The dynamics of rank, structure, and modality of different types of soldiers is very unique and diverse much like the structure of every Yid whom is a soldier in a sense in the army of Hashem.

The military structure of any nation has supreme Commander in Chief or even greater a King, undoubtedly every Jew regardless of their level of observance or standing,  inside knows with every fiber of his Neshuma that HASHEM IS KING.

The King has a cabinet of appointed Generals, He makes them his generals, these are the Tzadikim, our holy masters and teachers whom we bind ourselves to. The true leaders of the generations, the heads of the military forces or the branches of the military forces. Each one in his special way able to act as an intermediary to help the soldiers connect with the King and fulfill his will.

Under the Generals there is a multitude of ranks from high officers all the way to the foot soldier.

Some of the officers have unique roles such as assistants to the Generals, commanders of 1000’s, commanders of 100’s, some even have a specialized job such as pilot of a fighter jet or a bomber. These are very important roles entrusted to individuals with unique leadership, ability and intelligence. There are even special schools to train them in their area of expertise.

One such Officer that we mentioned was the Pilot. His highly trained position is well known and very unique. He has the ability to use precision bombing and very advanced weaponry to make very big impact in his role of service to the king. The pilot receives intelligence and coordinates from the ground forces, they love him, he has helped, even saved so many a life. After his immediate mission he returns the aircraft to the base, is able to rejuvenate, possibly celebrate, and prepare for the next mission.

The ranks of soldiers continues down to the noncommissioned soldier. Some are assigned to artillery where they can strike from far away when given coordinates, some are in Tanks venturing into hostile areas, some are support and logistics tasked with supplying, nourishing and medical care,…and some are foot soldiers.

Some foot soldier were selected to be special operators whom fight on the front lines or may have to go into extremely hostile areas and engage in close quarter combat without the support of tanks, sometimes even without a vehicle, only taking as much weapons and ammunition as the can carry.

Sometimes a foot soldier is far into hostile territory maybe feeling alone or isolated, sometimes even estranged. His ammunition is running so low he is now engaging in hand to hand combat. He has not been able really rest, to bathe, or relax in very long time. Many of them have not met the generals but cleaves to them as means to his service and yearning to know the king.

Which of the two are greater in his service? The Pilot? The Foot Soldier?

Which would the General choose?

Which is more precious to the King?

As we learn… we try to learn between the lines. Each is complimentary and vital to each other.

Without the Pilot’s air support the foot soldier may not last long and may have a more difficult time connecting to the General and to the King, he may become so battle fatigued that he forgets who and what he is actually fighting for. He truly needs the Pilot.

Without the Foot Soldier the Pilot may not know exactly where to attack or if he completed his mission. Even when he is successful he may still need the Foot Soldier to go where he cannot or see what he cannot or what is not provided to him via intelligence. He truly needs the Foot Soldier.

The unity between the two just as the unity between the entire military force of the Kings army is what truly binds them to the General thus uniting them to the King.

The King is Hashem.

The General is the Rebbe.

The Pilot is the Rebbes Schliach.

The Foot Soldier is the each and every one of us. A soldier in the army of Hashem.

I ask you a question are you comfortable, are you comfortable where you are holding with your Yidishkiet….your level of observance….the progress you have made….the Mitzvot and learning you have done?

What is comfortable? If we were playing charades how would we show what comfortable looks like?  Most likely a physical representation of being comfortable would be sitting perfectly still or relaxing, perhaps even reclined or snuggled up in a blanket.

Financially comfortable may be described as having enough to not work as much or so hard.

In a relationship being comfortable could be described as “just being yourself” or not having to put in so much effort yet still able to enjoy the benefits.

What is uncomfortable? The charade may look something such as this; someone not being able to sit still, aggravated or anxious, even wanting to run away.

Financial discomfort often causes a person to work harder toward success.

The discomfort in a relationship between people could manifest itself in many ways often causing an individual or both parties (preferred) to put in the extra work with focus on achieving a unity leading to a successful relationship.

The charade we mentioned above for physical comfort IE not moving appears on a larger scale closer to death, just wrapped up laying in the ground as opposed to the physical discomfort being closer to “being alive” IE moving, agitated, trying to get somewhere else. In the physical worldwe are tasked by the King with a job…perhaps comfort is loafing.

Financial comfort is known to be caused by a great deal of hard work with the exception of a person blessed to be born into wealth. People whomstrive for financial comfort often obsess at growing their wealth, managing their investments and diligently redirecting their earnings toward greater success. Many never achieve the level of success they have strived for, however the hard work most often does pay off in the end, especially comparing it to where they started.

When people enter a relationship with success in mind they understand realistically there is going to be great deal of hard work involved. A certain amount of compromise will be involved in obtaining the desired result IE “the big picture.” Even if there is great discomfort or growing pains, if they are serious about success they hang in there and continue to put forth their greatest effort in obtaining unity with their partner. Occasionally there may be shortcoming or failures on the path of its growth, but with success in mind these can be mended and strengthen the relationship.

I ask you now to take deeper accounting from within and ask, “Are You Comfortable?”

If you are comfortable you are not growing, not moving forward, not making progress.

Perhaps life begins at the end of your comfort zone. A baby appears to be very comfortable in the womb.

Perhaps the feeling of being comfortable is tool of deception by the yetzer hara, possibly as an attempt to make you think “you made it,” you have achieved success.  An example of this is a pauper whom obtains a shack with a minimal amount of provisions and becomes content; he has forgotten his initial dream …to become a nobleman. Has he has found comfort….or has he settled?

Great news… as the caterpillar spins their cocoon, sometimes soft, sometimes hard, it appears content in a place of comfort…isolated, appearing withdrawn from its source.

With the help of Hashem and through very hard work the caterpillar is able to not only break out of the cocoon, but actually transforms into a greater and more beautiful life form … a butterfly. The caterpillar reborn in a greater form now must continue to vigorously move to keep their life momentum going, resting its tired wings just enough to forge forward on its mission.

May we take to heart the blessings that we are given each and every day and continue to give thanks to the Hashem for giving us the ability to continually break out of our own cocoon’s and have the renewed alacrity to spread our spiritual wings and never be content with where we are holding.