Their names and holy souls pull at the heartstrings of any feeling Jew. Many of them exemplified remarkable heroism and sacrifice. They went back to save friends and protect others. We all davened and said Tehillim for them for the past 11 months. And now, sadly, six of the 250 kidnapped neshamos have been brutally and depravedly murdered.

Ori Danino, HY”D

Carmel Gat, HY”D

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, HY”D

Alex Lubanov, HY”D

Almog Sarusi, HY”D

Eden Yerushalmi, HY”D

The Rambam, in his Yesodei HaTorah of his Mishneh Torah writes about them. These six precious souls were murdered solely because they were Jewish and the Rambam writes in Yesodei HaTorah (5:4), “There is no virtue above their virtue.”

For those who are murdered solely because they are Jewish, the Rambam applies two verses in Tehillim (44:23): “It is for Your sake that we are killed all the time, that we are considered as sheep for the slaughter; and Tehillim (50:5), “Gather to Me My devoted ones, who made a covenant with Me over a sacrifice.”

Let’s focus on two aspects of this Rambam for a moment. They are called, “Harugei Malchus,” and they are also called, “My devoted ones.” But the Rambam lists among them Chananya, Mishael and Azaryah — and they did not die! They were ultimately saved!

That’s one question. But let’s also ask a second question, a question that applies to our current situation. Almost every day we cry. We read in the news about remarkable soldiers who were taken in the prime of their lives. The second question is: How do we get out of this?

The resolution to the first question is that Chananya, Mishael and Azaryah were willing to die. The obvious extension is that every fighting soldier involved in the three conflicts currently facing Israel is included in this category as well.

Which brings us to the answer to our second question. But first a remarkable Shelah HaKadosh (found in Shaar HaOsios Brios). The Shelah notes that there are 620 letters in the Aseres Hadibros — the Ten Commandments.The last seven of these letters form the two words, –asher l’rayacha, a term intimately associated with the mitzvah of “v’ahavta l’raya kamocha –—loving our neighbor as ourselves.”

So in order to get out of this we must all markedly increase our observance and appreciation of this mitzvah of Ahavas Yisroel. And we must daven, pray and search for every means at our disposal to help our brethren out. At every opportunity, we should be melamed zechus on Klal Yisroel and not be like those who assume the worst. We should always practice the notion of “Resha versus Rasha.” and remember the following dictum: “Hate the Resha but love the Rasha—Hate the notion of evil, but love the Rasha.” This refers to acheinu bnei Yisroel.The pasuk in Vayikra (19:17-18) tells us not to hate your brother in your heart but to practice “v’ahavta laracha kamocha.”

The Gemara in Brachos (32a) says that our care and concern for others must be to the point that in our Ahavas Yisroel when we hear of their difficulty, we become sick over it, citing a drasha of a pasuk – “Vayichal Moshe” – meaning.

In the Gemara in Yoma 75a, it states, “If one has anxieties — he should relate them to someone else.” The Sefer entitled “Igra d’Pirka” gives an interesting explanation to this. He asks: What is the reason for this Gemara?” He answers that it will help enable a cure. How so? He can say, “Look Hashem, I understand why I have received this punishment or travail. But why should my friend also suffer stress on account of this?” With this valid claim, one can shift or change a divine decree.

Sharing the burden thus helps his or her own situation.

I would like to add another two thoughts. The first is that the Gemara (Bava Kamma 92a) tells us that whoever prays for his friend, he is answered first—your friend’s decision to pray for you will cause his or her own prayers to be answered first. Having this in mind is a manifestation of Ahavas Yisroel as well.

The second thought is that the TaZ tells us that whenever one prays for another person he should always add the words that Hashem should provide that person with blessings of a refuah shleimah among the other cholim of Klal Yisroel. He writes that this, in fact, will result in a quicker and better cure.

All this shows the incredible power of Ahavas Yisroel.

The author can be reached at [email protected]