QUESTION:
1) If a soldier in the Israeli army dies in war, is this called dying al kiddush Hashem? Does it depend on what his intentions were when he joined the army (if he was trying to protect the Jewish people or if he was just following social pressure? Does such a death purify his soul and bring him to a very high place in Shomayim? We have heard a lot about this topic from many Rabbonim, but we want to what know the daas Torah of the Rav shlit”a on this.
ANSWER:
The mere fact that he is killed for being a Jew, purifies him. How much it purified him, though, will depend on what his intentions were [for joining the army] were. Even though he did not act correctly, as long as he had pure intentions for the sake of Heaven, it purifies him. It also depends on who is judging him in the Heavenly court.
QUESTION
2) Also, what about those who were killed in the Holocaust who had abandoned Yiddishkeit already and they became irreligious, did they also die al kiddush Hashem and did their deaths purify their souls and bring them to a high place in Gan Eden?
ANSWER
Yes, as long as they weren’t mumar l’hac’his (as long as they didn’t abandon religion in order to anger Hashem).
QUESTION
3) Those who died in the hospitals during corona due to starvation and neglect – did they also die al kiddush Hashem?
ANSWER
Their status is like anyone else who is killed [as long as they were killed for being Jew, this purifies their being and it is like dying al kiddush Hashem].
QUESTION
2) Also, what about those who were killed in the Holocaust who had abandoned Yiddishkeit already and they became irreligious, did they also die al kiddush Hashem and did their deaths purify their souls and bring them to a high place in Gan Eden?
ANSWER
Yes, as long as they weren’t mumar l’hac’his (as long as they didn’t abandon religion in order to anger Hashem).
QUESTION
3) Those who died in the hospitals during corona due to starvation and neglect – did they also die al kiddush Hashem?
ANSWER
Their status is like anyone else who is killed [as long as they were killed for being Jew, this purifies their being and it is like dying al kiddush Hashem].
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