Torah and Desert – The Origins of Israeli Strength and Antisemitism

Parashat Hashavua – Parashat Bamidbar – Shavuot 5785

Rabbi Eliezer Haim Shenvald

In salute to the fallen and their heroism, in prayer for the success and protection of IDF soldiers so that no harm befalls them; for the recovery of all the wounded and the return of the hostages; for the strengthening of the reservists’ families, and all the soldiers’ families: those who pray, worry, and carry the burden, especially the reservists’ heroic wives.

The ongoing war reveals a unique strength inherent in the people of Israel, both on the front lines and on the home front.

Other nations, in similar situations, would have collapsed long ago. But this strength, known to us since the Jewish people emerged onto the stage of history thousands of years ago, has accompanied us throughout the generations in various forms. It is what enabled us to survive the long and difficult exile that lasted for millennia.

So, what are the sources of this strength?

One of the central existential challenges that the Jewish people have faced throughout history is the phenomenon of antisemitism, a unique phenomenon with no parallel. It is a deep-seated hatred of the Jewish people, not based on any specific reason, but rather seeking and finding a new pretext in every generation. This hatred has brought about severe harm to Jewish lives and property around the world.

In this area, too, we have witnessed a disturbing escalation since the war began,  to levels not seen in years. In the early days of the war, when the State of Israel was wounded and battered, a wave of global solidarity emerged. But with the onset of Israel’s military response, and as the fighting continued, many of these countries returned to condemn Israel.

They remained silent in the face of Hamas’s brutality and murderous acts, yet chose to condemn Israel instead, even to the point of imposing sanctions on a nation defending its citizens.

And no, this is not about Israel’s actions in Gaza. In other parts of the world, far worse events are taking place, often involving the very same countries now condemning Israel, some of which have themselves taken part in far more violent actions.

So why are they condemning and boycotting Israel? Is it merely hypocrisy, or is something deeper at play?

Anyone familiar with history can see how patterns of antisemitism reappear in the current arena as well.

Throughout the generations, many have attempted to explain the phenomenon of antisemitism. However, even when these explanations offer some insight, they fall short of accounting for the intensity and ferocity of hatred.

Is there a connection between the rise in antisemitism and the moments when Israel’s unique strength becomes most apparent, especially when it succeeds in overcoming its enemies?

The Sages noted this point. As usual, they did not settle for a surface-level analysis of facts and symptoms but delved into the deeper and hidden roots of the phenomenon.

The Torah portion Bamidbar is read near the holiday of the giving of the Torah. There is an essential connection between the giving of the Torah to Israel in the desert and the hatred of the nations. The challenging stay in the desert, a place where survival is unnatural, forged their national character in preparation for the future.

Moreover, the giving of the Torah in the Sinai Desert happened as if “the mountain was tipped over us as an overturned vat”. כָּפִיתָ עָלֵינוּ הַר כְּגִיגִית -The very need for coercion expresses the vital necessity of the Torah, without which the nation would lack essential life-force and the ability to face existential challenges:

"רק אם אנחנו מקבלים את התורה ושמים אותה לתורת חיים וחקת־לאום בארץ עברנו ועתידנו, בארץ ישראל, תהיה תחייתנו הלאומית תחיה מבוססת, בעלת שורשים חזקים ואמיצים ואחרית ותקוה. תחיה שתחדור באור־חייה בתוך כל השדרות של האומה, הרחוקות והקרובות, שתפליא את כל העמים בפלאי הופעותיה"

“Only if we accept the Torah and make it a Torah-for-life and a national constitution in the land of our past and future, in the Land of Israel, will our national revival be solid, with strong and deep roots, with a future and hope. A revival that will penetrate its life-light into all strata of the nation, distant and near, that will astonish all nations with its wondrous manifestations.” (Ma’amarei HaRav Kook)

The giving of the Torah in the desert reflects on a different side: it expresses the universal truth of the Torah, that all nations are meant to follow:

"הדבר המציין את השינוי שנעשה בישראל ובעולם ע"י קבלתה של תורה דווקא במדבר, בהר סיני - לא בארץ המיוחדת לישראל, כי אם במדבר, במקום הפקר לכל – הוא מורה באמת כי תוכנה הפנימי של התורה הוא ענין ראוי ומוכרח לכל האדם, לכל העמים אשר על פני האדמה. לא ענין עליון ומופלא מן האדם יש כאן, אלא ענין הולם את האדם, אשר מבלעדיו ייחשב לחיה רעה"

“What marks the change brought upon Israel and the world by the acceptance of the Torah specifically in the desert, on Mount Sinai, not in the land unique to Israel, but in the wilderness, a place open to all, truly indicates that the inner content of the Torah is a matter that is fitting and essential for all of humanity, for all the nations on earth. This is not a matter beyond or above humanity, but something that suits man and without it, he is no better than a wild beast.” (Ma’amarei HaRav Kook)

But the nations did not want to accept the Torah. Only Israel accepted it,  and from that moment, a conflict was born between the nations and the Jewish people:

מַאי הַר סִינַי הַר שֶׁיָּרְדָה שִׂנְאָה לְאוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם עָלָיו

“What is the reason it is called Mount Sinai? Because hatred descended upon the nations of the world on it.” (Shabbat 89a)

Rashi explains: שנאה לעכו״ם – שלא קבלו בו תורה

“Hatred for idolaters (the nations of the world): Since they did not accept the Torah”.

But Rabbi Yaakov Reischer (17th century) interpreted differently: the hatred that descended was from the nations toward Israel:

"אין הכוונה שעובדי כוכבים נשנאים. וכו'. אלא הכי פירושו 'שירדה שנאה', דהיינו שהם שונאים אותנו! כדאיתא במדרש: בשביל התורה והמצוות שאנו מקיימים, הם שונאים אותנו יותר מכל האומות"

“The intent is not that the idol worshipers are hated... Rather, the explanation of ‘hatred descended’ means they hate us! As it is said in the Midrash: Because of the Torah and the commandments that we observe, they hate us more than all the other nations.” (Iyun Yaakov Ibid)

This is the true root of antisemitism; it was born at Sinai, and all other explanations are merely excuses.

The Rambam wrote similarly:

ומפני שיחד אותנו הבורא במצותיו ובחוקותיו והתבארה מעלתנו על זולתנו בכללותיו ובמשפטיו שנאמר (דברים ד' ח') ומי גוי גדול אשר לו חקים ומשפטים צדיקים וגומר קנאונו העכו"ם כלם על דתנו קנאה גדולה וילחצו מלכיהם בשבילה לערער עלינו שטנה ואיבה ורצונם להלחם בה' ולעשות מריבה עמו ואלהים הוא ומי ירב לו...

“G-d has made us unique by His laws and precepts, and our pre-eminence is manifested in His rules and statutes, as Scripture says, in narrating G-d's mercies to us, "And what great nation is there, that hath statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?" (Devarim 4:8). Therefore, all the nations rose against us, instigated by envy and impiety, and all the kings of the earth, motivated by injustice and enmity, applied themselves to persecute us. They wanted to thwart G-d, but He cannot be thwarted…” (Iggerot HaRambam Iggeret Teiman 10).

There are two crucial sides to the coin of Torah-giving and the desert, and it is important to be aware of both: One is the source of the Jewish people’s strength, and the second, the very fact of this strength, is what causes hatred toward them from the nations.