Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, accompanied by his gabbai Rabbi Mordechai Tzion, made a special visit on Monday to Israeli reservists stationed at Tel Kudna in Syria to give them chizzuk.

“The goal of the visit was to strengthen the morale of our holy soldiers,” Rabbi Tzion told Arutz Sheva-Israel National News.

During the visit, Rabbi Aviner addressed the soldiers, offering both inspiration and historical perspective on the land where they were stationed. He noted that from a Torah perspective, it is not entirely clear whether Tel Kudna is considered part of Syria or the land of Eretz Yisroel, but suggested that it is likely the latter.

He further explained a Midrash that describes Yerushalayim extending to the gates of Damascus, drawing a symbolic connection between the soldiers’ location and the spiritual heart of the Jewish people. “Our yeshiva, Ateret Yerushalaim, is in the center of Jerusalem,” he said. “And here we are, on the road to Damascus—it is an allegory of our connection to this land.”

Rabbi Aviner, who has been actively visiting and encouraging Israeli troops since the war in Gaza broke out, reiterated that the war should be viewed as a mitzvah that requires sacrifice, explaining that their efforts are part of a larger divine plan.

“Everything is from Hakadosh Baruch Hu,” he told the soldiers. “He alone determines when a person will live and when he will die.” He urged them to view their service as a sacred duty, comparing their current struggles to the existential threats the Jewish people have faced throughout history.

“I tell them that this is not hardship. Hardship is what happened to me as a baby when I had to be hidden from the Nazis to avoid being sent to a death camp. That was hardship. Now, we have an army. We are fighting back. And that requires sacrifice.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)