Have you ever wondered how the Jews’ enemies get the gall to say such blatant lies?
They claim that the Jews kill Christian children in order to eat their blood in our Passover matzahs.
Aside from the obvious prohibition of murder, Jews of all people don't eat blood! The Torah (Leviticus 7:26) issues a stern warning against consuming blood, and we even check our eggs to make sure they are free of any speck of blood.
Our enemies claimed that we caused the German defeat in WWI and had stabbed Germany in the back.
Yet the Allies in WWI beat the Germans hands down, and Jewish Germans fought for their country at higher rates (and with more medals) than their population warranted.
Our enemies claim that Israeli soldiers murder innocent Palestinians on a regular basis.
In truth, IDF soldiers regularly endanger themselves in order to avoid civilian casualties. If Israel wasn't so concerned about civilian deaths, it could have stopped terror in its tracks long ago – and made Israel much safer for its citizens.
Related Article: Israel's Moral Army
Attacking the Strength
Why do our enemies make such ridiculous claims?
Chidushei HaRim, the first Rebbe of Ger, helps explain.
Imagine the biblical scene. The evil Korach leads a rebellion against Moses, and wants to drum up support by criticizing God's chosen leader. Korach's complaint is that Moses is “raising himself over the community of God” (Numbers 16:3) – in other words, being arrogant and power-hungry.
The only problem with this claim is that just a few chapters before, in Numbers 12:3, God Himself had testified that Moshe was the “most humble person” who ever lived. The Jews at the time were certainly aware of this sterling quality.
So why did Korach say something that was so obviously untrue?
The answer is both profound and relevant.
When someone wants to fight you, they will attack your greatest moral strength – and deny it.
If Moses' humility went unchallenged, no one would dare challenge him.
Korach knew that Moshe was exceedingly humble – and that is exactly why he attacked Moses as being arrogant. Why? Because if Moses' humility went unchallenged, no one would ever dare challenge him.
If anti-Semites throughout history would have acknowledged that the Jews are peace-loving, they never could have whipped up the masses to rampage, steal, rape and pillage.
If the Nazis had admitted that their Jewish citizens had contributed magnificently to – and died bravely for – Germany, they never could have successfully cast the Jews as the scapegoat for all of Germany's ills.
Abuse in Egypt
The same logic applies to the IDF.
We've seen it time and time again. Arab terrorists regularly attack Jewish civilians. After endless patience, warnings and pressure, in the end the IDF is sent in to stop the attacks. It drops leaflets, phones private houses, and holds its fire as much as possible in order to enable civilians to leave the area or to hunker down and avoid getting hurt.
The Hamas and Hezbollah gangs use civilians as human shields – creating civilian deaths – though only a fraction of what would have occurred anywhere else in the world. And yet the IDF is regularly attacked for being cruel, murderous, and insensitive to the lives of Arabs.
Now we know why they make these ridiculous claims.
Israel's enemies want to destroy her. They cannot admit the truth that the IDF is, by far, the most moral fighting force in the world. If they admitted this – or let this obvious reality go unchallenged – who would believe their other anti-Israel rhetoric?
The Torah commands us: Treat others well, because you suffered abuse under Pharaoh in Egypt. Jews, who have suffered more persecution than any other people in human history, are the most cautious about hurting others.
And that is why our enemies attack this very point. They know that because Jews are so careful, Jews are hyper-sensitive to any criticism on these issues.
It is the height of moral absurdity to use Israel’s moral strength against it. Yet our enemies do so, denying Israel's moral superiority, as a strategy to defeat it.
(13) Libby, November 19, 2012 6:46 PM
Parcels for IDF soldiers
I wanted to send a parcel to an IDF soldier (any soldier, not one I know) and wanted to know if there are any reputable organisations that can arrange this. After all the soldiers get so much flak - literally and metaphorically speaking - and do a good job protecting Israel and the Israelis. Any suggestions?
(12) Sheldon Liberman, June 27, 2011 2:27 PM
It's just our our enemies...
...who hurl accusations at the IDF but often Israelis themselves. The most extreme example of this, IMHO, is that Hebrew University awarded a prize for a reseach paper written by a student, in which the Israeli armey was accused of being racist for being the only occupying army not to rape local women. I kid you not: http://www.politicalforum.com/middle-east/116156-refusing-rape-racism-if-you-israeli-soldier.html
(11) MEGAN VAN HEERDEN, June 17, 2011 2:34 PM
The Israeli Defence Force is a Honorable,selfless, caring for others, Strong army, they deserve RESPECT, they have high moral standards, which they adhere to, anyone who says any different has a pea for a brain.
