New Project Shares Spiritual Teachings Inspired by Fallen IDF Officer

The "Hit'orirut" organization has launched a new project to make the teachings of "Orot HaTeshuvah" (Lights of Repentance) accessible to the public, in memory of Captain Daniel Maimon Touaf, who fell in battle. The complex combat reality in the Gaza Strip did not prevent soldiers from the "Shaked" battalion from finding time for spiritual connection. Amidst operational missions, preparations, and combat, the soldiers engaged in a joint study of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook's book, "Orot HaTeshuvah."

Captain Daniel Maimon Touaf, who served as a deputy company commander in the battalion, was notably among these soldiers. He fell in battle in the Gaza Strip on September 10, 2024, along with three of his soldiers. The memory of their shared study on the battlefield has formed the basis for this new initiative aimed at disseminating these teachings throughout Israeli society.

The project, led by "Hit'orirut," distributes three-minute videos. Each video presents a passage from "Orot HaTeshuvah" with a simple explanation connected to daily life, making Rabbi Kook's philosophy accessible even to those unfamiliar with it.

The eleventh video in the series features Rabbi Boaz Haddad from the Beit El Yeshiva. He discusses the process of repentance, emphasizing that it should stem from joy rather than despair. "Regret is a cornerstone of repentance, but sometimes it is dangerous," Rabbi Haddad explained. "A person looks inward and sees bad traits, transgressions, and sins, and then becomes filled with sadness that extinguishes them, weighs them down, and causes despair in the entire process of repentance and correction."

Rabbi Haddad elaborated that Rabbi Kook suggests diverting attention from such thoughts. "When regret, introspection, and dwelling on the soul's shortcomings cause weakness and sadness, I need to set it aside and divert my attention," he said. "Sometimes, one must wait, look at oneself with kindness, and focus on what exists. When the mind becomes calmer and happier, I can then properly undertake correction."