The Prayer for Inner Peace

Parashat Hashavua - Parashat Naso – 5785

Rabbi Eliezer Haim Shenvald

In salute to the heroism of the fallen, and in prayer for the success and protection of the 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 families of the reservists, and for all the soldiers’ families, who pray, worry, and bear the burden, and especially, for the courageous wives of the reservists.

Since the Prime Minister announced the appointment of Major General David Zini as the next head of the Shin Bet, a media storm erupted. I have known Zini for many years, and I do not doubt that he is suited for the role.

The truth must be told: the opposition voiced is not due to his skills or abilities, but stems from a struggle over control in the country. This is not unique to Israel – in many places around the world, senior officials seek independence and attempt to detach themselves from the authority of the democratically elected leadership. The identities of senior officials therefore become critical to those unwilling to submit to the policies set by the elected leadership. This is the truth - even if opponents struggle to admit it. Instead, they invent various transparent excuses.

During this controversy, extremely harsh things were said - references to his religious identity, the number of children he has, and even labeling him “messianic” - as if this was a derogatory term. (Every believing Jew declares daily his belief in the coming of the Messiah; even David Ben-Gurion called himself “messianic” and described the Zionist endeavor as a “messianic enterprise.”) These are appalling, crude remarks aimed at delegitimizing the identity profile that Zini represents within Israeli society. These statements crossed red lines and severely damaged the effort to connect all sectors of society that had been created over the years. In any other context, such remarks would have caused an uproar and would not have been dismissed.

We hope the appointment will proceed, and he shall overcome all obstacles placed in his path. However, even if he does, we are left with the scars inflicted by those offensive statements, which benefit no one. Moreover, they harm even those who utter them, like a boomerang. They damage the same branch they are sitting on. For anyone who delegitimizes Zini’s identity profile, many other commanders and fighters, both regular and reservist, with similar backgrounds, become illegitimate in their eyes. Attempts to explain this damage to the opponents are met with a brick wall. A dialogue between the deaf has emerged.

Inner peace is a precondition for victory. Without it, there will not even be peace with our enemies. It is also a moral obligation we owe to many of the fallen. The curse of division within the people of Israel is not new, it has accompanied us since ancient times. We are duty-bound to do everything we can to prevent it.

This is what the priests pray for daily, when they raise their hands in the Priestly Blessing:

"... יִשָּׂא ה' פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם"

“Hashem lift up his countenance to thee, and give thee peace”.(Bamidbar 6:26) and immediately after, the blessing that concludes the Amidah prayer - the Blessing of Peace:
שִׂים שָׁלוֹם טוֹבָה וּבְרָכָה... עָלֵֽינוּ וְעַל כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּֽךָ. בָּרְ֒כֵֽנוּ אָבִֽינוּ כֻּלָּֽנוּ כְּאֶחָד בְּאוֹר פָּנֶֽיךָ. כִּי בְאוֹר פָּנֶֽיךָ נָתַֽתָּ לָּֽנוּ ה' אֱלֹקינוּ תּוֹרַת חַיִּים ... וּבְרָכָה וְרַחֲמִים וְחַיִּים וְשָׁלוֹם. וְטוֹב בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמְּ֒ךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל־עֵת וּבְכָל־שָׁעָה בִּשְׁלוֹמֶֽךָ:

“Grant peace, goodness, and blessing… upon us and all Israel, Your people. Bless us, our Father, all of us as one with the light of Your countenance. For by the light of Your countenance You gave us Hashem our G-d, a Torah of life and the love of kindliness, righteousness, blessing, compassion, life and peace. And may it be good in Your sight to bless Your people, Israel, at all times and at every moment with Your peace”. 

The Priestly Blessing appears in this week’s Torah portion. On it, the Midrash Sifrei expounds at length, beginning with the words:
“Great is peace!” Among the words of the Sages there:

“Great is peace! For no vessel contains blessing except peace, as it is said:

ה' עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן ה' יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם

"May Hashem give strength to His people; May Hashem bless His people with peace”. (Psalms 29:11)

ר' אלעזר הקפר אומר גדול השלום שאין חותם בו הברכות אלא בשלום שנאמר יברכך ה' וישמרך יאר ה' פניו אליך ויחונך ישא ה' פניו אליך וישם לך שלום.

R. Elazar Hakappar says: Great is peace, all of the blessings being sealed with peace, viz.: "Hashem bless you and keep you. Hashem causes His countenance to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. Hashem lift His countenance unto you and grant you peace”.