(10) Joshua, June 14, 2011 8:22 PM
War and violence and morality
Show me how one has to do with another?
Dvirah, June 21, 2011 6:12 PM
Look in the Talmud
Both the Torah and the Talmud acknowledge, as they must, the necessity of sometimes waging war. War means violence, no doubt about it. But beyond what happends on the battlefield, there is the whole surrounding structure of preparation, maintenance and aftermath. It is particularly in these areas, even more than in the strategy and tactics used for battle, that morality dwells. The Talmud discusses all aspects of waging war, including its affect on the surrounding bystanders, laying down groundrules for how to wage war in the most ethical manner possible - many of which groundrules are actualized in the IDF. Go and learn!
(9) Anonymous, June 14, 2011 6:13 AM
you got it backwords
It is because we claim to be so moral that they (Palestinians and the media) get the idea to point to each case where it doesn't seem that way. Its like if your friend tells you that he is perfect your natural reaction is show him all his imperfections.
(8) Jo, June 14, 2011 2:07 AM
G-D bless the IDF for all they do for Jews, Israel and the world!
(7) Gary Katz, June 13, 2011 5:16 AM
Pattern of lying advances the anti-Jewish agenda/psychosis
The article is accurate, but the broader truth is that the Palestinian leadership (in government, religion and education) will pull any lie out their tuchus, without any guilt or hesitation. Why else would one of their leaders have recently said the Israeli treatment of the Arabs is worse than the Holocaust? Is the speaker really that stupid? No, he doesn't care how untrue his statement is, as long as it serves his agenda.
(6) PATRICIA JONES, June 13, 2011 4:09 AM
WHY THEY LIE ABOUT THE IDF
ISRAEL IS A MUCH MALIGNED COUNTRY THEREFORE IT MAKES SENSE THAT THE IDF ELITE WILL BE THE ENVY OF MANY A NATION. STAND TALL ISRAEL - THE ONES THAT CRITICISE YOU THE MOST COVETOUS.
(5) just me, June 13, 2011 2:18 AM
why?
..because scared, bent over, shy Jew is what they used to in last 2000 years. armed and strong, fighting Jew is a kind of blasphemy for them. they like us going to the gas chambers, G-d forbid. Jews that stand up for themselves no matter where, are "Jews against the rules".. that's why they lie about the IDF :)
(4) just me, June 13, 2011 2:06 AM
every word matters
lastly i sometimes join the online battle against antisemitism/antizionism and have to say to you, guys, this is such an exciting game,u will get carried away.. it's a never-ending war David vs Goliath and vice versa, we should not ignore the power of the world net, believe me this is as important as defending Israel's board. y tube, CNN, BBC( X( ), palestine-vs-israel dot com, not to mention antisemitic "hamamot" such the univer. campuses..the tough audience.. etc etc etc, the possibilities are endless
(3) Bernie, June 13, 2011 12:03 AM
How true this article is . The word for it is envy for our way of morality and treatment of all people .
Isn't it strange that when Israel is not attacked by the terrorist animals who attack and kill families while they sleep, that there are no conflicts and shooting by the IDF. Just think of the jews as the keepers of the western worlds civilization. It is indeed awful the way all of the European countries turn out to be rabit jew haters all the time for any reason that presents itself. As Europe becomes Eurabia the muslims will pay back to Europe the same hate they have put upon all the jews.,I have never been to Europe and never had the desire to go to any country that hates the Jewish people with such gusto. May they get back what they have given, and that includes all of the hate mongers in all the Arab countries. In conclusion think of Israel as a grain of sand on a huge beach. The Arabs are the Huge beach and they can't even allow the Jewish people a tiny grain of sand .[the grain of sand represents Israel]. God bless Israel and the IDF.
(2) pierino casale, June 12, 2011 1:40 PM
dont worry no body will trust this lye
with faith ,courage and just cause david will always win against goliath. rabbi elio tuaf explained .this so many times . for every body who want to have correct information i recomend to read about ,this marveoulus rabbi ,explaining all this rabish things and fairy tail history about jews soldiers eating christian blood. iam sorry for those who can contort and mislead the opinion and destabilised the pax between christians and jews.. even his holiness pop jhon paul said that the jews are our big brothers.(anche voi siete i nostri fratelli magiori)
(1) amos, June 12, 2011 1:10 PM
attacking our moral IDF
OK we know what the arabs say about us is ridiculous - so what do we do about it?