In their death they commanded us life
Those killed in war or who died sanctifying God’s name died for the life of the people. A rhetorical expression referring mainly to fallen soldiers of wars.
(Modern Hebrew, following Bialik in his poem “If You Desire to Know”)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
בְּמוֹתָם צִוּוּ לָנוּ אֶת הַחַיִּים
Definition (Hebrew)
הֲרוּגֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה אוֹ הַמֵּתִים עַל קִדּוּשׁ ה' מֵתוּ לְמַעַן חַיֵּי הָעָם. אֲמִירָה מְלִיצִית הַמִּתְיַחֶסֶת בְּעִקָּר לְחַלְלֵי הַמִּלְחָמוֹת.
(הָעִבְרִית הַחֲדָשָׁה ע"פ בְּיָאלִיק בְּשִׁירוֹ "אִם יֵשׁ אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ לָדַעַת")