The war in Lebanon has brought out hidden talents and reservoirs of knowledge of many acquaintances. My next-door neighbor, a mild-mannered accountant, explained that Israel should have sent in "100,000 maybe 150,000 troops" and taken over all of Lebanon.
My other neighbor, a physical therapist, disagrees. "Bombing, bombing and more bombing, until no remnant of Hezbollah remained." Apparently he has some very reliable sources deep inside the Mossad.
My barber, a fearless warrior of note, has a much broader view of the conflict. "Until Iran is eliminated from the scene, they will continue re-arming Shiite warriors. We must deposit three nuclear bombs in Teheran, Shiraz and Qun, and only then can we be sure of peace. Everyone is just too chicken to do it."
The one position that very few entertain is that perhaps there is no real solution. For reasons unclear to me, people accept the axiom that "there is no safe place for Jews but Israel." Why are we so convinced of its safety?
We are surrounded by hundreds of millions of people who
(a) feel that we are intruders and invaders in their land,
(b) have people stoking a fanatical religious hatred for us as Jews,
(c) have no real desire to push ahead technologically in order to enjoy a sophisticated quality of life (therefore bombing their cities does not hold much leverage),
(d) and have masses and masses of idle, disenfranchised youth who are ready to explode into violence. Even if we killed every member of Hezbollah and destroyed every last gun they own, it will re-grow again. Another fanatical leader will arise, attract thousands of disenchanted youths, get weapons from Iran or Libya or Malaysia or whomever, and go at it again.
For those who think that smashing victories can make a difference, let me refresh some memories. The Six Day War ranks as the most crushing of victories. Every last piece of Arab war machinery was destroyed or captured; their armies absolutely demoralized. I was in high school at that time and we were sure that Israel would never have to fight another war. When I arrived in Israel in 1970, I was amazed that they were still building houses with bomb shelters in them. "Why?" I asked incredulously.
In 1973, a few short years later, we fought a war that almost cost us the State of Israel.
What is the military/political solution? I profess total ignorance. I have never held a gun in my life. Contrary to most of the people I know, I have no uncle-of-my-brother-in-law who is privy to state secrets, nor has anyone leaked to me the notes of the last cabinet discussions. Of course we our obligated to implement the best possible military/political solution possible, and I leave that to others who know better. But there are two important points to be made about the results of this last war.
The first is that we must stop selling Israel as the solution for all our security problems. "A Jew is safe only in Israel" is a blithely false statement. We fervently believe that God will indeed protect us, but it is a matter of faith, not a natural reality. The Holocaust argument, as in "Had there been a state, there would not have been a Holocaust," doesn't hold up to scrutiny. We need to dig more deeply into our natural consciousness and come up with valid reasons as to why living in Israel is worthwhile despite the constantly precarious situation. Not only will this be a more true evaluation of the situation, but it will bring out the idealism in us, instead of the mere expedient.
The second point focuses on the very understanding of what the Land of Israel means to the Jewish people.
The Torah states:
"for [the Land of Israel] is not like the land of Egypt...where it is watered by foot... but the land which you pass over to ... from the rain of the heaven it will drink water ... a land that the Lord your God seeks out. The eyes of the Lord, your God, are always upon it, from the beginning of the year until the end of the year." (Deuteronomy 11:12)
The reading of the verse implies that the Egyptians have their fields watered regularly by the Nile River, while Israel waits for rain. Being that the Nile floods are regular while rains are sporadic, doesn't that make Egypt a better land? And yet the verse clearly means to describe the reverse!
Yes, in Israel we live with constant anxiety and prayer. But we also live with a constantly recognizable Divine Providence.
The answer is that the verse is not lauding the Land of Israel for its physical advantages, but for its spiritual affinity. When man settles into a comfortable, self-supporting environment, it's all too easy to lose contact with God. The regularity of the natural cycle lulls one into feeling that God is out of the picture. The false security of the Nile means that man never needs to look heavenward.
Not so in the Land of Israel. There is no regular cycle and each rainfall is unpredictable. Man must perforce raise his eyes heavenward.
Perhaps this is what lies at the bottom of the security issue. God did not grant us a land that is naturally secure; a Switzerland of sorts. Rather, He endowed us with a land that constantly provokes prayer from us. Yes, in Israel we live with constant anxiety and prayer. But we also live with a constantly recognizable Divine Providence. And that is what the Land of Israel is all about.
(26) rena goldz, December 26, 2018 6:52 PM
I really like the perspective in this article
(25) Anonymous, September 19, 2006 1:01 PM
TRUE there is no safe place for Jews but Israel
"ki aynei elokecha ba"
Because Hashem gives his holy land special protection. All other homelands are temporary dwellings.
(24) Michael, August 29, 2006 12:00 AM
Bravo
Bravo Rabbi Lopianski! Well done. Although I have the highest respect for the IDF, they are not the strength of Israel. And while some of the brightest minds in the world who make the latest in technical advancements and medical discoveries are from Israel, they are also not the strength of Israel. These are simply blessings that G-d has given to Israel. HE is the strength of Israel. He is faithful, always watching, and never sleeps.
