There
he lies on the battlefield, my little general.
He
doesn’t ride a horse in a bright uniform with stars on his shoulders, without
an army and commanding orders, but panting, soiled, wet with his sweat in his
shirt, crying,
He,
who is the pivot, the backbone of his team is wounded. He, who is so needed to
aid his team mates under the heavy pressure of the “enemy” in the final battle.
Now
his younger, weaker Benjamin should take his place, he who would need his
protection.
Crying,
not of the pain, he almost didn’t feel it, but powerless, to see his comrades
fight an unequal battle without him.
With
tears and among his sobs he cried, called aloud to his friends his command
“hajar” (fight) and they heartened him in return not to worry.
And
that command in crying, broken language by their invalidated leader was heard
and whoever heard it shuddered in awe.
They
fought, I watched in breathtaking suspense as though watching a coin rolling
(not spinning) not knowing which side it would turn, or as a rope dancer
walking on a cable which is stretched taut between two high buildings.
And
they won the battle while it would be more reasonable that they would be
defeated.
A
command of a real general couldn’t do it better, no courage, no words more
inspiring an army.
And
I remember Beethoven’s 9th Symphony “… laufet Bruder eure Bahn, wie ein Held
zum siegen.”
It
was as though they couldn’t surrender, it was impossible to surrender, they
would rather drop, “die”.
“He’s
my little general” said his Volley Ball coach as he remembered it more than
forty years ago