Dear Friends;
This year’s Parshiyot Shoftim vort is being sponsored by Dr. Ari and Judy Mosenkis of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated in honor of the Shoftim being Ari’s Bar Mitzvah Parsha and for the safety of the Chayalim and the liberation of all remaining hostages and their return home without experiencing any further harm, as well as for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael. To the Mosenkis family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShavua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShavua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
Subscribe to the Israel and the Sin of Expulsion blog, to ask questions or to sponsor a Parsha Vort at: olehchadash@yahoo.com
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Once having provided details regarding societal righteousness, laws regarding judges and officers of the court rendering and enforcing judicial decisions with righteous judgement, Rabbinic authority and the appointment of a king and his role in society of Am Yisrael, obligatory gifts to the Kohanim, banning all forms of sorcery and illicit divination, and establishing the arei miklat (the cities of refuge), our Parsha provides valuable lessons in expressing how Am Yisrael should prepare for war against their enemies.
In beginning this vort, this author excerpts from Sefer Devarim, Perek 20 :
“When you go to battle against your enemy, and you see… a people more numerous than you — you shall not fear them, for Hashem, Kelokecha, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt. It shall be that when you draw near to the war, the Kohen shall approach and speak to to the people. He shall say to them, ‘ Hear O Israel, you are coming near to battle against your enemies; let your heart not be faint; do not be afraid, do not panic. and do not be broken before them. For Hashem, Kelokecha is the One Who goes with you, to fight for you with your enemies, to save you.'” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 20, posukim 1 – 4 as rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)
“Then the officers shall speak to the people saying: ‘….When you draw near to a city to wage war against it, ….If it does not make peace with you, but makes war with you, you shall besiege it. Hashem shall deliver it into your hand…. You shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivvite, and the Jebusite, as Hashem, Kelokecha has commanded you, so that they will not teach you to act according to all their abominations that they performed for their gods, so that you will sin to Hashem, Kelokecha.'” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 20, posukim 5, 12 – 13, 17 – 18 as rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)
Sefer Shem Mishmuel (Selections on the weekly parshiyot and festivals by Rabbi Shmuel Bornstein, the Rebbe of Sochaczev, rendered to English by Rabbi Zvi Belovski) provides this commentary on Sefer Devarim, Perek 20, posuk 3 (pages 403 – 404) :
The latter part of [Parshat Shoftim] discusses the tactics Klal Yisrael should adopt in a war against their enemies. A special general, known as the Kohen mashiach (annointed Kohen) [this author understands this title to mean Wartime Kohen], is appointed to provide the army with a spiritual message to approach battle:
He will say to them, “Shema, Yisrael. You are drawing near today to war against your enemies. Do not let your hearts soften, do not fear, do not tremble, do not be terrified before them.” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 20, posuk 3 as rendered to English in Sefer Shem Mishmuel)
“Shema Yisrael” — Even if you have only the merit of reciting the Shema, you are worthy that He should deliver you.
(Shem Mishmuel citing Rashi)As they are fighting holy wars, Klal Yisrael… should set aside their private concerns for their own well-being and survival in the war…. They must feel that the battle is not for themselves, but for Hashem and His glory. Attaining this level of control is no easy matter; it involves nullifying one’s private desires before the will of Hashem. This… is the primary motive behind reciting Shema and the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven which it involves.
As such, we see that the merit of saying the Shema with the appropriate concentration and mind-set will stand the army of Israel in good stead in a war against their enemies. For if they have learned to subjugate their will to Hashem by accepting the yoke of the Shema, then they are capable of approaching the war with the correct attitude to the function of their battle and thus guarantee Divine salvation..
