Aftermath
HAVE you forgotten yet?…
For the world’s events have rumbled on since those gagged days,
Like traffic checked while at the crossing of city-ways:
And the haunted gap in your mind has filled with thoughts that flow
Like clouds in the lit heaven of life; and you’re a man reprieved to go,
Taking your peaceful share of Time, with joy to spare.
But the past is just the same–and War’s a bloody game…
Have you forgotten yet?…
Look down, and swear by the slain of the War that you’ll never forget.
Do you remember the dark months you held the sector at Mametz–
The nights you watched and wired and dug and piled sandbags on parapets?
Do you remember the rats; and the stench
Of corpses rotting in front of the front-line trench–
And dawn coming, dirty-white, and chill with a hopeless rain?
Do you ever stop and ask, ‘Is it all going to happen again?’
Do you remember that hour of din before the attack–
And the anger, the blind compassion that seized and shook you then
As you peered at the doomed and haggard faces of your men?
Do you remember the stretcher-cases lurching back
With dying eyes and lolling heads–those ashen-grey
Masks of the lads who once were keen and kind and gay?
Have you forgotten yet?…
Look up, and swear by the green of the spring that you’ll never forget.
By: Siegfried Sassoon(March 1919)

This weekend we observed Veteran’s Day. Recognizing the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veteran’s. At our congregation we invited veterans to attend with their families. We allowed them to tell a little bit of their stories, some of whom spoke about this for the first time. We talk about writing your own Torah. These heroes have written theirs and we were the witnesses. Our youth were there. It was touching. It was powerful. It was holy.
We had planned more to do, but the stories were so rich and so important, we scaled back. Their words were more important than anything I could say.

We read Torah, and even the Torah’s words, especially the Torah words were apt. The parsha began with the word ha’eved, the servant. I have long been fascinated by this word. This word, this root is the same word that is used for slave. We were slaves in Egypt, avadim (plural) chayenu. When we left Egypt we went into the wilderness to serve the Lord. Pharoah said, “Go, worship the Lord, Ivdu et Hashem. That same phrase comes up in Psalms, Ivdu et hashem b’simcha, bo lefanav birnana. Serve the Lord with gladness, come before G-d’s presence with singing.
This root also means sacrifice. When the Israelites were serving G-d in the wilderness, they were making a sacrifice, an offering, an avodah. We still use this word to mean work, worship, service and sacrifice. We talk about the world being sustained by three things, al haTorah, al ha’avodah, on service and sacrifice and al gemiilut Chasidim, acts of love and kindness.
Why is this important this weekend, as we observe Veteran’s Day and we honor our Veterans? Because they understood this word, this concept in Hebrew. They served and they sacrificed.
We learn something else from this week’s parsha. Rebecca, our matriarch, our heroine if you will, raced to serve. When the servant, who willing went on his mission to find a bride for Isaac, when he finally arrived, tired and needing to water his camels he prayed that the one who would offer to give him drink and also his camels would be the one for Isaac. He had scarcely finished speaking his prayer when Rebecca rushed up to fulfill his request. He ran towards her. She quickly lowered her jar. She then quickly emptied her jar and ran back to the well to draw water. Then she ran and told her family about this. Laban then ran out to meet the man. In all these cases, they rushed to quickly serve. That is precisely what our veterans have done. They did not hesitate. They rose to the occasion and went as called. I don’t mean to imply that it was easy—I am sure it was not. It was not only service but also a sacrifice. Time away from home, from family, from friends, from careers. Losing friends. Witnessing unspeakable things. Dealing with injuries, physical and emotional. But for them, it was an honor to serve and a sacrifice. We are honored to call each of you our heroes. Thank you for your willing service and sacrifice.

Then our veterans rose for a special mishebarach:
G-d of compassion,
G-d of dignity and strength,
Watch over the veterans of the United States
In recognition of their loyal service to our nation.
Bless them with wholeness and love.
Shelter them.
Heal their wounds,
Comfort their hearts.
Grant them peace.
G-d of justice and truth,
Rock of our lives,
Bless our veterans,
These men and women of courage and valor,
With a deep and abiding understanding
Of our profound gratitude.
Protect them and their families from loneliness and want.
Grant them lives of joy and bounty.
May their dedication and honor
Be remembered as a blessing
From generation to generation.
Blessed are You,
Protector and Redeemer,
Our Shield and our Stronghold.
To the Soldier, To the Veteran
These things I do not know:
The sound of a bullet.
The power of a blast.
The blood of a comrade.
The depth of your wound.
The terror at midnight.
The dread at dawn.
Your fear or your pain.
These things I know:
The sound of your honor.
The power of your courage.
The blood of your wound.
The depth of your strength.
The terror that binds you.
The dread that remains.
Your dignity and your valor.
For these things we pray:
The sound of your laughter.
The power of your voice.
The blood of your yearning.
The depth of your healing.
The joy that frees you.
The hope that remains.
Your wholeness and your love.
© 2011 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com

For all of our veterans, thank you for your sacrifice and your service. May the time not be distant when we will not need soldiers. When the words of Isaiah are fulfilled, Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more and everyone can sit under their vine and fig tree and none will make them afraid.