Nathan H. Zimmerman, December 29, 2011 3:57 PM
While I agree with Michael regarding the strength of Israel is through G-D, We are also required to be vigilent to the perils that surround the small country of Israel. The enemy does not recognize the stregth of Israel by it's G-D , but by the ability of Israel to defend itself. The lessons learned in the six day war are a constant reminder to the enemies of Israel that Israel does not fight to win, but to survive ! And to do that, the military force needs to be the very best it can be. As a retired military person myself, I completely respect the ability of the IDF and believe That while G-D is the driving force in the hearts of Israel, the people need to understand that just like in ancient biblical times, nothing happens by itself. Israel needs to be fully prepared at a moments notice to defend itself, And G-D will be there to provide the success.
(23) TzviaLavan, August 29, 2006 12:00 AM
Oh so true
It seams as if my whole life has been like this and I converted 4 years ago, but have thought about converting since I was 8 yrs old. Hashem knows all who are of Isreal even though we as individuals do not. Thank you for this article. It has helped me to understand why I have endured what I have.
(22) davidabrams, August 29, 2006 12:00 AM
Yasher Kochachem
this would make a wonderful 'Shabbos Drosho' every Parshes Aikev, thank you
very much, i enjoyed it
(21) arielaparejo, August 29, 2006 12:00 AM
let truth be told
God indeed did not grant us a land that is naturally secure so as the saying goes a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye.
(20) Anonymous, August 29, 2006 12:00 AM
Your article was heart-felt and I thank you.
As I approach returning home to Israel, from too-easy stay in mid-America, I truly appreciate your article. I am eager to return; I have gotten spoiled by my stay here, but Israel is home. And at this time of year, especially, I need to feel that commitment of what "home" is. And you are right. I wish you a Shana Tova and best wishes for a good year.
(19) Anonymous, August 28, 2006 12:00 AM
Why don't we pray for the happiness of our neighbors?
Why don't we pray for the happiness of our neighbors? Since God hears all prayer, this one would have the best security implication there is.
(18) RivkaPaz, August 28, 2006 12:00 AM
So true
Thank you for your article. It's content is so true. In Israel we don't need fancy things like in America; faith is what is needed here. It's not the comfort we get, it's the obedience we give to Hashem. All our degrees and diplomas will do us no good if we don't put our trust in our only Source, the G-d of Israel.
(17) yoram, August 28, 2006 12:00 AM
unfortunately true.
unfortunatly, because as people/nation
we hardly justify holding the place.
this is probably the only country on earth where the jews are only born jews
but not behave like ones.
(16) TonyeIkiroma-Owiye, August 28, 2006 12:00 AM
The sustianer of Israel is the Lord
The write-up by Rabbi Ahron Lopiansky is very spiritual and points out the true understanding of what the Prophets of old have been saying all along.The rebirt or the recreation of the state of Israel is from God and for any true interpretation of modern realities as concerning the threats poised by Hizbullah,Hamas,Syria and other anti-semites are not new nor will they cease to hate Isreal.Check the books of Samuel,Kings in the bible,as all enemies of Israel have all without exception insisted on her destruction.My prayer and that of others are that let the will of God prevail.
(15) Robert, August 28, 2006 12:00 AM
God created us to be in relationship with Him as a family
I agree with Rabbi A Lopianski, we are created to be in constant relation with/dependency on God our Father as an individual, family,community, nation, etc
(14) SnowyNomad, August 28, 2006 12:00 AM
Peace can only be attained by peace
No amount of violence will create peace... only a strong will not to create violence, love and persistence.
(13) Rev.ManassehOleMankuleiyo, August 28, 2006 12:00 AM
Thak you Rabbi Ahron Lopiansky
Shalom Ysroel, Shalom Rabbi Ahron
At a time like this we need spiritual insight because what the eye sees is futility and discouragement but through the plan of Hashem theres a profound
My first visit to my spitritual land Ysorel was a dusty and dry one and yet spiritualy quite uplifting
Yes Rabbi; it is more than running water and greenery, indeed it is deeper than milk and honey because these are visible, tangible, and temporary
I'd rather think that Ysroel is "a place of meeting"; a place of embrace; where Heaven meets earth and the created and creator embrace;Genesis chapter 3 and 4..."That they may go and worship me"...Hashem
Toda
MM
(12) HOWARDMALLINGER, August 28, 2006 12:00 AM
VERY INTERESTING
AS MUCH AS THE ARTICLE GOES,DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER THE FUGU PLAN,(BY THE JAPANESE) AS WELL AS F.D.R,S IDEA FOR THE JEWS IN WW2? IF NOT,WE NEED MORE HELP THEN WE THINK.
(11) Andy, August 28, 2006 12:00 AM
time will tell
It is amazing/scary that the return to Zion enmasse was at least outwardly a seemingly anti religious movement.