ר' אלעזר בנו של ר"א הקפר אומר גדול השלום שאפילו עובדי עבודת גלולים ושלום ביניהם כביכול אין (השטן) נוגע בהם שנאמר (הושע ד) חבור עצבים אפרים הנח לו.

R. Elazar the son of R. Elazar Hakappar says: Great is peace, for even if the idolaters live in peace, the Holy One, as it were, does not "touch" them, as it is written (Hoshea 4:17) "Ephraim (Yisrael) has bound himself (in friendship to serve) idols — Let him be."

אבל משנחלקו מה נאמר (שם י) חלק לבם עתה יאשמו. הא גדול השלום ושנאוי המחלוקת. גדול השלום שאפילו בשעת מלחמה צריכים שלום שנא' (דברים כ) כי תקרב אל עיר, להלחם עליה (לתפשה) וקראת אליה לשלום.

But when they were divided amongst themselves, what is written of them? (Ibid. 10:2) "Their hearts are divided - Now they will be laid waste!" How great is peace! - How abhorrent is contention! Great is peace, for even in time of war, peace is needed, viz. (Devarim 20:10) "If you draw near a city to do battle with it, then you shall call out to it for peace." (Sifrei Bamidbar 42:2)

Establishing inner peace is a challenging task:

עִקַּר הַשָּׁלוֹם הוּא לְחַבֵּר שְׁנֵי הֲפָכִים. עַל־כֵּן אַל יְבַהֲלוּךָ רַעְיוֹנֶיךָ אִם אַתָּה רוֹאֶה אִישׁ אֶחָד שֶׁהוּא בְּהִפּוּךְ גָּמוּר מִדַּעְתְּךָ, וְיִדְמֶה לְךָ שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן לְהַחֲזִיק בְּשָׁלוֹם עִמּוֹ, וְכֵן כְּשֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁהֵם שְׁנֵי הֲפָכִים מַמָּשׁ, אַל תֹּאמַר שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹת שָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם, כִּי אַדְּרַבָּא, זֶהוּ עִקַּר שְׁלֵמוּת הַשָּׁלוֹם לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שָׁלוֹם בֵּין שְׁנֵי הֲפָכִים, כְּמוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו בֵּין אֵשׁ וּמַיִם שֶׁהֵם שְׁנֵי הֲפָכִים. (לק"א סי' פ')

“The real meaning of peace is to fit together two opposites. So, you shouldn’t be disturbed when you come across someone who is the exact opposite of yourself and thinks the exact opposite. Do not assume you will never be able to live amicably with him. And similarly, if you see two people who are completely opposite types, you should not decide it is impossible to make peace between them. Quite the contrary! Perfect peace is achieved through the effort to make peace between two opposites, just as G-d makes peace in His high places between Fire and Water, which are two opposites”. (Likkutei Etzot - Peace 10 - Rabbi Nachman of Breslov)

Because of the importance the Torah gives to pursuing inner peace, its commandments are different from other commandments:

חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר גָּדוֹל שָׁלוֹם שֶׁכָּל הַמִּצְווֹת כְּתִיב בְּהוּ (שמות כג, ד ה): כִּי תִרְאֶה, כִּי תִפְגַע, (דברים כב, ו): כִּי יִקָּרֵא, אִם בָּאת מִצְוָה לְיָדְךָ אַתָּה זָקוּק לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ וְאִם לָאו אִי אַתָּה זָקוּק לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ, בְּרַם הָכָא (תהלים לד, טו): בַּקֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם וְרָדְפֵהוּ, בַּקְשֵׁהוּ לִמְקוֹמְךָ וְרָדְפֵהוּ לְמָקוֹם אַחֵר.

“Ḥizkiya said: Peace is great, as in the regard of all the mitzvot, it is written: “If you see…if you encounter” (Shmot 23:4–5); “if…will happen” (Devarim 22:6). If a Mitzvah happens to present itself to you, you are obligated to perform it, and if not, you are not obligated to perform it. However, here, “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalms 34:15), seek it in your place and pursue it elsewhere.” (Vayikra Rabbah 9:9)

All other positive commandments in the Torah must be performed when the opportunity arises; there is no obligation to create the opportunity. But with the commandment to establish peace, one must pursue it and actively initiate it.

  ה' עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן ה' יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם

"May Hashem give strength to His people; May Hashem bless His people with peace".