Operation Raising Lion - turning the unimaginable into reality

Parashat Hashavua – Parashat Korach 5785

Rabbi Eliezer Haim Shenvald

In salute to the heroism of the fallen, and in prayer for the success of the IDF soldiers and Mossad agents, and for their protection from all harm, for the healing of the wounded and the return of the hostages. For strengthening the families of reservists and soldiers, who pray, worry, and bear the burden, especially the reservists’ heroic wives.

It is difficult to grasp the magnitude of the events we are experiencing as they unfold, especially with the impact we have suffered on the home front.

The opening strike of “Operation Raising Lion” was unprecedented in global military history: a simultaneous elimination of human targets and a strike on ballistic missile infrastructure and nuclear facilities, 1,500 kilometers from Israel, which took the Iranians by surprise, in part because it seemed "impossible" and beyond imagination.

Moreover, it was hard for them to fathom that the State of Israel would dare to strike in Iran, a country 60 times its size, at such a distance,  especially when so many ballistic missiles, UAVs, and deadly cruise missiles were aimed at it.

The results stunned the Iranians, but not only them: the entire Middle East and the world stood in awe, how does the nation of Israel, its state and army, do it again and again? How do they manage to turn the unimaginable into reality?

After a long period of Israel’s status erosion, which peaked with the tragic failure of Simchat Torah 5784, at every stage of the fighting in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran, there were many operations declared impossible and unbelievable. Yet again and again, we turned the "unbelievable" into the possible; we stunned and acted beyond all imagination. Representatives of armies from around the world came to study and witness.

We are familiar with this trait from our distant past, and there are many examples. Some involve inexplicable miracles, which combine creativity, unconventional out-of-the-box thinking, bravery, and daring.

But this is not limited to the security realm: the State of Israel, in all its systems, is the unimaginable vision, made possible. The very return of Israel to its land after two thousand years of exile and dispersion to the four corners of the earth; its development, its leadership in technology, science, economy, and more.

And above all, the ancient Jewish faith, its Torah and commandments, its culture and way of life, are exceptional, to the point that the nations of the world do not believe it is possible to live this way, and therefore never agreed to accept it.

Even the survival of the Jewish nation, despite all attempts to destroy it throughout the generations, is an unbelievable phenomenon among nations.

The people of Israel challenge norms and consensus in every field. It’s part of their DNA. And therefore, even the unimaginable is possible.

In this week’s Torah portion, Korach highlights this unique trait of the people of Israel to challenge the leadership of Moshe and Aaron:

וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל משֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם רַב לָכֶם כִּי כָל הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדשִׁים וּבְתוֹכָם ה' וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל קְהַל ה'

“And they assembled themselves together against Moshe and against Aaron, and said to them, "You have gone too far, since all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and Hashem is among them; why then lift yourselves up above the assembly of Hashem?" (Bamidbar 16:3)

The claim was that the people of Israel are unique among the nations. Normally, people need leadership since ordinary individuals cannot properly lead themselves.

But in Israel,  each individual has a high and exceptional virtue, especially in the spiritual level, and therefore, seemingly, does not need leadership:

פירוש רבנות גדולה נטלתם לעצמכם יותר מהראוי, ואם תאמר מה היא הרבנות הגדולה, כי כל העדה כלם קדושים ועוד להם שבתוכם ה׳ מה שלא השיגה אומה בעולם ואתם רבנים עליהם...

“They meant that Moshe and Aaron had arrogated too much authority to themselves. In the event that Moshe and Aaron would ask wherein precisely they had arrogated to themselves too much authority, Korach and company said that in view of the fact that the entire community was holy having experienced direct communication from G-d something not granted to any other nation, plus the fact that G-d remained within its midst, Moshe and Aaron had placed themselves above such a holy nation…” (Or HaChaim Ibid)

They also argued that even G-d recognized their virtue, and that each of them is worthy of priesthood:

והלא כל העדה כלם קדשים וראויין לכהונה שהרי הק' קראם "ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש

“They are all holy and worthy of the priesthood, for the Holy One, Blessed be He, called them ‘a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’” (Bechor Shor, Ibid)

Their holiness encompasses their entire being:

