Chilling Exchange with IDF Widow

By COLlive reporter

A woman’s husband was killed during the Yom Kippur War, when a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria fought against Israel from October 6 to 25, 1973.

She sent a handwritten heartfelt note to the Rebbe:

“Hashem was with our nation to stand up during this difficult time of war and the few succeeded to stand up to the many.

“But every victory demands sacrifice and indeed, there is no greater sacrifice than sacrificing life.

“Since I was left without a father to my children, the task of educating and rearing them is hard on me. It is difficult for me to stand alone in front of a large and somewhat cruel world…

“How am I to explain to my children that their father’s death is also G-d’s will? My young boy is asking, ‘Ima, when Moshiach will come all the death will return to life and Aba will come. Why can’t Moshiach come now?’ My daughter is asking ‘where can my Aba be found?'”

The Rebbe wrote his response by hand on the original note:

“To the questions of the children that you wrote – explain (as is the truth) that there are such pure souls that G-d Almighty wants them to be in heaven, after they have completed their mission on earth and protected the children of Israel that live in the land of Israel.

“And in Heaven they are advocating for the good of all those close to them and especially their children and they are asking from G-d that the children should succeed in their learning and behavior etc.

“And when the children behave this way – it is a nachas and pleasure to the neshama which is alive and well etc.”