Even Over The Trees And Under The Stones | Rabbi Haggai Lundin | Beit Midrash

Torah Portion and Tanach
Beshalach

קטגוריה משנית

Family and Society
Army and War

It is possible to outline a number of psychological stages that Israeli society has gone through in the Iron Swords War: the first stage was the shock that the State of Israel was about to be destroyed; the second stage was the miraculous recovery and mobilization of (almost) the entire nation into the campaign; the third stage is the heroic fighting and the sense of victory; and the fourth stage, which we are in now, is the feeling of waffling and tweeting weakness to stop the fighting.

There are several reasons for the fourth stage: objective prolongation of combat in a complex area; international pressure, some of which are beyond our control; and of course, the professional weakeners at home, who, after a slight awakening, returned to their shortsightedness, hatred and protest.

In the Torah portion "Beshalah," which we will read this Shabbat, we will learn about the mitzvah of wiping out Amalek. The central characteristic of the mitzvah of the destruction of Amalek is its totality. Rabbi David Abudarham, a 14th-century commentator, put it this way: "you shall expunge the memory of Amalek – even over the trees and under the stones". The Torah knew the human soul and its tendency toward incompleteness. Even after it becomes clear that the war is existential in the face of total evil, there is burn out and escape to fantasies that it’s sufficient to just partially wipe them out.

Thank God that the reality is stronger than all weaknesses and delusions. It is impossible to avoid the absolute destruction – above the trees and under the stones – of Hamas, and it is impossible to run away from an ongoing war that will eventually yield victory; it is worthwhile to minimize damage along the way. Now is the time to join responsible organizations such as the reservists' protest and the Tikva Forum of the families of the hostages – the people who are really paying the price of this war – and understand that there is only one option here: "expunge the memory of Amalek from under the heavens", or in more modern language: it's either us or them!

The evil will pass
The good will prevail
With the help of God

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Army and War

Beshalach