כי כל העדה. כל אחד מהם כלם קדושים. מכף רגל ועד ראש…

“For all the congregation – each one of them – are holy, from head to toe.” (Sforno, Ibid)

This unique trait was manifest and tested at Mount Sinai, in a superhuman, unimaginable manner, with the willingness to accept the Torah in advance, without knowing what it entailed:

בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהִקְדִּימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל ״נַעֲשֶׂה״ לְ״נִשְׁמָע״ יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לָהֶן: מִי גִּלָּה לְבָנַי רָז זֶה שֶׁמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בּוֹ

"When the Jewish people accorded precedence to the declaration “We will do” over “We will hear,” a Divine Voice emerged and said to them: Who revealed to my children this secret that the ministering angels use?" (Shabbat 88a)

Only messengers of the Most-High, superhuman, are capable of such conduct.

Among the nations, this "superhuman" trait was received with scorn, seen as a disgraceful, rash, and abnormal behavior.

הָהוּא מִינָא דְּחַזְיֵיהּ לְרָבָא דְּקָא מְעַיֵּין בִּשְׁמַעְתָּא, וְיָתְבָה אֶצְבְּעָתָא דִידֵיהּ תּוּתֵי כַּרְעָא וְקָא מָיֵיץ בְּהוּ, וְקָא מַבְּעָן אֶצְבְּעָתֵיהּ דְּמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַמָּא פְּזִיזָא, דְּקַדְּמִיתוּ פּוּמַּיְיכוּ לְאוּדְנַיְיכוּ, אַכַּתִּי בְּפַחְזוּתַיְיכוּ קָיְימִיתוּ. בְּרֵישָׁא אִיבַּעְיָא לְכוּ לְמִשְׁמַע, אִי מָצִיתוּ - קַבְּלִיתוּ, וְאִי לָא - לָא קַבְּלִיתוּ. 

"The Gemara relates that a heretic saw that Rava was immersed in studying halakha, and his fingers were beneath his leg and he was squeezing them, and his fingers were spurting blood. Rava did not notice that he was bleeding because he was engrossed in study. The heretic said to Rava: You impulsive nation, who accorded precedence to your mouths over your ears. You still bear your impulsiveness, as you act without thinking. You should listen first. Then, if you are capable of fulfilling the commands, accept them. And if not, do not accept them”. (Shabbat 88a)

The heretic failed to understand that this is Israel’s greatness, not its flaw.

Korach alluded to this "superhuman" quality expressed in the words "we will do and we will hear":

"כל העדה – עמדו על הר סיני, שמעו 'אנכי', וענו שפה אחת 'נעשה ונשמע', והשרה שכינתו הקב"ה ביניהם"

“All the congregation  stood at Mount Sinai, heard ‘I am [Hashem your G-d],’ and responded in one voice ‘We will do, and we will hear,’ and the Divine Presence dwelled among them.” (Midrash Torah Shlema Ibid)

Therefore, he claimed:

כולם שמעו בהר סיני "אנכי" ו"לא יהיה לך" (שמות כ, ב-ג) ', אם כן כל העדה במדרגה אחת, שהרי כולם שמעו מפי ה', ואין אנו צריכין לשום אחר שיהיה עומד בין ה' ובין ישראל

“If so, the entire congregation is on the same level… and we don’t need anyone to stand between G-d and Israel.” (Maharal, Gur Aryeh, Ibid)

However, since his argument was not for the ‘sake of Heaven’ but for a position of power, the debate was not sincere. Even great individuals need guidance and leadership,  from Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest of prophets, of whom it is said:

פֶּה אֶל פֶּה אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ וּמַרְאֶה וְלֹא בְחִידֹת וּתְמֻנַת ה' יַבִּיט

“With him I will speak mouth to mouth, even plainly, and not in riddles; and he shall see Hashem's form.” (Bamidbar 12:8)

וְקֹרַח שֶׁפִּקֵּחַ הָיָה מָה רָאָה לִשְׁטוּת זֶה? עֵינוֹ הִטְעַתּוּ

“But Korach who certainly was a clever (lit., open-eyed) man, what reason had he to commit this folly? His mind’s eye misled him”. (Rashi Bamidbar 16:7)

Even he did not believe the earth would open its mouth and swallow him.

And the unimaginable became possible.