despite all the challenges, this nation perseveres and charges forward.
What a merit.
What an incredible merit.
Am. Yisrael. Chai.