Am KeLavi – Coming full circle with Tehran and Og the Giant, King of Bashan

Parashat Hashavua – Parashat Chukat 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, for their protection from all harm, for the healing of all the wounded, and the return of the hostages. To strengthen the families of the reservists and soldiers – those who pray, worry, and bear the burden, especially the reservists’ heroic wives.

It is still too early to summarize ‘Operation Raising Lion’, which, thank G-d, struck Iran, the "octopus head."

It struck at the existential threat posed by it: the nuclear program, the ballistic weapons, and the regime’s senior officials. This was a decisive stage in the broader war that began on Simchat Torah 5784, a war that struck at the arms of the "Iranian axis octopus": in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, the Houthis, and in Judea and Samaria. Already now, it is possible to observe that the achievements, thanks G-d, are unprecedented, even though some aspects remain unclear.

One of the most significant achievements of the strike in Iran is the breaking of the barrier of fear from a country perceived until now as a distant, powerful, untouchable superpower with vast capabilities to harm Israel. It took courage to confront such a giant nation, akin to the Biblical courage required to fight giants like Goliath or Og, King of Bashan.

Important documents found in a Hamas commander’s bunker, including plans and correspondence with Hezbollah and Iran, reveal that Hamas launched the war intending to create a “shockwave” that would pull in all components of Iran’s encirclement of Israel, from all fronts and from within,  to destroy the State of Israel. Striking Iran, this campaign’s initiator, leader, and financier, represents a kind of ‘coming full circle’.

Another closure of a circle: Two days after the Simchat Torah tragedy, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement saying, among other things, “We are going to change the Middle East.” Indeed, since then, the IDF, with the help of Heaven, acted systematically on every front, one by one, dismantling them and creating dramatic changes until it reached Iran. This transformed Israel's strategic position in the region and the world and redefined the map of threats beyond recognition.

To end the war with a “complete victory,” as promised, the mission in Gaza must be completed: to act decisively to destroy Hamas, both its military and political branches, and to bring home our dear hostages. We hope this mission will be completed soon.

At the end of this week’s Torah portion, we learn something further and significant about Moshe Rabbeinu, who gave us the Torah, the unmatched prophet, the humblest of men, and the people of Israel’s first leader. Moshe was also a military commander and strategist, who by the command of G-d, conducted an intensive campaign of war and conquest against the King of Arad the Canaanite, Yazer and its surrounding towns, Sihon, King of the Amorites, and finally, a brilliant victory over Og the giant, King of Bashan.

Sihon and Og were the fiercest and most threatening enemies of all:

קָשִׁין הָיוּ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג יוֹתֵר מִפַּרְעֹה וְחֵילוֹתָיו. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁאָמְרוּ שִׁירָה עַל מַפֶּלֶת פַּרְעֹה וְחֵילוֹ, כָּךְ הָיוּ רְאוּיִין לוֹמַר שִׁירָה עַל מַפֶּלֶת סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג. אֶלָּא שֶׁבָּא דָּוִד וְאָמַר עֲלֵיהֶם שִׁירָה, לסיחון מלך האמורי ולעוג מלך הבשן".

“Our Sages have said, “Sihon and Og were more dangerous to Israel than Pharaoh and his armies. And just as they uttered a song over the fall of Pharaoh, so were they worthy to utter a song at their fall. It is simply that David came and uttered a song over them, Sihon, king of the Amorites and Og, king of Bashan”. (Yalkut Shimoni on Midrash Tehillim 136:6)

Sihon and Og ruled the eastern side of the Jordan as leaders of the Canaanite alliance:

"כי היו סיחון וחשבון ארצו יותר חזקים מכל שאר המלכים יחד ... וחז"ל אמרו (תנחומא חקת, כג), שכל מלכי כנען היו מעלים מס לסיחון, כדי שיהיה שומר שלא יעברו גייסות עליהם. ולכן יצא סיחון להילחם עם ישראל, כי בטח בגבורתו וחוזק עמו"

“Because Sihon and the people who dwelt in Heshbon were stronger than all the other kings combined... The Sages said (Tanchuma Chukat 23), that all the kings of Canaan paid tribute to Sihon so he would act as a shield, preventing military forces from crossing their lands. Therefore, Sihon went to war against Israel, trusting in his strength and that of his people” (Abarbanel).

