Difference is that Jews don't get all orgasmic with the prospect of killing the enemy, and we don't 'love death more than we love life' to quote your Arab Hamasniks. We don't dip our hands, literally, in the blood of our enemy and raise them up in frenzied ecstasy. We don't cut peoples' heads off on camera (or off camera) and we don't intentionally target kindergartens (though Hamas fires rockets from schools and mosques, then wonders why they get destroyed!) Big Differences, Cynic.

And they did the job , they risked their life , and if they returned unharmed it's only thanks to their knowledge in the battlefield . No need of a "gott mit uns" or blessings and prayers . Don't forget that it was NOT a inexisting "heavenly" help who liberated our country in 48 , it was the blood of those mostly seculars if not antireligious who made it . And where was this "heavenly help" during the Shoa ? Inexisting as always .

I serve in the ranks of the Louisiana and Mississippi national guards within the Infantry, and am completely disgusted by so much religious interference. Except that when my chaplains serve up a dose of holy, there is no mention of Jewishness or Old Testament, its all "in the name of our lord and saviiour, Jesus Christ." Keep the religion out of my fight and op-orders. For those of you using the words ungrateful or anti-religion, let's be serious. If I, a soldier, want some religious guidance, I will GO AND FIND IT.. I dont need to be interrupted or redirected by my chaplains (which is so often the case.)

I am haredi and have spent many years in full-time Torah study. Although I appreciate the orthodox attitude towards military service, and would refuse to serve myself, were it applicable, in the IDF. However, it does not lie completely comfortably with me, because orthodox jews served in armies during the first world war (on both sides) and during the second world war for the allies. That all said - I am appalled at the self-righteous haredi cowards that dare to force their ideas on serving soldiers who don't wish to listen. For those who need it, or don't mind - fine. But there should definitely be an opt-out situation in which anyone who doesn't want to listen to their drivel should be permitted to. The present situation appears no better than the coercion that most haredim use as the reason for not serving.

no one is more religouse than god and he is the only leader and commander and little fromthe people listen to him . so what to speake and what to listen and more is what to believe is the effect in this life not war only

Quote :”.. we (IDF soldiers) shall be protected by a convoy of heavenly angels.” Protection comes by praying to YAHWEH -- we do NOT pray to heavenly angels. We do NOT depend for our protection on heavenly angels -- we wholly and solely depend ONLY on YAHWEH, the Supreme Lord. When one depends on YAHWEH, there is NO need to depend on heavenly angels. WHY NOT ? Because YAHWEH, the Supreme Lord, is supremely powerful, supremely mighty -- while the heavenly angels are NOT supremely powerful. BTW I appreciate your service to Israel and her citizens. I salute you.

Israel is NOT a theocracy. But because YAHWEH, the Supreme Lord, gave the Land of Israel, which includes Judea & Samaria, to the Jewish People as their Homeland, which they entered in 1220 B.Chr. on the order of YAHWEH -- it is just a sign of gratefulness to thank YAHWEH, it is simply recognition of the kindness of YAHWEH to thank HIM. To thank YAHWEH, the Supreme Lord, is a show of appreciation -- and NO sane person the world over, NO person-with-feelings will object to that.

I agree with you but you don't need to tell the soldiers that when they already know it. A soldier may even be insulted that he may be thought of as an unbeliever. A company Rabbi or the captain might read the Torah to a group of men before battle. Pestering is a no no. I agree with the writer....

What comes out mostly in this article is the sad reality that to many Israelis on the left, and born out by the Oslo accords, the disengagement and the current so called peace process, which is 'psychotic' is the fact that the left wing 'elitists' stand for Israel as an Israeli state and not a Jewish state. We should all be aware of this, if we want to keep any type of state!!

I'm sick of anti-religious "Jews"--Edomite successors of Bilam, the original assimilationist (even before the Hellenists)--trying to pervert Israel into goyim. By definition, the only thing that makes Israel different is our striving to do our sincerest to live according to the b'rit, Torah. That, in turn, defines us a holy people. That, in turn, defines any war necessary for our defense a holy war. If any of this is untrue then we have no claim to this land and no business here. The IDF is the embryonic restoration of the Tz'vaot ha-Sheim, the army of David ha-Melekh. The successes of Operation Cast Lead were no accident. Some people are simply unable to wrap their mind around the identicality of Biblical descriptions of ancient Israeli battle miracles and modern Israeli battle miracles. The notion that the IDF achieved this without ha-Sheim presumes that the IDF--and Israel--was restored according to Torah prophecy without ha-Sheim. Without Israel there would be no IDF. Without ha-Sheim there would be no Israel... in fact, Israel would never even have been conceived or defined in the first place. I applaud Khab"d and the Torah-keeping commanders with two caveats: 1. sectarianism is divisive. That is no place to impose elements of khasidut with which the mitnagdim don't agree, etc. They should stick to the absolute basics upon which virtually all elements of the Orthodox community agree: reading Tehilim, laying Tephilin and praying from the most pristine Orthodox Sidur. For the sake of unity, those who don't know how to pray from the most pristine Orthodox Sidur should learn how for these kinds of situations even if you insist on other versions for your own sectarian prayers. 2. This should always be an "opt out" for unwilling soldiers. Paqid Yirmeyahu Paqid 16, The Netzarim, Ra'anana, Israel Israeli Orthodox Jew (Teimani Baladi Dardai) Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming Jews & non-Jews www.netzarim.co.il

