Rabbi's Musings

More war in Gaza seems certain these days, a tragedy for all. And yet, we Jews are used to war. The Torah tells us in Devarim (Deuteronomy 20:3):

“Shema Yisrael—Hear, O Israel, you are drawing near to battle. Do not be faint-hearted. Do not be afraid. Do not panic or be terrified.”  These words are not only about ancient battlefields. They speak to the courage that Israel—Am Yisrael—has needed across generations.

Of course, our tradition teaches us that strength is never measured by military might alone. In Pirkei Avot, studied this time of year, we read:

“Eizehu gibor? Hakoveish et yitzro—Who is mighty? One who conquers their own inclination.”

True strength is found in self-control. In moral clarity. In faith under pressure.

The prophet Isaiah envisioned a day when “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and they shall learn war no more.” We are not there yet, but Israel’s strength lies also in that sacred vision—the dream of peace alongside the readiness to protect its people.

There are voices everywhere that suggest somehow the Jewish people in Israel have lost their way and become the very thing we hated: a hating people. Persecuting others as we were persecuted. Being Goliath to the Palestinian David. I heard these voices this week on Capitol Hill from those who only see Israel’s faults. Fortunately, they were the protesters, not the lawmakers!

Israel is not an immoral state. These days Israel is defending itself against terror, as it has been doing since the 1920s!!! Jews are denied the right to self-determination on any borders.

And understand: this war is not being fought in Israel alone. It is being fought on the college campuses in our country. It is funded by billions in Qatar money and has one goal: delegitimization of Jewish life. Not Zionism. Not Judaism. Jews.

Make no mistake: the work Israel is doing in Gaza is terrible. The Gazans are victims. But the perpetrators are Hamas. Hamas releases hostages and the war is over. The Houthis stop trying to bring down airliners in Israel and that war can stop.

Blaming the Jews for the sins of others is a nefarious plan. And for many it is working.

We are facing now something called evasive antisemitism — denial of Jewish peoplehood and history. Our enemies argue that Jews are only a faith, a religion, and now we have to defend our right to be anything more. This delegitimizes Israel.

But we have some reason for hope. After October 7 many Jews around the globe were awakened. A sense of peoplehood is back. And religion. Consider the freed hostages speaking about faith.

And consider these important words from the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks:

For Jews, the worse things get the stronger we become. We have this uncanny ability to turn curses into blessings. Deep within us is a voice saying, “You are in this situation because there is a task to perform and evil to redeem and a blessing to be uncovered. Out of suffering can come great blessing.”