I met a man today, a "settler". What's a "settler"? He's a man who has faith in G-d and the Torah, and believes that the mitzvah of yishuv haaretz, settling the land, is as valid today as any other mitzvah of the Torah.

This man, this "settler", his son was shot in the neck a few years ago. Thank G-d, he survived. (It was indeed a miracle.) He himself was shot in the legs. Thank G-d, he recovered.

He's still there. Because, how can a person believe in G-d and the Torah, do Torah and mitzvot, and skip the mitzvot of the land.

He lives in the Shomron, the West Bank, north of Jerusalem. He just took a mortgage to add an additional story on his house. Today, the day the disengagement begins (G-d forbid), the mortgage came through.

The building is in progress, religious workers only. They pray, learn Torah, and load their tools. They work, bless their lunch, discuss Torah, thank G-d for the food, and finish their day.

The "settler" packed a bag today, said le'hitraot (later) to his family, and headed south, to Gush Katif. It's closed, anyone coming will probably be arrested. It's also not safe. He's going for the mitzvah of yishuv haaretz, settling the land. What if he get's arrested? "What comes from G-d comes from G-d." What if, G-d forbid, his life is at risk? "Life and death is in the hands of G-d."

He's not a rabbi, but he knows what's the meaning of faith. He believes in G-d and His Torah.

One of the workers doesn't want to be doing construction. He's a farmer, an organic farming specialist. He has hot-houses in the Shomron, the West Bank, with 15 foot tomato plants. But his product comes from "the Territories", he can't export easily anymore. His wife developed a method for drying organic spices and fruits, top of the line organic fruit rollups from holy soil in the holy land. 100% kosher, 100% natural, 100% holy. But exporting a finished product requires special licenses and a certified 'factory'. He can't open one, not allowed in the 'West Bank'.

So he builds homes and perfects his technique and prays for the day when he can.

A settler is a man, or woman, or even a child, who believes in G-d and the mitzvot in the Torah, and that the mitzvah of yishuv haaretz, settling the land, is as important as mezuzot, teffilin, or any other mitzvah of the Torah. He or she also strongly believes that life and death are in the hand of G-d. While they take appropriate precautions, they are no more concerned with a terror attack than most people are concerned with the possibility of a fatal car crash on the way to work.

They are at such a level of mesiras nefesh, self sacrifice, that they no longer even recognize their actions as such.

These are the people fighting for Gaza, and these are the people that scare the Israeli government, because they can't break them and they can't control them. The only thing they can do is massively overpower them. For the moment.