Israel’s Firm Arm – Might
From the sefirah of chesed (loving-kindness), we reach the sefirah of gevurah (might), which stems from the inner sense of fear, the special attribute of Isaac, “Fear of Isaac.” Might balances the sefirah of loving-kindness, controlling it and guarding its borders, “The left hand pushes away while the right hand draws near”; like the two opposite and complementary poles of a magnet.
Regarding the rectification of the state, might comes to the fore in the concept in Jewish law referred to as, “Israel’s firm arm.” Military power is not an objective in its own right, and the Jewish Prophets were the ones who gifted the world with a vision of peace, “And they shall pound their swords into spades.” Nonetheless, after so many generations under foreign rule, God has returned our power to use political and military force against our enemies (if we would only wish to do so). Might stems from loving-kindness. Out of our love of the Jewish People and our love of the land, we summon the courage to fight the enemy, without any mistaken illusions of achieving peace through surrender. Here are some of the basic guidelines for a correct defense policy according to the Torah:
Firstly, let’s not be afraid of our own shadow. Excessive fear stems from a lack of faith and trust in God, as expressed in the phrase, “Fear in Zion, o’ sinners.” Before he passed away, the Ba’al Shem Tov’s elderly father told his young son, “Love every Jew and don’t fear anyone or anything other than God Himself.” Just as this last testament should be the basis of every Jewish child’s education, so it should also guide our public life. We must stand up resolutely on the international arena for the right to defend ourselves with appropriate information. We should never tie the hands of the defense forces behind their backs because of ineffective foreign policy.
The way we fight against the enemies of the Jewish People must be resolute and uncompromising. One essential component of national defense is deterrence. We should not suffice with defensive action, but we should preempt the enemy and overtake them before they carry out their plots. Also effective retaliation tactics should be used against terrorist attacks. This is the positive side of revenge, which helps us stand erect by showing that our blood is not for sale. Using force can only come through a sense of justice. Indeed, because violence and forcefulness do not come naturally to us as Jews, as long as we are doubtful about our rights to the Land of Israel, we lack the inner justification to fight resolutely against the enemy. This is the root of our current weakness regarding Judea and Samaria, and the very phrase, “occupied territories” belies the simple truth that these are parts of the land that belong to us no less than the pre-’67 borders. Since the attribute of loving-kindness is that which motivates might, our positive relationship of loving the Land of Israel gives us the necessary courage to fight for it.
We must follow the combat morality laid out in the Torah. “The Torah has taught us, ‘One who comes to kill you, rise early to kill him first’.” This statement could not be truer than when referring to those who attack us, killing and murdering and trying to drive us out of our own country. A complete reassessment must be made of the existing rules of opening fire, which tie the hands of our soldiers behind their backs and endanger their lives. This includes a redefinition of the term “purity of arms” as it is interpreted today in the country. As we know, the gentile nations (even the most enlightened among them) do not follow these standards – which is permitted by international law – yet when it comes to Israel, the nations of the world make impossible demands, expecting us to turn the other cheek.