Achdus

About a month ago I received an email from a "Jewish leader" [i.e. major donor]. He suggested to the many people who received this email, that in order to increase unity among the Jewish people, in all shuls they should say a tfilla for the soldiers every Shabbos.

This is a GREAT idea! However - it has already been implemented. Every day twice a day we say tachanun where we say "שומר ישראל שמור שארית ישראל" etc. We daven for ALL Jews - soldiers included. When the Torah is on the bimah we say "אחינו כל בית ישראל" etc. etc. where we daven for all Jews to be guarded, both those on the land and on the sea. That covers EVERY chayal [except those on the moon]. We constantly invoke Divine mercy for klal yisrael. If we are already davening for the chayalim - maybe a tfila for Egged bus drivers. You don't want an accident with 70 Jews aboard. Or maybe for El Al pilots. We don't want to chas vi-shalom see any planes going down [unless Abu Mazen and his ilk happen to be aboard]. My point is that I often feel that people's insistence on a tfilla for the soldiers is more about recognizing and identifying the Zionist entity called "Tzahal" than it is about the welfare of the soldiers. It is perfectly legitimate to reject a connection with people one considers to be off the Torah path while at the same time wanting all Jews of all stripes to be safe and sound [and to appreciate their self-sacrifice]. Rabbonim are just not into decreeing the formulation of new prayers, even to the extent that many were opposed to adding a special kinah for the holocaust, even though it is clear that we all mourn the holocaust. [That being said - If it were up to me, every shul would say a tfillah for the chayalim. Not because I have a halachic or rational basis but because I feel an emotional connection to those who sacrifice their lives and well being for my safety and ability to dwell in the holy land. But klal yisroel has Gdolei Yisroel and my opinion is בטל ומבוטל כעפרא דארעא.]

So I have another, possibly more innovative idea [I am serious...]. Bring over a few dozen wealthy Jews from the Five Towns, Teaneck, Engelwood, etc. etc. and sit them in the Mir yeshiva for a week or two. They will learn three sedarim a day. Prepare for shiur with the avreichim, hear shiurim from gedolei torah and taste Torah as they have never tasted it before. They should also go to hear chizuk from Rav Shteinman to see how a hundred year old man lives and how little food and sleep he subsists on. This will give them a greater appreciation of who he is than reading a news report on yeshivaworld.com.

At the end of the week they all leave generous checks to help the yeshiva men feed their poor families.

The benefits: An increased appreciation of Torah and lomdei Torah and a kesher with true bnei Torah for the Baalei Batim. The yeshiva's benefit is that they spread their Torah to the greater world and then the Avreichim also have enough to buy food....

Achdus - good for all!!