Decisiveness, deterrence, reluctance and arrogance

Parashat Ekev - 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.

I have had the opportunity to lecture and discuss the 'Theory of National Security' and ‘Military tactics’ as seen through a Jewish lens on several occasions, before an audience of officers, juniors and seniors. Usually, only part of this audience was religious and studied the sources of Judaism in a systematic way. In almost every lecture there were those who came up at the end and admitted to me that they were surprised by the thoroughness, innovation and relevance of these sources to our day. To the security challenges and the battle, we are facing in recent decades. This is also particularly true of the last war.

The book of Devarim also deals, among other things, with the issues of the military tactics and the battle of the people of Israel for generations.

In our Parasha Am Israel stands on the eve of entering the land and the war for its conquest and inheritance. These present a complex challenge. They must deal with the military strength of the Canaanite peoples and their numerical superiority. The need to fight against them may arouse fear and reluctance, at the individual-warrior level and at the strategic level:

כִּי תֹאמַר בִּלְבָבְךָ רַבִּים הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה מִמֶּנִּי אֵיכָה אוּכַל לְהוֹרִישָׁם...

"If you shall say in your heart, "These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?..."

The Torah commands:

לֹא תִירָא מֵהֶם...

"you shall not be afraid of them…”

לֹא תַעֲרֹץ מִפְּנֵיהֶם כִּי ה' אֱלֹקיךָ בְּקִרְבֶּךָ אֵל גָּדוֹל וְנוֹרָא

"You shall not be scared of them; for Hashem your G-d is in your midst, a great and awesome G-d”. (Devarim 7:17:21)  

The theory of conventional warfare gives decisive weight to the ratio of quantitative forces between the armies at war, to the size of the army, and to the qualitative advantage of its means of warfare. On the eve of entering the land, Moshe teaches the nation that Israel's war conduct is unusual. On the one hand, it should be conducted in a normal manner according to all the rules of war, but on the other hand, its special characteristics change the balance of power. Facing the natural aversion to the enemy's superiority, the 'fighting spirit' and ‘belief in the righteousness of the way’ must be weighed, which constitute a 'force multiplier', and strengthen the sense of capability in war. Fighting determinedly without hesitation is the basis for victory. A decision that will also create deterrence.

For generations, the faith in G-d inspired the fighting spirit. Faith includes the confidence in the divine providence that exists on the battlefield and affects the results of the war:

כִּי ה' אֱלֹקיךָ מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֶךָ לְהַצִּילְךָ וְלָתֵת אֹיְבֶיךָ לְפָנֶיךָ ...

…For Hashem your G-d walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you…” (Devarim 23:15)

Belief in providence does not replace the obligation to prepare in the best possible way: strength and qualifications, the weapons and combat vehicles’ condition, a thorough planning of the battle, and the quality of the commanders at all levels. The hope and prayer for divine providence comes as an addition, which can affect the elements of the battle that are not under human influence. The leading principle is summed up in the verse:

סוּס מוּכָן לְיוֹם מִלְחָמָה וְלַה' הַתְּשׁוּעָה

"The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with Hashem." (Proverbs 21:31)

In other words, men have to do their share before G-d will do His share. This is why it was essential that the Israelites take weapons with them when they left Egypt. (Rabbeinu Bahya Shmot 13:18)

With the establishment of the state, Ben-Gurion formulated the concept of national security and built it on three foundations: Deterrence, Warning and Decisiveness. Deterrence prevents potential enemies from attacking and enables security stability and social and economic prosperity.

This principle is also mentioned in our Parasha:

כִּי אִם שָׁמֹר תִּשְׁמְרוּן אֶת כׇּל הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשֹׂתָהּ לְאַהֲבָה אֶת ה' אֱלֹקיכֶם לָלֶכֶת בְּכׇל דְּרָכָיו וּלְדׇבְקָה בוֹ.. . לֹא יִתְיַצֵּב אִישׁ בִּפְנֵיכֶם פַּחְדְּכֶם וּמוֹרַאֲכֶם יִתֵּן ה' אֱלֹקיכֶם עַל פְּנֵי כׇל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תִּדְרְכוּ בָהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָכֶם.

“For if you shall diligently keep all this commandment which I command you, to do it, to love Hashem your G-d, to walk in all his ways, and to cling to him… No man shall be able to stand before you. Hashem your G-d shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land that you shall tread on, as He has spoken to you.” (Devarim 11:22-25)

Belief in G-d and the righteousness of the way are the basis of deterrence. Because the enemy knew that we would not hesitate to attack anyone who would try to harm us. The multiplication of "fear" and "fright" comes to express two circles of deterrence:

פחדכם ומוראכם – והלא פחד הוא מורא? אלא פחדכם על הקרובים, ומוראכם על הרחוקים.

“Is not, however, פחד the same as מורא? But פחדכם, "the dread of you", refers to people nearby, and מוראכם, "the fear of you" to those far away, for פחד denotes "sudden terror", and מורא denotes apprehension enduring for many days.” (Rashi ibid)

פחד על הקרובים שיודעים בברור שמכוונים ישראל להם להלחם עמם. ומורא על הרחוקים שיודעים כי לא יבאו עליהם רק מורא ישראל עליהם מלהתחרות בם

“Fear for the near ones who clearly know that Israel is going to fight with them. And awe of those far away who know that Israel will not come to them, but they only feared from them”. (Ha’amek Davar Devarim 11:25)

In our Parasha, the Torah warns against the arrogance that endangers and fails at the tactical and strategic level:

וְאָמַרְתָּ בִּלְבָבֶךָ כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי עָשָׂה לִי אֶת הַחַיִל הַזֶּה. וְזָכַרְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹקיךָ כִּי הוּא הַנֹּתֵן לְךָ כֹּחַ לַעֲשׂוֹת חָיִל

"Lest you say in your heart, "My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth. But you shall remember Hashem your G-d, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth…” (Devarim 8:17-18).

Although it must be said: "My power and the might of my hand", that the preparations and skillful self-confidence actions are what led to success. However, if the person’s success depends solely on his talent, and does not examine himself for errors, he may make mistakes and fail. The understanding that G-d 'is the one who gives you power’ leads to humility and constant self-examination.

The war we are fighting now started as a complete surprise. The surprise reflected ongoing processes of erosion that occurred in deterrence and other elements of national security. It was evident that instead of discouraging the enemy, we have been discouraging it ourselves in recent years and have done everything possible not to rub shoulders with it. We strived for inclusion instead of resolution. We conducted rounds in which we prepared the enemy, but we did not strive for victory and complete conclusion. In the area of ​​warning, we gave up tools that might have provided warning, and we ignored, out of arrogance, indicative signs that did not fit the agendas and concepts.

The blow at the beginning of the war was tragic and painful, but recovery was quick. There are many achievements in combat. At the same time, it also repairs and improves elements of national security that have been worn down and will be further improved in the future.