(Day 582) Swords of Iron –  “Living on the edge”

Chaim starts by talking about some of the action in the Gaza Strip over the weekend, including two incidents which resulted in IDF casualties.

He then goes on to talk about having given a great deal of thought to the events of the past 20 months over the weekend, and it led him to the conclusion that life is fleeting and we need to make the best use of what time we have. He gives an example of planting trees to replace what was lost in the recent fires that scorched hundreds of dunams in central Israel.

But in a more general sense, we need to think about the future and care for the Land and People who live here. He contrasts this with the policies of Hamas, which deliberately put their civilians in harm’s way in order to try and use them as human shields because they don’t care about the future.

He also talks about how some Hamas terrorists who were captured recently in Gaza led the IDF to a tunnel, a very large and complex tunnel, which the IDF will now demolish. But there was lots of intelligence materials in this tunnel and going through it will help Yahalom, Chaim’s unit, to find more tunnels and demolish them as well.

Chaim also talks about a visit IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir recently paid to a group of former hostages. He praised them for their resilience and courage and he said that IDF soldiers need to take a lesson from this and also be brave and resilient. On this note, Chaim says that he’s feeling very strongly lately that it’s so important to raise children right. Comparing it to helping a tree grow by giving it fertilizer and water and all the other things it needs to grow tall and strong, he says children need the Word of God to grow up tall and strong.

In this context, he quotes Isaiah 41:11; “Behold, all those who were incensed against you

Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish.”

Chaim then goes on to say that in these dark and difficult times, Israel needs friends who will stand with us in word and in deed. In this context, he talks about a ring that was designed by a friend of his in his unit, called “the Unity Ring” that will allow those who wear it to showcase their support for Israel. A portion of the purchase price goes to help support the soldiers and it is available at www.chaimmalespin.com