Milchemet Mitzva, Even for a Groom

“At the command of the Lord they encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed; they kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord through Moses.”
(Bamidbar  9:23)   In the Torah portion of this week, B’haalotcha, we are reminded that the people of Israel in the desert only traveled from place to place at G-d’s command.
This verse from the weekly portion sharpens what we already know — “Many are the thoughts in a person’s heart, but it is the counsel of the Lord that will stand.”

Or in the words of the famous Yiddish idiom, Man plans, G-d laughs.

Throughout this year and nine months of war, we have all witnessed countless situations in which people had plans — and everything changed in a moment.  Tragically, so many lives were cut short, the best of our soldiers fell sanctifying God’s name, leaving behind shattered families.  Shattered — and yet, in most cases, strong families who choose every day to rise again, to live their lives, and to follow in the path of the fallen.

Soldiers with their whole lives ahead of them are injured and must endure a long and exhausting rehabilitation — and with great courage, they do it, with immense support from loving families. Young women and mothers face their third, fourth, or even fifth round of reserve duty, while continuing to  work and  care for young children and maintain their homes.

Today, in our family, we can feel a bit more what is written in the Mishna in Sotah
“But in a Milchemet Mitzva, everyone goes out — even the groom from his room and the bride from her canopy.”

Our home was ready to celebrate our son’s Shabbat Chatan

This Shabbat, we were supposed to celebrate our son’s Shabbat Chatan.  Of course — he too has been called up again on emergency draft order (Tzav 8)

On the way to meeting up with his unit, our son stopped by to pick up his army gear and was able to get a preveiw of the Shabbat Chatan that would not take place without him

Is it disappointing? Definitely.

However, we continue to be immensely proud of him and all our sons and daughters, who consistently put their own lives on hold, leave jobs and families, to serve our nation and protect our homeland.

We will continue to pray that he returns in peace, along with all our soldiers and hostages. We remind ourselves, that G-d has a plan.

May we merit to see His plan fulfilled, and with G-d’s help, see our soldiers victorious over all our enemies.