Day 309 Swords of Iron – “Defend Life”

Chaim starts the video by saying that with all the kinetic activity he’s moved to ask his viewers if they’ve ever heard of the “portion of the week” which is an ancient Jewish Bible reading plan.

He says that this week’s portion talks about defending life, and that’s why he’s in the IDF right now and continuing to fight this war because he wants to do his part to defend life as other cultures are worshipping death. He says that in this context, it was joyous to see that there are over 150 French Jews who made aliyah during the Olympics. There’s an interesting play on words here, that these people became “olim” during the “Olympics.”

In any case, Chaim asks his viewers to pray urgently for more Jewish people to make Aliyah and for organizations like the Aliyah Return Center to have the resources needed to help with their absorption. He also reminds his viewers to continue praying for the hostages in Gaza.

He also mentions the ongoing and even escalating conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying that it’s important to remember that Israel isn’t just absorbing blows, it’s hitting back hard and sorting Hezbollah out. That’s what the IDF does and what it will always do.

All of this brings Chaim back to Tisha B’Av, the day when so many terrible things have happened to the Jewish people. Everyone is wondering if that is the day that Hezbollah will try to attack Israel and make it another dark day in Jewish history.

But he says Israel is ready, poised to take the war to Hezbollah and Iran quickly if they do anything so foolish. Israel is choosing life, and it always will. As it always has, Israel will not back down.