The struggle for the Land of Israel between conceptions and values

Parashah and its implementation - Parashat Behar - and the war of the 'Iron Swords' 5784

Rabbi Eliezer Haim Shenvald

Dedicated to the IDF soldiers' success, to safeguard them lest any harm come to them, to the healing of all the wounded and the return of the abducted.

About eight months have passed since the tragic events of Shabbat Simchat Torah, the most serious crisis event since the founding of the state. The IDF is investigating the events of the war and the failures and omissions that led to its outbreak. About two weeks ago, the High Court rejected the petition of the Chief of Staff and the head of the Shin Bet to postpone the State Comptroller's investigation into the events of the war. But will the investigations be limited to the investigation of the facts or will they try to identify the roots of the failure, the perceptions that caused the failures and omissions? Only in this way will their recurrence be avoided in the future.

Immediately after the tragedy, a public discourse began that revolved around the concepts that had taken over some of the security structures since the Oslo Accords, and led to failures. Although some warned about them in advance and the dangers inherent in them, they ignored them and treated them with disdain. In the end, the truth hit us in the face.

Many stated that they got smart, but it seems that after about eight months, the hard impression of the initial shock has begun to fade. Some returned to their previous positions and conceptions from before Simchat Torah. The protesters are coming back along with the divisive sights and violent blockades we saw before. According to the testimony of Hamas members, these events signaled to our enemies that we were divided. This was the opportunity to take advantage of our weakness and try to destroy the Zionist enterprise.

'Conception' is not a bad word, it is inevitable. When you have to manage a complex reality, you need a line of reasoning – a conception that allows you to formulate starting assumptions and working principles. The conception is essential to regulate the complexity of our reality and to make decisions. To turn the many 'trees' into a 'forest', and mark the right path in the labyrinth of reality.

However, reality is dynamic and changes all the time, so the conception has a limited lifespan.

The problem with formulating a conception is that it may not correspond to reality and relying on it may lead to wrong decisions. Sometimes when circumstances change so have the conceptions and they might not be relevant anymore. Those who adhere to one conception may find this difficult to admit.

The investigative committees will not fulfill their purpose unless they delve deeper into examining the connection between Simchat Torah's tragic disaster and the senior decision-makers erroneous conceptions. They must recommend practical ways to prevent it in the future!

During the war, we discovered the fighting spirit and sacrifice that beat in the hearts of our wonderful soldiers and their families. A spirit that stems from their world of values. From the recognition of the value of the existence of the people of Israel, which they set out to protect, the value of the Land of Israel belonging to the people of Israel, and the value of the State of Israel as the sovereign state of the Jewish people, which must be protected.

Unlike the conceptions, the world of Jewish values does not change. Even when reality changes the values remain valid. They constitute a compass that directs the people of Israel's conduct. Surely, the ways of implementing these values in our lives change due to the changes in reality, but the values themselves remain forever.

Over the years, conceptions have been created about the conflict between the people of Israel and the Arabs as a territorial, secular conflict, which can be resolved by dividing and compromising the land. The war highlighted that the conflict was at the level of religious values. For this reason, the Arabs have never agreed to any division or compromise. For them, this is a moral and religious sin with a death sentence. The extreme Islamic movements have devoted most of their resources to realizing their religious ambition to conquer the land. For this, they are ready to pay heavy prices, to conduct themselves against all logic, and even to die. Their total commitment drives them to act with satanic cruelty, as we saw in Simchat Torah.

The world of Jewish values is stronger and this is the guarantee of our victory.

The Torah instills in us the basic values of Judaism. In Parshat Behar, the Mitzvot Shemita and jubilee are mentioned. Every fifty years, in the jubilee year, the estates that were sold in the Land of Israel return to their original owners. Even though they were sold legally. The Land of Israel cannot be sold permanently:

וְהָאָ֗רֶץ לֹ֤א תִמָּכֵר֙ לִצְמִתֻ֔ת כִּי לִ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי גֵרִ֧ים וְתוֹשָׁבִ֛ים אַתֶּ֖ם עִמָּדִֽי׃

"The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and live as foreigners with me." (Vayikra 25:23)

This Mitzvah shapes the ethical attitude towards the land. It teaches about the intrinsic value of the Land of Israel, which man and time cannot change:

מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. עַל צַד הַפְּשָׁט, שֶׁרָצָה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְהוֹדִיעַ לְעַמּוֹ כִּי הַכֹּל שֶׁלּוֹ, וּלְבַסּוֹף יָשׁוּב כָּל דָּבָר לַאֲשֶׁר חָפֵץ הוּא לִתְּנָהּ בַּתְּחִלָּה, כִּי לוֹ הָאָרֶץ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב כִּי לִי כָּל הָאָרֶץ (שמות יט ה)

"It is from the roots of the commandment from the angle of the simple understanding that G-d, may He be blessed, wanted to inform His nation that everything is His; and in the end everything will return to those to whom He wanted to give it at first — for the earth is His, as it is written (Shmot 19:5), “for all the earth is Mine."” (Sefer Hachinuch 330:2)

The Mitzvah of Shemita (Sabbatical year) in our Parasha shapes the moral attitude towards the people of Israel, the land of Israel, and the relationship between them. Every seventh year working the land is prohibited, produce that grows on the land takes on sacred status, (leave it behind for the poor) and debts are forgiven. The year of Shemita - brings to light the value connection between the people of Israel and the Land of Israel, which stems from their spiritual compatibility:

"סגולת הארץ וסגולת האומה מתאימות יחד. כשם שהאומה היא מיוחדת להרוממות האלהית במעמקי חייה, כך הארץ, ארץ ה', היא מכשירה את העם היושב עליה בנחלת עולמים, הבאה בברית ובשבועה בבטחון נצח ישראל, המיוסד על הטבע האלהי הקבוע במטבע ארץ-חמדה נפלאה זו, המזווגת לעם זה אשר בחר לו י-ה לסגולתו. וכו'. - שנת-שבתון מוכרחת היא לאומה ולארץ!" (הרב קוק זצ"ל מבוא ל"שבת הארץ").

"The treasured land and the treasured nation are to be compatible. Just as the nation is special for divine exaltation, so too is the land, the Land of G-d, preparing the people who live on it for eternal inheritance, coming in the covenant and in the assurance of Israel's eternity, founded on the divine nature of this wonderful land, which is paired with this people that G-d has chosen as His treasured possession… A sabbatical year is mandatory for the nation and the land". (Rabbi Kook Z'tzal - Introduction to "Shabbat Ha'aretz").

על כן זלזול במצוות ערכיות אלה עלול להביא לגלות מהארץ: "בעון גלוי עריות ועבודת כוכבים והשמטת שמיטין ויובלות - גלות בא לעולם וכו'"(שבת לג א).

Therefore, disrespecting these moral commandments may lead to exile from the land:

בעון גלוי עריות ועבודת כוכבים והשמטת שמיטין ויובלות גלות בא לעולם...

"Due to the sin of prohibited sexual relations, and idol worship, and failure to let the land lie fallow during the Sabbatical and Jubilee Years, exile comes to the world…" (Shabbat 33a:5)

חֲזַ֤ק וְנִתְחַזַּק֙ בְּעַד עַמֵּ֔נוּ וּבְעַ֖ד עָרֵ֣י אֱלֹקינוּ -  לנצח!

"Let us be strong and resolute for the sake of our people and the land of our G-d; forever!