Their fall decided the entire campaign. Since they served as a protective shield for the Canaanite nations west of the Jordan, their conquest paved the way for the collapse of all the Canaanite peoples:

"שאם סיחון ייכנע אליהם וישמע אליהם, כל מלכי כנען לא יעמדו בפניהם למלחמה. כי היו סיחון וחשבון ארצו יותר חזקים מכל שאר המלכים יחד, ותהיה הארץ אם כן נכבשת לפניהם כולה בשעה חדא"

“If Sihon were to surrender to them and heed them, none of the Canaanite kings would withstand them in battle. For Sihon and the people who dwelt in Heshbon were stronger than all the other kings together, and so the land would fall before them all at once” (Abarbanel).

Og the giant (as described in Devarim 3:11) was even stronger and more dangerous than Sihon. Thus, the text mentions the fear he evoked:

וַיִּפְנוּ וַיַּעֲלוּ דֶּרֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן וַיֵּצֵא עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן לִקְרָאתָם הוּא וְכׇל עַמּוֹ לַמִּלְחָמָה אֶדְרֶעִי. וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה אַל תִּירָא אֹתוֹ כִּי בְיָדְךָ נָתַתִּי אֹתוֹ וְאֶת כׇּל עַמּוֹ וְאֶת אַרְצוֹ וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ לְסִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר יוֹשֵׁב בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן.

"They turned and went up by the way of Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. Hashem said to Moshe, "Don't fear him for I have delivered him into your hand, and all his people and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon." (Bamidbar 21:33-34)

"The Gemara asks: Now, Sihon and Og were brothers, as the Master said: Sihon and Og were sons of Ahijah, son of Shamhazai. In what way is Sihon different from Og, that G-d found it necessary to warn Moshe not to be afraid of Og, and in what way is Og different from Sihon, that there was no need for a warning not to be afraid of Sihon?" (Niddah 61a:18)

  מאי שנא מעוג דקמסתפי ומאי שנא מסיחון דלא קמסתפי

The war against Og, the terrifying giant, was a sort of correction and closure for the sin of the spies, who were afraid to enter the land and fight for it, fearing its giants:

…הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בָהּ לָתוּר אֹתָהּ אֶרֶץ אֹכֶלֶת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ הִוא וְכׇל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר רָאִינוּ בְתוֹכָהּ אַנְשֵׁי מִדּוֹת.  וְשָׁם רָאִינוּ אֶת הַנְּפִילִים בְּנֵי עֲנָק מִן הַנְּפִלִים וַנְּהִי בְעֵינֵינוּ כַּחֲגָבִים וְכֵן הָיִינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶם

"…The land through which we have gone to spy it out is a land that eats up its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." (Bamidbar 13:32-33)

Now, G-d commands not to fear the giants. Moshe and the people confront Og;  they fight and prevail:

וַיַּכּוּ אֹתוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו וְאֶת כׇּל עַמּוֹ עַד בִּלְתִּי הִשְׁאִיר לוֹ שָׂרִיד וַיִּירְשׁוּ אֶת אַרְצוֹ

“So they struck him, and his sons and all his people until there was no remnant left of him, and they possessed his land”. (Bamidbar 21:35)

This victory opened the way forward:

"ואחרי שתי המלחמות המופלגות האלה, נסעו בני ישראל מן הגיא אשר בשדה מואב, ויחנו בערבות מואב, שם ישבו עד מות משה"

“And after these two magnificent wars, the children of Israel journeyed from the valley that is in the field of Moab, and they camped by the plains of Moab, where they remained until Moshe’s death” (Abarbanel).

King David later sang about this victory and gave thanks to G-d:

לְמַכֵּה מְלָכִים גְּדֹלִים כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ. וַיַּהֲרֹג מְלָכִים אַדִּירִים כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ. לְסִיחוֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ. וּלְעוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ.

"To He who smote great kings, for His kindness is forever. And killed mighty kings, for His kindness is forever. Sichon, king of the Emorites, for His kindness is forever. And Og, king of Bashan, for His kindness is forever. (Tehillim 136:17-20)

הוֹדוּ לַה' כִּי טוֹב כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ.

Thank Hashem, for He is good, His loving-kindness is forever.