May 7, 2025|ט' אייר ה' אלפים תשפ"ה Called Up Yet Again
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This past week, tens of thousands in Israel received the message from the IDF that they are being called up, yet again, not for a few days, but for several weeks or months. Children will have to adjust again to being without parents. Spouses will have to manage households by themselves. Parents will again have sleepless nights. Employers will again struggle to manage without key personnel. And tens of thousands will again put their lives on the line and live in challenging, difficult and dangerous conditions. While there are efforts to persuade reservists to protest and not answer the call, yet again, overwhelmingly, our heroic soldiers are showing up and doing so in record numbers, again.
When the war began over a year and a half ago, Jews and Israel supporters in the United States and around the world responded by raising significant funds, sending supplies, organizing missions, tying tzitzis, sponsoring BBQs, writing letters and more. Over time, these efforts dissipated as cease fires were observed and for many, fatigue set in.
Our soldiers have been called up and despite their true exhaustion and very real emotional fatigue, they are showing up, and so must we, in our own small and modest ways. If we care, if we are connected, we must answer in our own record numbers to resume the coordinated efforts and show of support, to get back to planning trips, to dig deeper to send more funds, to do more to help bear the pain and struggle.
This week we will read Parshas Kedoshim and be reminded of the obligation to love our fellow Jew as ourselves, v’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha. What does it mean to love fellow Jews? R’ Moshe Leib Sassover used to tell his chassidim that he learned what it means to love a fellow Jew from two Russian peasants. Once he came to an inn, where two thoroughly drunk Russian peasants were sitting at a table, draining the last drops from a bottle of strong Ukrainian vodka. One of them yelled to his friend, “Do you love me?” The friend, somewhat surprised, answered, “Of course, of course I love you!” “No, no”, insisted the first one, “Do you really love me, really?!” The friend assured him, “Of course I love you. You’re my best friend!” “Tell me, do you know what I need? Do you know why I am in pain?” The friend said, “How could I possibly know what you need or why you are in pain?” The first peasant answered, “How then can you say you love me when you don’t know what I need or why I am in pain.”
R’ Moshe Leib told his chassidim, he learned from these peasants that truly loving someone means to know their needs and to feel their pain. Real love is not lip service, it is not just tolerating one another. Love is noticing someone is having a bad day, it is feeling their pain, it is showing someone you care, even when that person is someone you barely know or don’t know at all.
The morning blessings of Birchos HaShachar are said in the plural – פוקח עורים, מלביש ערומים, etc. There is one exception – שעשה לי כל צרכי , thank you God, who fulfills all of my needs. Why is this blessing written in the singular?
The same R’ Moshe Leib Sassover who taught us what it means to love a fellow Jew explains that when it comes to ourselves, we should have an attitude of “I have everything I need”. We should feel content and satisfied. However, when it comes to others, we must be thinking – he or she don’t have everything they need. What are they lacking? How can I help them? What can I do for them?
Loving our brothers and sisters in Israel means recognizing their sacrifices on behalf of our people and stepping up in our own small ways to show gratitude, display support, provide relief, and do all we can to help.
The great Arizal suggested that before beginning davening in the morning, one should say: הריני מקבל עלי מצוות עשה של ואהבת לרעך כמוך, I hereby accept upon myself the positive commandment to love your fellow as yourself.” Based on R’ Moshe Leib Sassover’s insight, we can understand this to mean that before we can pour out our hearts to Hashem for all of our needs, we must pause to think about our fellow brothers and sisters and their needs. Before we ask Hashem to be there for us, we must commit to be there for others.
As you think about upcoming trips or vacations, consider going to Israel to volunteer. As you review your finances and tzedakah opportunities, consider how you can contribute to help the physical, mental and emotional well-being of the soldiers and their families. When you feel love for fellow Jews, express it by identifying with their pain and doing what you can to make it go away.