The day before I [Rabbi Riskin] came home to make my visits, my daughter Elana was in a Petah Tikvah Judaica gift shop purchasing a challah board. A mother and her young son were inquiring about large, knitted, black Bratzlav kippot, which would cover the entire head. She explained to the store-owner that her son was one of four observant boys in their Gaza army unit, and the usual small-style knitted kippot jostled under the large army helmets and made it uncomfortable for them. The owner searched around a bit, and brought out four large black kippot.
"I need forty," smiled the mother. "But you said there were four observant soldiers in the unit, so why would you want forty kippot?," logically inquired the store-keeper. The mother explained that when the other members of the unit heard her son's request for large kippot, they inquired about the reason for wearing a kippah in the first place; her son explained that there was a verse in Psalms which avers that the Divine Presence is above each individual, and this Divine Protection is symbolized by the kippah. All the soldiers then requested large kippot for under their helmets, claiming that they are all desirous of continued Divine Protection, especially in Gaza.
The store-keeper managed to find forty large kippot, for which he refused to take any money...
"Who is like unto Your nation, a most unique nation on earth."
Slowly, slowly. Realizing who we are, realizing what the goyim are. Please, G-d.
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