In an emotional speech at the Kosel on Monday, President Isaac Herzog honored the fallen soldiers of the IDF. He called on the nation to remain upbeat, hold onto the spirit of the Jewish people, and keep singing even through pain. His words, spoken with deep emotion, strongly echo a sicha the Rebbe directed to him and his father 49 years ago during Hakafos.

“Our nation has one song, a song of many voices,” the President said. “In the Beis HaMikdash, on the mountain standing above the holy place where we are now, the Levi’im once sang together, one unified rhythm with different voices.”

“There have always been those who waited for us to stop singing together. And when we stopped, the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed. Jewish history repeatedly teaches us: when voices sing together, the nation is strengthened.

“In this place, we all pledge – never to forget the fallen. From pain and difficulty, we pledge to continue singing the song of life. We will forever carry their memory in our hearts, and in their name we will yet sing, together, the song after the war.”

Forty-nine years earlier, a 16-year-old Herzog accompanied his father, Chaim Herzog, then Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, to 770 for Hakafos of Shemini Atzeres 5737 (1976).

Before Hakafah Hei, the Rebbe paused and delivered a short sicha about the Jewish people’s historic connection to Eretz Yisrael. At one point in the Sicha, the Rebbe directed his words to the Herzog family, who are Levi’im, and said:

“Let the Levi’im go to this Hakafah, both the Levi’im from Eretz HaKodesh who are visiting and those who live in Chutz La’aretz for the time being. They will sing the well-known march.” The Rebbe then added, “Through this, we will be victorious.”

The following night, on Simchas Torah, the Rebbe again paused the Hakafos and delivered a short sicha about the soldiers who protect Eretz Yisrael, dedicating Hakafah Hei to them:

“There are Jews who protect and guard Jews in Eretz Yisrael by risking themselves on the borders and within the borders. Therefore,” the Rebbe said, “all those who belong to the army – whether those who are currently in the army, those who were once in the army, or those who are still required to perform reserve duty – shall go to participate in this Hakafah.”

As reported by Anash.org, these two sichos were later compiled in a special booklet and presented to Herzog last year when he visited the Rebbe’s Ohel moments before addressing the United Nations – a moment that brought him, his father, and their connection to the Rebbe full circle.

In his words to the nation on Monday, Herzog referenced both the soldiers protecting Eretz Yisrael with mesirus nefesh and the role of the Levi’im to sing, emphasizing that by continuing to sing – “Through this, we will be victorious.”