A historic turning point.

Parashat Hashavua – Parashat Behar-Bechukotay 5785

Rabbi Eliezer Haim Shenvald

In salute to the heroism of the fallen, and prayer for the success and protection of IDF soldiers—that no harm shall befall them—for the healing of all the wounded and the return of the hostages; for the strengthening of the reservists' families, and of all the soldiers’ families, those who pray, worry, and bear the burden; and especially, for the reservists' brave wives.

Operation “Gideon’s Chariots” has begun!

It seems we are in the final stretch of the fighting in Gaza, which has already lasted over a year and a half, and we must reach a decisive outcome.

At this moment, the State of Israel stands at a historical crossroads and must decide where it is heading in this war. Not only is the future of the fighting in Gaza at stake. The way this conflict ends, for better or worse, will affect all other fronts and determine Israel’s geo-strategic standing for many years. The eyes of our enemies across the region are turned to Gaza to see how the battle ends.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If a decisive outcome is achieved, fulfilling the war’s goals: the destruction of Hamas, both militarily and politically as the governing body in Gaza, it will be clear and people will be aware that it is not worthwhile to provoke the State of Israel. It will serve as a deterrent against other enemies considering similar attacks in the near future. However, if no decisive outcome is reached and the opportunity is missed, it will become an incentive for additional enemies to attack and kidnap soldiers and civilians, aiming to bend Israel’s will and harm its strategic interests.

This is a window of opportunity, but time is not on our side.

וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו, אֵימָתָי “And if not now, when?” Any delay in decision-making, for whatever reason, could lead to a situation where we are unable to decide at all. Already today, international diplomatic pressures are growing and will only intensify with time.

Hamas, with or without Sinwar, is cunning and deceptive. Their goal is to buy time, to deceive, and to wear us down. They believe time is working in their favor and toward their survival, which they will interpret as a victory over the IDF’s superiority. In their perception: “If we didn’t lose, we won.” The destruction and casualties they have suffered are not the decisive elements in their mindset.

The reservists are the IDF’s decisive force. War cannot be won without them. Thousands of reservists have recently received emergency call-up orders to join the fighting in Gaza or to replace regular units on other fronts.

This is the fourth or fifth time these reservists are reporting for duty during the past year and a half. They enlist with a strong spirit, identifying with defeating Hamas and returning the hostages. In doing so, they provide strong backing to the country’s leadership and military command and show that the policy of decisiveness has broad public support from the fighters themselves.

However, this must not be taken for granted, and we must not ignore the wear and tear and the heavy burden the reservists and their families bear.

Therefore, decision-makers must understand that they cannot rely on calling up these soldiers again and again with a sense of urgency, releasing them after a few days without achieving victory, and then calling them back again and again.

In this week’s Torah portion, we read the blessings of

 אִם בְּחֻקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ“If you walk in My statutes” and the curses, G-d forbid, if we do not. The blessings reflect the values and priorities the Torah holds highest. Among them is the blessing of a decisive victory over our enemies:

וּרְדַפְתֶּם אֶת אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְנָפְלוּ לִפְנֵיכֶם לֶחָרֶב

"You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword". (Vayikra 26:7)

May we merit total deterrence, peace, and calm:

וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ וּשְׁכַבְתֶּם וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד ... וְחֶרֶב לֹא תַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצְכֶם.

"I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and no one will make you afraid… and the sword shall not go through your land". (Ibid 6)

For personal and national security, and economic prosperity:

וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לַחְמְכֶם לָשֹׂבַע וִישַׁבְתֶּם לָבֶטַח בְּאַרְצְכֶם

"…and you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely”. (Ibid. 5)

The Parasha also clearly warns of the consequences if “you do not listen to Me”, about defeat, loss of deterrence, and loss of sovereignty:

וְנָתַתִּי פָנַי בָּכֶם וְנִגַּפְתֶּם לִפְנֵי אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְרָדוּ בָכֶם שֹׂנְאֵיכֶם וְנַסְתֶּם וְאֵין רֹדֵף אֶתְכֶם

"I will set my face against you, and you will be struck before your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you; and you will flee when no one pursues you". (Ibid. 17)

These words align with the Torah’s command to pursue decisive victory, not to settle for partial, inconclusive achievements or to delay a decision, thus exhausting the people in endless cycles of warfare:

כִּי תָצוּר אֶל עִיר יָמִים רַבִּים לְהִלָּחֵם עָלֶיהָ לְתׇפְשָׂהּ... וּבָנִיתָ מָצוֹר עַל הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר הִוא עֹשָׂה עִמְּךָ מִלְחָמָה עַד רִדְתָּהּ.

" When you shall besiege a city a long time in making war against it to take it… you may build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you until it falls". (Devarim 20:19-20)

The Torah (Devarim 20:20) demands that warfare be concluded “until it falls,” on three levels at the very least:

עד רדתה - עד רדת חומותיה. כדכתיב: עד רדת חומותיך הגבוהות והבצורות until you have broken down the city’s wall and other fortifications. (Rashbam)

Complete conquest: עַד דְּתִכְבְּשַׁהּ “until it is conquered” (Onkelos)

Total domination and sovereignty: רדתה- לשון רידוי, שתהא כפופה לך

- This word רדתה means “subduing”, [and the meaning is, thou shalt besiege it until] it becomes submissive. (Rashi)

This requirement is the reason why, to achieve it, it is permissible to continue fighting even on Shabbat, and even to perform Biblically prohibited labor for the sake of achieving victory.

וְכֵן הָיָה שַׁמַּאי אוֹמֵר: ״עַד רִדְתָּהּ״, אֲפִילּוּ בְּשַׁבָּת

And so Shammai would say: From that which is written: “And you should build a siege against the city that is waging war with you until it falls” (Devarim 20:20), it is derived that the siege should be sustained “until it falls.” Consequently, the siege must continue even on Shabbat. (Shabbat 19a:9)

The Torah also explicitly warns of the danger of leaving enemies within our land:

וְאִם לֹא תוֹרִישׁוּ אֶת יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ מִפְּנֵיכֶם וְהָיָה אֲשֶׁר תּוֹתִירוּ מֵהֶם לְשִׂכִּים בְּעֵינֵיכֶם וְלִצְנִינִם בְּצִדֵּיכֶם וְצָרְרוּ אֶתְכֶם עַל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם יֹשְׁבִים בָּהּ.

"But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will harass you in the land in which you dwell". (Bamidbar 33:55)

King David’s historic successes in his wars stemmed, in part, from upholding the principle of decisiveness before his army:

אֶרְדּוֹף אוֹיְבַי וְאַשִּׂיגֵם וְלֹא אָשׁוּב עַד כַּלּוֹתָם

"I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; I did not turn back until they were consumed". (Psalms 18:38)

We are ready to achieve victory! Give the order!