The Trumpets of Power and Victory
Parashat Hashavua - Parashat Beha’alotcha 5785
Rabbi Eliezer Haim Shenvald
In salute to the bravery 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 strengthening the families of reservists and soldiers, who pray, worry, and carry the burden, especially the reservists’ heroic wives.
The war in Gaza has been ongoing for more than 600 days, and thank G-d, we can point to unprecedented achievements. Despite its length and voices from within that belittle its successes and call for its cessation and for surrendering to Hamas's demands, our heroic, precious, and remarkable soldiers, both in active and reserve duty, understand the righteousness of the cause and the importance of the mission, as they continue to fight with dedication to accomplish it.
In contrast to the disrespect the younger generation received before the war labeling them as spoiled, self-absorbed, and of lowered expectations, with nicknames such as “the TikTok generation”, we are witnessing the rise of a new generation of brave warriors with immense spiritual strength, no less than the admired generations of past fighters. They seek to defeat the vile enemy who massacred us in the Simchat Torah tragedy of 5784, to bring back our beloved hostages, and are even willing to risk their lives for this cause. Sometimes, they even raise questions: Why is the intensity of combat and the pace of progress not increased?
To our great sorrow, there are also casualties and wounded, each one a world in their own right. Yet this does not prevent their grieving comrades from biting their lips and continuing to fight. On the contrary, in many cases, they see it as a sacred mission to complete the task for which their friends heroically gave their lives.
The soldiers, both in active duty and reserves, draw strength also from the supportive and concerned home front, their families, and their friends, who themselves are called to be part of the extended national effort to achieve victory and resolution.
For years, the senior echelons of political and military leadership operated under the assumption that the State of Israel and the IDF could not withstand a prolonged war lasting more than a few months. Yet now, a new generation of young warriors and reservists has emerged, breaking all conventions.
Anyone who thinks that the soldiers’ spiritual strength is a given, that needs no reinforcement, is mistaken. Our sages taught that fighting spirit is a component whose strength can wear down, and therefore, it must be nourished and strengthened in various ways.
In Tractate Berachot (32b) it says
אַרְבָּעָה צְרִיכִין חִזּוּק, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: תּוֹרָה, וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, תְּפִלָּה, וְדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ
"Four things require bolstering, constant effort to improve, and they are: Torah, good deeds, prayer, and occupation". (proper conduct)
Rashi explains that this means combating the natural erosion of the spiritual energy they require.
שיתחזק אדם בהן תמיד בכל כחו
"Need strengthening- That a person should always strengthen them with all his might".
דרך ארץ: אם אומן הוא לאומנתו אם סוחר הוא לסחורתו אם איש מלחמה הוא למלחמתו
"The way of the land: If he is an artist, in his art. If he is a merchant, in his sales, and if he is a warrior, in his wars".
The Talmud derives the need for reinforcement in “derech eretz” from the battle of Yoav and Avishai against Ammon and Aram, as it says:
חֲזַק וְנִתְחַזַּק בְּעַד עַמֵּנוּ וּבְעַד עָרֵי אֱלֹקינוּ וַה' יַעֲשֶׂה הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינָיו
"Be of good courage, and let us prove strong for our people and the cities of our G-d; and Hashem shall do that which seems good to Him." (II Samuel 10:12)
This double call to arms, "Be strong and let us be strengthened”, expresses the dual duty to uplift the spirit of the warriors before the battle, to nurture it and not take it for granted, and during the ongoing war to reinforce faith in the righteousness of the cause, resilience, and inner strength.
In our Torah portion, the people of Israel are preparing for immediate entry into the Land of Israel and for war to conquer it. As part of the preparations, the Israelites were commanded to make two silver trumpets, which the priests would sound before setting out on the journey and going to war:
עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרֹת כֶּסֶף מִקְשָׁה תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם, וְהָיוּ לְךָ לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה וּלְמַסַּע אֶת הַמַּחֲנוֹת... וְכִי תָבֹאוּ מִלְחָמָה בְּאַרְצְכֶם עַל הַצַּר הַצּוֹרֵר אֶתְכֶם וַהֲרֵעֹתֶם בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת, וְנִזְכַּרְתֶּם לִפְנֵי ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם וְנוֹשַׁעְתֶּם מֵאֹיְבֵיכֶם ...
"Make for yourself two silver trumpets; you shall make them, beaten [from one block], and they shall be used by you to summon the congregation and to initiate the departure of the camps… If war shall come into your land against the oppressor who oppresses you and you shall blow teruahs with the trumpets and you will be remembered before Hashem, your G-d, and you will be delivered from your enemies…" (Bamidbar 10:2-9)
The Sforno there explains the context:
בהיות הכונה עתה לנסוע להכניסם לארץ מיד צוה בחצוצרות לתרועת מלך בם בנסוע המשכן ובנסוע המקדש ובצאתם להלחם …
עשה לך שתי חצוצרות כסף Seeing that the immediate plan was for the people to journey to the Holy Land without delay, G-d gave the commandment for the trumpets to be used as “Royal trumpet blasts,” announcing the moving of the Tabernacle to a new location, or announcing the arrival of the Tabernacle at its next location. The trumpets would also be blown before battles…
The blast of the trumpets before going to war had several purposes: to gather the people, to deter the enemies (Tzror HaMor ibid., and Radak on Psalms 89:9), and above all, to awaken for prayer for success, and to draw fortitude and reinforcement before the battle:
"The purpose of the trumpet blast is: ‘You shall be remembered... and be saved.’ This shows that the blast is a cry for help directed toward G-d... And since the priests who serve the Torah in the Temple make the sounds (see verse 8), it proves that they expect deliverance through the merit of Torah, which connects G-d to Israel.” (Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch ibid.)
The sounding of the trumpets by the priests symbolizes the source of salvation and the spiritual strength the fighters draw from the Torah before the battle.
Because of the impact of the trumpet blast on the battle, the Torah promises:
ונושעתם מאויביכם “You shall be saved from your enemies,” meaning, you will achieve resolution and victory:
“The word ‘teshuah’ (salvation) in its precise sense means complete salvation (this is the difference between ‘teshuah’ and ‘hatzalah’ - rescue).” (Malbim ibid; also Ramban).
After the victory, the trumpets will also be used during celebrations of Thanksgiving to G-d:
וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶם וּבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם וּבְרָאשֵׁי חׇדְשֵׁיכֶם וּתְקַעְתֶּם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת... ששבתם מארץ אויב או נצחתם האויב הבא עליכם, וקבעתם יום שמחה כימי הפורים ושבעת ימי חזקיה שמחה.
“Also, on the day of your gladness, and in your appointed seasons. When you return from the land of your enemies, or you defeat the enemy who attacks you and you establish a day of rejoicing, such as the days of Purim or the seven days of rejoicing in the days of Hezekiah". (Some opinions say this is Chanukah). (Ibn Ezra Bamidbar 10:10)
"חֲזַק וְנִתְחַזַּק בְּעַד עַמֵּנוּ וּבְעַד עָרֵי אֱלֹקֵינוּ"
“Be of good courage, and let us prove strong for our people and for the cities of our G-d…”.