A nation that resembles angels - against eulogists and against all odds

Shabbat Yom Kippur 5785

Rabbi Eliezer Haim Shenvald

Praying for the IDF soldiers' success, to safeguard them lest any harm come to them, to the healing of all the wounded and the return of the abducted.

כבר אמרו חז"ל (ירושלמי שקלים א, א) אֵין אַתְּ יָכוֹל לַעֲמוֹד עַל אוֹפִי שֶׁלְּאוּמָּה הַזֹּאת.

"…one cannot understand the character of this people" (Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim 1:1)

What has not been said about this ancient nation, which suffered decrees, troubles and crises, of every possible kind. Several times, some rushed to eulogize in the midst of a severe crisis, and thought it would not be able to survive. Other nations did not survive much less challenging situations, the people of Israel survived, against all odds. The crisis even resulted in growth.

Despite what it went through, it stands in the front row of the family of nations. What is the secret?

Several times throughout history, the Jewish faith and Torah have been challenged. New and shiny faiths and cultures took the world by storm and challenged it: The Greeks, Christianity, the Enlightenment movement, etc. Some rushed to eulogize it, inside and out. They argued that it belongs to the past and has lost its relevance. Against all odds, it remained in its position, continues to beat in our hearts, and strengthened itself with renewed strength. What is the secret?

In the last year we discovered more things about ourselves with obituaries and cynics mourning the loss, and expectation of no return.

Some eulogized the willingness of the individuals, who we knew from the past, for contributing and doing for the common good and the country, and even endanger themselves for it. They claimed that in the era we are in, everyone should take care only of himself. Eulogized the solidarity and empathy that we knew from the past. They claimed that we are divided into tribes and each one does only for his close cronies.

Some eulogized the army reservists, which was the main force of the IDF, claiming it was an archaic body which had lost its relevance with the changing times, and that it could not be relied upon in a time of need. That we have lost our land maneuverability leaving us unable to maneuver in Gaza and Lebanon and remove the growing threat. That we will never have international and internal legitimacy. That we will never say 'no' to our friends even when their position is against our existential interest. They scared us saying the price of the maneuver would be thousands of deaths, and we became addicted to fear. Some eulogized the tank and believed that the anti-tank missile would neutralize it. Some assumed that we would not be able to withstand an ongoing war for more than a month and a half. And those called the generation of young fighters the spoiled 'tiktok generation' that would not be able to withstand the difficult challenges of war.

This year everything has been refuted, we discovered that not only all these are not lost but are deeply hidden in our DNA. Sometimes they are dormant. We are a special nation. For us, the driving force and motivation is the spirit. In real time when the goal is clear, the spirit awakens and stimulates all abilities as a promoter, even with greater strength. Against all odds. So, the unbelievable becomes possible. The army conducted fierce maneuvers into Gaza and Lebanon. The prolongation of the war only improved the capabilities of the IDF, and the sense of competence. The reservists were exposed in the fullness of their spirit and strength, recruited in an unprecedented manner, fought bravely, accomplished extraordinary achievements, and served hundreds of days in the reserves. The Tiktok generation turned out to be the 'heroic generation' that does not fall far from its predecessors. When our spirit is strong and our path is clear, we can say no to our friends and be loyal to our existential interests. In retrospect, they thank us, etc.

Yom Kippur is upon us, a day shrouded in secrets. It unites those close and those distant. Despite the difficulty of fasting and the long prayers, those who do not attend the synagogues during the year attend on Yom Kippur. They feel on this day a special holy spirit of great majesty, this day brings out their Jewish identity, and their connection to the heritage of Judaism, more than any other day. What is the secret of Yom Kippur, why is it perceived as such?

Judaism is a unique combination of a daily way of life with a spirit. With angelic values of holiness above ordinary life. These are eternal values that are embedded in the reality of creation, and therefore they do not change over the years.

Yom Kippur expresses the hidden secret in the spirit of the Jewish soul. It has an angelic component. One special day of the year that radiates angelicity. The avoidance and abstention from eating and drinking and four other things is not meant for sorrow, but to be likened to the angels who do not need them:

אמנם ענין יוה״כ הוא שהנה הכין האדון ב״ה לישראל יום א׳‎ שבו תהיה התשובה קלה להתקבל והעונות קרובים לימחות … והנה ביום זה מאיר אור שבכחו נשלם כל זה הענין ואמנם הוא אור שלקבל אותו צריך שישמרו ישראל מה שנצטוו ליום זה ובפרט ענין העינוי שעליה מתנתקים מן הגופניות ניתוק גדול ומתעלים במקצת אל בחי׳‎ המלאכים …(דרך ה' ח"ד פ"ח ה').

“Yom Kippur: However, the content of Yom Kippur is [as follows]: Behold the Master, blessed be He, prepared a day for Israel on which repentance would be easily accepted and iniquities readily erased … And see that on this day, a light shines that has the power to fulfill this whole matter. However, it is a light that, in order to be received, requires that Israel observe that which they were commanded for this day - and especially the matter of affliction (fasting, etc.), through which they are greatly removed from physicality and partially elevated to the character of angels… (Derech Hashem Part Four on Seasonal Commandments 8:5)

ראה סמאל... אמר לפני הקב"ה רבון העולמים יש לך עם אחד בארץ כמלאכי השרת שבשמים, מה מלאכי השרת יחפי רגל כך ישראל יחפי רגל ביום הכפורים, מה מלאכי השרת אין בהם אכילה ושתיה כך ישראל...אין בהם אכילה ושתיה ביום הכפורים, מה מלאכי השרת אין להם קפיצה כך ישראל עומדין על רגליהם ביום הכפורים, מה מלאכי השרת שלום מתווך ביניהם כך ישראל שלום מתווך ביניהם ביום הכפורים, מה מלאכי השרת נקיים מכל חטא כך ישראל נקיים מכל חטא ביום הכפורים.

"Samael realized that on the Day of Atonement the Israelites were like angels, not eating, not drinking, etc., he too joined the chorus of Israel’s admirers telling G-d that Israel was as free from sin as are the ministering angels. Once G-d hears the testimony of our perennial accuser, He grants atonement to the people, to the priests, and the entire congregation".  (Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer). *

Yom Kippur makes us a nation similar to Angels.

*A Midrashic approach found in Pirke d'Rabbi Eliezer chapter 46: Satan was complaining that whereas G-d had given him authority over all the nations He had not given him any control over the Jewish people. G-d responded that on one day a year, namely, on Yom Kippur, he, Satan would have authority over the Jewish people in the event the latter were sinful. The Israelites were given an opportunity to satisfy the aspirations of Samael by offering him a bribe. Whereas the offering presented to G-d was a burnt-offering, the one offered to Samael (Azazel) was the sin-offering which was burdened with all the sins of the people of Israel. This gift to Samael was designed to deflect his intention to thwart the value of Israel’s offering on that day. By “playing up to the ego of Samael,” G-d hoped to neutralize him through flattery so that the purpose of the Day of Atonement could be achieved without interference from that source. (Sefaria -Trans. Eliyahu Munk 1998)