the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash offers commentary on the above posukim — Sefer Devarim, Perek 20, posukim 5, 12 – 13, 17 – 18 (pages 1039 – 1041) :
“A people more numerous than you.” (Posuk 1) It is only to you that they seem more numerous, but to Hashem they are insignificant. (Artscroll Chumash citing Rashi)
“Let your heart not be faint.” (Posuk 3) One is in violation of this commandment if one becomes frightened because he lets his mind dwell on the dangers of war, (Artscroll Chumash citing Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 7:15) Thus the Torah does not demand the impossible. The average person will be afraid in battle, but people should avoid fear by not focusing on the dangers awaiting them. Instead, the should train their minds on the inspirational truth (of Hashen Kelokecha)
“Do not be afraid…” (Posuk 3) Ibn Ezra explains the following three terms. Do not be afraid inwardly, do not panic and flee from the battlefield, and do not be broken and let your fear hamper your performance in the actual fighting.
“For Hashem, Kelokecha.” (Posuk 4) The enemy comes with the power of flesh and blood, but you come with the power of the Omnipresent, The Philistines came with the power of Goliath — what was his end? He fell and they fell with him. (Artscroll Chumash citing Rashi)
This was the key to the Kohen’s declaration: Hashem is Israel’s warrior and He would save them.
“Then the officers shall speak to the people saying.” (Posuk 5) The Kohen would make the… proclamation and the officers of the army repeated it aloud after him.
“If it doesn’t make peace with you…” (Posuk 12) The Sages (Artscroll Chumash citing Sifrei) see this verse as a warning that if a city refuses to make peace, it is inevitable that it will eventually attack you if you simply withdraw without subduing it. (Artscroll Chumash citing Rashi)
“So that they will not teach you.” (Posuk 18) But if individual Canaanites wish to convert, you may accept them. (Artscroll Chumash citing Rashi) Ramban explains that it was forbidden to permit any pagan Canaanites to remain, even individuals, because their modes of service to their deities would filter into the community of Am Yisrael. Even if the Jews were not to become idolaters, they would use those abominable practices to serve Hashem. But as time went on, the danger was even greater: “You will sin to Hashem,” by actually worshiping their idols. The fact is that these dire warnings came true. Am Yisrael permitted many Canaanites to remain and the result was that idolatry did become prevalent among Jews and caused the many disasters that are recorded in Scripture.
As our ancestors did in permitting Canaanites to remain in our land with the resultant prevalence [noun: the condition of being prevalent, or widespread] of idolatry among Jews, so too, modern-day Israel allowed what amounts to Islamic extremist animals to gain traction, Hamas in Gaza in the aftermath of the expulsion of the Jews, Hamas and Fatah in Yehuda and the Shomron, and in Lebanon after Ehud Barak fled from south Lebanon in the dead of night leaving Hezbollah to fill the void and take over Lebanon for the benefactors — the Islamic Mullahs of Iran.
We have seen, however, that IDF soldiers have requested, and continue to request to wear Tzitzit under their uniforms to indicate their acceptance of the yoke of Shemayim as they fight in the current multi-front war of Simchat Torah.
It might do the command echelons good to start to emulate the soldiers in the field in acceptance of the yoke of Shemayim rather than continuing to pursue their defeatist agendized politics. Similarly, Israel’s governmental leadership should do likewise, and finally ignore the world’s mainstream media, Hamas propaganda and stop senseless, futile negotiations which lead nowhere except to undermining the IDF’s strategic goals — i.e. snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, undermining the morale of both the soldiers in the field and the masses on the home front.
There seems to be a deep-seated feeling among factions of Israelis regarding “abandoning hostages in the field.” After successful rescues of hostages on hijacked planes in the 1970s and the textbook rescue of 100 Israelis hijacked to Entebbe, their were notable failures to rescue individual hostages in the 1980s and 1990s. These latter
failures may have played on the mindsets of segments of Israelis resulting in the exorbitant trade of over 1,000 bloody-handed terrorists for release of one Israeli hostage (without mentioning the name) and current situation of hostages held in diverse, apparently unknown locations, probably deep in the multitude of Hamas tunnels.