Never miss a chance to flaunt their religious lifestyle and shove it down other peoples throats do they? They should leave our soldiers alone to do their job without all their religious nonsense.

everyone, what i think the letter meant by saying "may you die al kiddush h'" really- may h' remmber you and save on you becuase after all you are fighting al kidush h'! im veryu gratfull to the chyalim for fighting with and risking there life for there nation, but i desagree with saying "the rilogios comuntiy" becuase the people only ment well, and if C"H they didnt, still the reliogous comunty was very sportive of our chaylem and sent packages and notes that were MEANING full and really gave the chaylm coach and emona. they also sent in packages of tizis for the chaylem to wear as a zchus and even some went in with them to gaza! i think that we stood together as a nation and i am very proud of us am yisroel. as it saids in the torah "and only when were together will we win our enemys and be strong" so i turn to every single one of you and beg:please be nice to one another and care for one another, and together we will be strong! AM YISROEL CHAY!

shove?! the riliogous comuntiy has been very helpfull read a newspaper before you make up stuff! sorry... but i wouldnt talk if i were you

Quote :” Sigmund Freud also wanted to have sex with his mother.” The Arabs used to have sex with their own mother -- that was their culture. The Koran states that ‘one should NOT have sex with one’s own mother’ -- this indicates that the Arabs (before the appearance of the Koran) used to have sex with their own mother. No#44 quoting Sigmund Freud indicates he would like to go back to the previous Arab culture.

i believe there is a bible verse relating to it being forbidden for man to lie with beast. what does this say about jews, using your logic?

Did they not hear the story about Rachel warning soldiers where and where not to go? It doen't matter if we have the best military equipment in the world, it is only G-d's will that determines whether Israel wins or loses a war. Further, why do so many secular dodge the military? I would too if I wasn't inspired by why I was fighting. and as they said, most of their commanders are religious becasue they are the best soldiers, as they combine faith in Hashem with a determined will to be victorious.

The idea of wishing someone to die in Kiddush HaShem is not held by 99.9% of Torah-true Jews, and is strongly repungant to basically any traditional Orthodox Jew. Therefore reproducing the message of that note here is slander and even bigotry. After all, if I relate an event where someone of a certain group said something abhorent to me, and then I try to pass it off as if it represents the entire group when it does not, that's bigotry! It does not matter whether the group is blacks, Chinese, whites, hindus, or traditional religious Jews. The rest of the article is acceptable, the author's are entitled to their views. They may even have some good points. However, they committed a real act of slander and bigotry in their writing of that very first line.

I take back half of #31 that I wrote. I am nearly %100 sure that they would not have made up that quote. I wrote that "in the moment." After reflection, I realize that I was angry and just over-reacting. However, than first line is still slander. I don't know if "Bigotry" is the right word. But, making it seem as if that statement reflects the attitudes of most traditional Jews, is certainly akin to "racism." But, "racism" is certainly not an appropriate word, because it has nothing to do with races. Also, "anti-semitism" is not true, because they don't hate Jews. They simply seem to relate to traditional Jews in the same way that anti-semites and racists relate to Jews and blacks respectively. They extrapolate things that they don't like to all religious Jews. Otherwise, how can one explain that they would think that such an attitute as telling a soldier that "I hope you get to die for Kiddush HaShem" reflects all religious Jews? In fact, it reflects no religious Jews! Except maybe 0.01% of them!

"Al Kedushat Hashem" in " El Male Rachamim " mean then ? They died "al Kedushat Hashem " No ? This said for our fallen soldiers , or for our six million Brethren , is at least revolting .

I could try to come up with some well-thought out reply, but the truth is that it would probably be a waste of words. Instead, all I have to say, is that many of those that died in the Holocaust did not find it "revolting." Many found it meaningful and a source of courage and strength even when confronting pain and death. Many recited a bracha on "Kiddush HaShem." You can find accounts of this in numerous sources. One is Prof. Yaffa Eliach's book, "Hasidic Stories from the Holocaust." I think there is a whole article on that bracha and accounts of it being said in the book, "Theological and Halachic Reflections on the Holocaust." By the way, I highly recommend reading "Hasidic Tales of the Holocaust." It is a worthwhile addition to the major Holocaust books that most have read, or should have read.

Not "revolting" when their babies were murdered ? How do you dare to write this ? This is not "revolting" it's DISGUSTING

It is ALSO stated in the Holy Koran that ‘one should NOT have sex with animals’ -- this indicates that the Arabs (before the appearance of the Holy Koran) used to have sex with animals.

are u as worried and concerned with 1000 or so left wing arab lovers who were calling u baby murderers in the middle of their pro-hamas-stop-the-war-now rally they held on kikar rabin while u were being fired at? yes, u r much more concerned with being taught some yidishkeit while in the field by yo fellow soldiers then with scum who r protesting your very own existance. how very patronizing and misguided of u.

Define Jew! Can a Jew be secular? What makes a Jew a Jew? You might be a non secular Israeli ...but not a non secular Jew. A Jew is not only a name ......If you do not believe the Torah, then you take away the very basis for the State of Israel....you ungrateful idiot!

Thank you Zvi

Is there a code of conduct that is better than the Torah?

As a JEWISH soldier how can u blam somone being missionary and messianic character YOU ARE JEWISH YOUR GRANDFATHER WAS JEWISH!!!! nobody trying to converet you into judaisem !!!just remeber who you are where you came from and who was your grandfather.and why he needed to run away drom Europe comedown we are all jews and that the only thing to remeber and to know!!!!