To Defeat An Enemy

Parshat Masei

by Rabbi Avi Billet

When the war with Midian did not originally go as planned, the Torah told us (31:14) that Moshe became angry at the appointed officers. The “Ish Yehudi” explained Moshe’s anger, in light of Moshe being a humble person with a checked demeanor, suggesting that the Torah is showing that when the going was tough, Moshe was powerful, resolute and strong. During war, the Ish Yehudi said, there is no place for softness and emotions, and not for giving in and for forgiving.

           

Really, war is meant to destroy enemy infrastructure (31:10), so they can give up any desire to fight and focus only on rebuilding and bettering their lives, rather than thinking only of killing the enemy.

            

As General Patton said in his famous speech to the Third Army during World War II, prior to the Normandy invasion, “I don't want [to hear] any messages saying 'I'm holding my position.' …We're advancing constantly and we're not interested in holding anything…Our plan of operation is to advance and keep on advancing. We're going to go through the enemy…to absolute victory.”

            

The beginning of Masei reminds us of another epic battle waged against an Israelite enemy. As it recounts the journeys, the Torah says “And Egypt was burying those who had died when God struck the firstborns and destroyed their gods.” (33:4) The only “proportional response” to Egyptian treachery was to hit them where they’d lose the will to keep the slaves any longer.

            

And even when they chose to chase after the Children of Israel, Egypt’s aims seemed to be to attack civilians. Was it a traditional battlefield? Hardly. Did all of Israel have their backs to the sea? Yes. And thank God, He carried the day and wiped out the Egyptian army so they would have no desire to fight the Israelites anymore – we don’t hear from them for over 500 years! There is even an alliance between Egypt and Israel during the time of King Solomon! The first attack of Egypt against Israel takes place in the fifth year of Solomon’s son, Rahavam’s, reign. (Kings I 14:25) A very different time, and a very different set of circumstances. It would be similar to Britain attacking the United states in the year 2276.

            

In anarticle written in March 2012, during a different Gaza operation, Rabbi PhilipLefkowitz (Agudas Achim in Chicago) quoted a WWII veteran who explained how wars are won. Using Dresden, Hiroshima and Nagasaki as examples, the veteran said wars are won when the leadership no longer has the support of the devastated population.

            

Or, as we saw in ancient Egypt, when the enemy army is annihilated.

            

Of course, assuming the election in 2006 was legitimate, and that, as I’ve read, Hamas gained power most likely on account of PA corruption, one wonders how things would go were there to be another election in Gaza.

            

Silly me, thinking Hamas would ever allow an election.

            

There was another article in the Blaze about how there are over 1000 millionaires amongst Hamas leadership. You know, the same leaders who send others out as suicide bombers but personally and cowardly hide in bunkers. So much for ridding Gaza of corrupt “politicians.”

            

Gazans don’t have their backs to the sea. Israel has no interest in pushing them there. It just wants a peaceful, demilitarized neighbor.

            

Israel does its best to avoid civilian casualties – no army in the world does it better. And, I suppose, since Israel would prefer to live in peace with its Gaza neighbors (who have every opportunity, with proper anti-fighting leadership, to create a Singapore or Miami Beach!), it is not interested in pulling a Dresden, Hiroshima, or Warsaw to force the enemy to capitulate – even though militarily it seems like the most definite way to end Gazan fighting and infiltration once and for all. Israel will continue its pinpoint strikes and put its own soldiers in harm’s way to protect the civilian population of Gaza.

            

I wish for the civilians in Gaza, who truly want peace, to live out productive lives with leadership who accepts Israel’s presence as a reality and acknowledges Israel’s right to exist. A leadership who is concerned more for their own civilians’ wellbeing than in any military actions against peace-wanting-and-loving Israel. And civilians who accept similar notions. Absent such an approach, there will never be peace in Gaza.

            

And of course, we pray for Israel’s safety, for the safety of Israel’s precious soldiers who are sons, brothers, fathers – too many of whom have been lost this week – and for peace to reign in the region. May the IDF and the Israeli government be granted insight from Heaven, and may they be guided through the darkness of war to achieve their goals and more, to bring about a resolution that can last at least 500 years.