Last week, during Chanukah, we spoke about miracles, and this week, it seems that we truly need some miracles. With the IDF’s tanks sitting on the border with Gaza, it is hard to know how this conflict will end. Without getting political, I want to take an idea from our Torah portion and some ideas from our tradition so that perhaps they can give us the Jewish perspective on the conflict that we pray for its speedy end.
In the Torah portion VaYigash, we read a story of reconciliation. The portion opens with Judah’s pleas to Pharaoh’s governor, which is Joseph who hasn’t yet revealed himself to his brothers. Judah asks to not have to bring Benjamin, their younger brother, to Egypt as it is written (Genesis 44:18), “And Judah approached him and said, "Please, my lord, let now your servant speak something into my lord's ears, and let not your wrath be kindled….”
Here, Judah’s “approach” tells us that Judah tries to get to Joseph’s heart with his words in order to convince him. Later on, Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers and reconciles with them. It is written (Genesis 45:4), “And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please approach me”, and they approached him; And he said, “I am Joseph your brother that you sold to Egypt.” Here, the meaning of the word is that Joseph tries to bring his brothers near in a physical way and thus he signals his desire for reconciliation. And as a sign of the reconciliation among them, all of Israel’s children settles in a neighborhood called “Goshen” (from the same root as VaYigash, approach), a sign of their coming together and their complete reconciliation.
Reconciliation is not a simple thing. In general, it is very hard to compromise or find solutions. And even more so, it is hard to think of reconciliation with the enemy and with people that it is very clear that they hate us and they want only to destroy us or throw us out.
In days such as these in which we struggle for our existence and for our right to live without rockets falling on our heads, I think that is all the more fitting to turn to the tradition which teaches us that in every conflict, we are obligated to preserve our own humanity.
First of all, the tradition teaches us that, despite the difficulty, we must remember that our enemy is also a human being. It is written in Exodus (23:4), “If your enemy’s bull is injured or his donkey goes astray, you must return it to him.” This means that no matter what the situation, you are supposed to be responsible and to do the right and moral thing. You must rise above the situation without any connection to your enemy. It is also written in Proverbs (25:21-22), “If your enemy is hungry, feed him bread, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will be scooping coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” Rashi does a play on words and explains that it is possible to read “yeshalem l’cha” (will reward you) as “yashlim l’cha” (will come to turns with you). Rabbi Richard Hirsch, in a booklet on peace and war in the Jewish sources, writes that it is possible to understand this explanation that “if evil was met with good, peace could be the reward….In order to ‘seek peace and pursue it’, a man or a nation has to be willing to demonstrate forbearance toward others. Forbearance leads to understanding, which in turn leads to conciliation, which in turn may lead to forgiveness. A person can be an enemy but he never ceases to be a human being and thus his body and property deserve respect.
What the tradition demands of us is not simple and can even seem impossible sometimes. But this is exactly the tradition’s job – to challenge us to try to be better human beings. Not to degrade but rather to uplift. Not to desecrate but rather to consecrate.
In II Chronicles 20, it is told about King Johosaphat who is preparing to go out to battle against the neighboring enemies, Moav and Amon. Among all of the prayers said on that day, it is written, “Give thanks to G-d because his loving-kindness lasts forever.” Rabbi Yonatan asks in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 39b), “What didn’t he also say “Because it is good” (as it is written in Psalms 107:1 “Give thanks to G-d because he is good, may he live forever”). And he answers, “G-d does not rejoice in the downfall of the wicked.”
And finally, it is worthwhile to recall the words of Isaiah the prophet who said, “And the deed of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness [shall be] tranquility and safety for eternity.”
To win the war is essential to our existence. At the same time as the State of Israel protects its citizens and works to defeat Israel’s enemies that want to destroy us, may it be G-d’s will that we never forget our humanity in all of this. With the power of the Jewish tradition, we will work hard to also remember the humanity of our enemy. And if we can relate to this part of our tradition and part of ourselves, perhaps we too can bring about acts of righteousness which will lead to peace, which will bring quiet and safety for all of us forever.