Memorial Day for Israel's fallen soldiers; the People of Israel unite today to remember those tens of thousands of Jews who merited to be killed for the sanctification of His Blessed Name—victims of murderous terror attacks and soldiers who risked their lives to protect the People of Israel in the Land of Israel.

On the occasion of Memorial Day, we present the words of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a regarding the greatness of those killed for the sanctification of His Blessed Name (Kiddush Hashem).

"And he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing over him; and he saw, and he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and he bowed to the ground" (Genesis 18:2). It is written twice "and he saw," but it does not state what he saw. "And he saw three men"—these were the angels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel, [representing] Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Therefore, it is written again "and he saw," and it doesn't say what he saw. The Midrash (homiletic teaching) says that here he saw the Asarah Harugei Malchus (the Ten Martyrs of the Kingdom), for Abraham ran toward the Ten Martyrs. Anyone who is killed for Kiddush Hashem (sanctification of God's Name), Abraham goes out to meet him. All those who were killed in the Holocaust and in the wars—Abraham runs toward them. "And he saw, and he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent," and he bows to the souls that were killed for Kiddush Hashem! All of this is hinted at here: "And I said, I have seen, and behold, a golden Menorah (candelabra)." One who is killed for Kiddush Hashem becomes a golden Menorah, "a Menorah entirely of gold," because the entire People of Israel are Menorahs—a golden Menorah. There are no wicked people among the People of Israel; there is no such thing. Everyone does teshuvah (repentance), everyone regrets [their sins], everyone regrets in that very second; at that moment, everyone regrets. Because at the moment a person commits a transgression, a Bas Kol (Heavenly Voice) goes out and says to him: You have committed a transgression, "How long, O simple ones, will you love simplicity?" (Proverbs 1:22).

"His eye saw every precious thing" (Job 28:10). This refers to those who were bound [as sacrifices] for Kiddush Hashem. Hashem smelled the scent of shmad (persecution/martyrdom); Hashem smelled it because it is a "pleasing aroma"—this is a generation of shmad. When a person goes [to his death] for Kiddush Hashem, it is the highest level that can possibly be! There is nothing higher than this. A person comes into the world only to go for Kiddush Hashem; for this, he came into the world. The entire creation, "His eye saw every precious thing," refers to all those who go for Kiddush Hashem. The main thing is to die for Kiddush Hashem; everything we came into the world for is to die for Kiddush Hashem—this is the purpose for which we were created. Rabbi Nathan writes in Prayer 87 that the first prayer one should pray is: I want to die for Kiddush Hashem, that on the final day there should be Kiddush Hashem—that a person should live one hundred and twenty years like Rabbi Akiva, and on the final day, it should be for Kiddush Hashem! It is written that the Beis Yosef (Rabbi Yosef Karo) died for Kiddush Hashem. But didn't he pass away a natural death? They say no! There are such internal sufferings... The Rebbe (Rebbe Nachman) said that there is no longer a need for any suffering, because I have taken all the suffering upon myself.

A Jew who merits to be killed for Kiddush Hashem ascends directly to Gan Eden (Paradise); there is no such thing as killing a Jew!!! A Jew ascends directly to Gan Eden!

This is what Rabbi Akiva's students said to him: "Our teacher, this far?!" He said to them: "All my days I was distressed over this verse, 'With all your soul'—even if He takes your soul. When will this verse come to my hand so that I may fulfill it?" All my life I was distressed: when will it come to my hand so that I may fulfill it! I waited for this verse from the day I was born; from the age of 40, I have been waiting for this moment when they would comb my flesh with iron combs. Moses turned back [in a vision], and [Hashem] said to him: "Be silent! Thus it arose in the [Divine] Thought at the beginning!" Because those who go for Kiddush Hashem today—every day they go for Kiddush Hashem—then, "No eye has seen, O God, besides You" (Isaiah 64:3). It is written that regarding one who goes for Kiddush Hashem, no creature can comprehend his reward, his light; then he enjoys the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), and he learns Torah from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He. Even if he was secular his whole life, the moment he went for Kiddush Hashem, even if he was completely wicked, everything is forgiven him, and he learns Torah from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He! So, is this Torah and this its reward? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses—"Be silent!" All of this is brought in Torah 64 (Likutey Moharan); the entire Torah of 64 revolves around "Be silent!" For anyone who goes for Kiddush Hashem, his reward is such that "No eye has seen, O God, besides You." No eye has seen, no eye can see. All those who are being killed now for Kiddush Hashem—every day we hear about more and more soldiers who are being killed now for Kiddush Hashem—then we must say, "No eye has seen, O God, besides You." They merit such a level that no creature will merit even at the Resurrection of the Dead!!

(The lessons were collected and slightly edited; if you found an error, please attribute it to the editor and not, Heaven forbid, to the Rav shlit"a, and may our error remain with us.)