Excerpts from this Vox.com report discuss this mindset held by factions of Israelis:
…The Jewish state has a history of going to extreme lengths to rescue hostages or avenge their murders, and why it has engaged in swaps so lopsided they can be difficult to understand from the outside, as when the country freed 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit. His kidnapping by Hamas in 2006 dominated national and international headlines, and the swap took five years to secure.
The reasons go beyond religious teachings. They also touch the collective psyche of Israelis who have lived through several hostage crises in the country’s 75-year history.
…The stakes [are] higher in Israel than they are elsewhere. “In France, in the United States, in Russia, it’s a sovereign mandate to bring back hostages. But when this isn’t possible, it doesn’t call into question the state itself,” Vincent Lemire, a professor at Université Gustave-Eiffel and an expert on Israeli politics, told Le Monde. “In Israel, it does.”
However, Halacha informs us about violations concerning payment of trade for release of hostages:
Chazal postulated the halakha that it is forbidden to pay an over- exorbitant amount for pidyon shivuim (redeeming hostages), as is stated in the Mishna: “They must not ransom captives for more than their value, for the good order of the world” (Rabbi Melamed citing Gittin 45A). The main reason given for this enactment, in both the Gemara and the Rambam, is to not create an incentive for highwaymen and kidnappers to constantly seize Jewish prisoners, knowing that we are willing to pay any price to set them free.
Whether to Surrender to the Demands of Terrorists?
…In a case of an ongoing war between Israel and terrorist enemies, it is forbidden to give in to any coercion on their part, for it is clear that if we were to concede, our enemies would view this as a sign of weakness, raising their morale and increasing their incentive to strike at us further. As we have learned from the past, every time terrorists succeeded in getting their way, it motivated others to join them in their war against Israel. Additionally, if we give in, terrorists will not be concerned about getting caught, trusting that if they are apprehended and put in Israeli jails, they will be freed quickly in the next prisoner exchange.
The point here is, as this author views it with an eye to Halacha, as painful as it may be to lose the remaining twenty or so apparently living hostages, and the remaining thirty or so deceased remains, Israel’s top, number one priority in accepting the yoke of Shemayim and avenging the slight to Hashem’s honor, is the utter defeat and eradication of Hamas and all Gazan collaborators, as well as defeat and eradication of all terrorists and their benefactors.
Israel’s fresh victory-oriented strategies in Gaza and attacks in Iran which demolished much of their nuclear facilities, scientists, military leadership, ballistic missiles and ballistic missile manufacturing facilities exemplify positive changes resulting from the appointments of a new defense minister and foreign minister. The pre-emptive actions against Iran are nothing short of miraculous, B’Yad Hashem.
However, the newly appointed military chief of staff, who seemed to be signaling a more zealous, diligent command structure and strategy based on valid understandings of their adversary’s intentions and concern for Israel’s sovereignty and security upon his appointment, now seems to be following in the footsteps of his predecessor in calling for an end to the war in Gaza short of complete victory and eradication of Hamas, i.e. snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, and quite possibly sentencing the remaining living hostages to death to boot.
May we see our government and military become Totally self-sufficient as to manufacture of military equipment and aircraft, weaponry, munitions — heavy munitions, as well as showing independence of actions responding to any threat, regardless of so-called “super powers.” And may see, from here on, that border guard personnel at all points of possible danger are listened to and treated with respect and dignity. May these words come to fruition B’Esrat Hashem.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif e permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his fifth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, the recent recovery of the remains of Tzvi Feldman as well as the recovery of the remains of Oron Shaul as should the remains of the other chayal from the Gaza War of ten years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we see, in 5785, the REAL Jews from the Ukraine and Russia as well as the US and Canada, the real Jews via matrilineal descent, make Aliyah enmass — via thorough review by Misrad HaPanim. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese Wuhan Lab corona virus pandemic and all like viruses and variants. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Chodesh Tov and Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Moshe is available for editing of English language documents, articles, manuscripts and more. Please be in contact with him at olehchadash@yahoo.com for your English language needs.
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