This message is written in the intro of every Tanach book that soldiers of the IDF receive after they finish basic training:
B"H
Soldiers of the IDF
Handed over (this book) to you this book of books, the asset of the nation and her existence source, book which is the livestock note and an ownership document to our country and to the estate of our fathers.
This book gives us the right as a one nation to declare in front of a large crowd: "renew our days as of old" (Lamentations 5:21).
The nation of Israel, already in his first steps, started from Abraham – father of the nation, who called out in the name of a singular God - creator of the world - faced an idolatrous world which surrounded him, and although he was alone in his faith, like our sages of blessed memory have said: Abraham stood in one side and the whole world stood in the other side, he attached his faith with all his heart, with interested soul and without recoiling.
The devine revelation in Egypt, when the Holy One Blessed be He took the descendants of Abraham his chosen, out from the slavery furnace, while changing the laws of nature, was in order to bring them to the exalted position, high level and one-time in the history of mankind, as written: "For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived" (Deuteronomy 5:23), when he gave his Torah – Torah of truth.
He gave his Torah of Hashem, a heritage to his nation, in the hand of his prophet Moses – his faithful servant.
This book of books which has been given to your hands, is the essence and the foundation to all mankind culture and the secret of the eternity of Israel in all generations.
Soldiers of the IDF, the carriers of the flag of freedom and the security of the nation, keep this Torah book of Hashem, learn it and fulfill the last will of Moses to Joshua "…that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law" (Deuteronomy 31:12), and then we will be appropriated that the promise of God in his Torah will be valid: "for the LORD your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you" (Deuteronomy 20:4).
Major-General
Gad Navon
Chief Rabbi of the IDF
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