"Had there been a state, there would not have been a Holocaust," doesn't hold up to scrutiny"
I'm not sure it doesn't. Many Jews were murdered becuse no country would take them in. If Israel existed as a Jewish state and had a powerful military with state of the art weaponry I don't know if a holocaust would have occured. Anyway, one thing that seems certain is we'll find out. Iran has designs on completing Hitler's work. May God help us in thwarting their plan.
(10) IrwinRuff, August 27, 2006 12:00 AM
Israel was given by the Almighty to the Jews
This is the aspect that is ignored by many Israelis, especially among the ruling caste. Our claim to Eretz Yisroel is based not on a League of Nations/ United Nations resolution, nor on the history of 2000 years ago. As Rashi emphasizes at the beginning of his commentary on the Chumash, Eretz Yisroel belongs to the Jews because it was given to us by Hashem. It is only by faith in this promise that Israel will be able to overcome her enemies. Without this, there is no support for our presence there.
(9) DavidLandy, August 27, 2006 12:00 AM
As an American Jew, 911 was my awakening. We are vulnerable within our powerful, but very open country to more terror attacks from Muslim fundamentalists. Eventually after a few more attacks, the US will see who the real enemy is and hopefully take more appropriate steps to defend itself.
I am more worried about our millions of brothers and sisters in Israel.
Will peace ever come to Isreal?
Will Jews be ever be safe there?
In a thousand years will our restablishment of the Jewish state of Israel persist or be a memory?
How do we know that Hashem has determined that our time in Israel is now?
Muslim fascism is on the rise. Terrorist groups are becoming better armed. Israel is surrounded by hundreds of millions of muslims who increasingly want to see Israel destroyed. More pressure will occur for Arab countries to unite and forcibly kill the Israeli Jews and destroy the State of Israel. Iran's maniac leader will eventually have nuclear weapons.
What are Israel's options?
Continue our defense: prepare for more attacks, complete the barrier wall, continuously fight terror in Gaza, the West Bank and Hezbollah, improve the IDF and missile defense...
How long can a few millions Jews fight off so many?
Eventually, I believe the threat of our enemies will be minimized and Jews will find peace in our God given land of Eretz Israel.
But in the near future, are Jews safer in the US or Israel? Is our time for peace in Israel now?
Unfortunately, now Israelis must be fighters to survive. Look what happened to our people in Nazi Eurpoe when we were unable to defend ourselves. But we cannot be warriers forever.
The ultimate answer lies not with our military, but with Hashem. We need Hashem to come to our aid soon. Te evil surrounding Israel is growing stronger.
Jews around the world must fervently pray for the safety of Israel, become more pious and show more reverence to God. We must humbly pray to God to Grant us peace in our homeland. We must honor Hashem through following his Mitzvah. We must display to Hashem that we are indeed a God loving nation deserving to have peace in our homeland now. We must prove that we are still his chosen people. We have not lost our way. We choose the path of rightenous.
Let us pray like we have never prayed before. Let us spread the light and goodness that emenates from Hashem. Our future is in our prayers, thoughts and actions.
Shalom, my brothers and sisters.
(8) larryuman, August 27, 2006 12:00 AM
thanks
thanks for a great article
(7) BertRothschild, August 27, 2006 12:00 AM
We should have smashed Hezbollah
Israeli intelligence was inadequate. They had no idea of Hezbollah's strength not, I imagine their tactical dispersions. I suspect that had Israel known, they would have 1.sent in overwhelming force to eliminate their threat for perhaps five years; 2. they would have plenty of time to sort out the diplomatic situation and 3. they would tell Lebanon/Hezbollah that any hint of a re-buildup of arms would lead to another pasting.
(6) PeterGaffney, August 27, 2006 12:00 AM
Forever War?
It is safe to say that no nation in history has ever been so meticulous in trying to minimize civilian casualties as Israel in its targeted assassinations of top terrorists. This Washington Post article details the painful deliberations accompanying every mission:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/26/AR2006082600917.html
It seems to me a pity that while such care was taken with these secret missions, the recent attack on Lebanon at least gave the appearance -- as the whole world watched -- of callous disregard for civilian casualties and the suffering of the Lebanese people. The arrogant, denying-any-wrongdoing attitude of the Israeli military echoed that the U.S. has been displaying in regard to civilian casualties in Iraq.
The Israelis are fighting an enemy which thinks nothing of blowing up school buses full of children... and THEY (the Israelis) come out looking like the bad guys!
This is not simply the result of anti-Israeli bias in press coverage. It's almost as if the Israeli government WANTS to cultivate a reputation for ruthlessness. (Distinguishing between terrorism and legitimate military action on the grounds that the latter does not DELIBERATELY target civilians ceases to make for a compelling argument when the civilian death toll approaches 1000; at a certain point effect trumps intent. Indeed, the fact that Hezbollah's rockets killed far fewer Israelis was almost certainly not the result of Hezbollah's compassion.)
This article is absolutely correct in stating that even if Israel killed every one of its enemies, new enemies would just arise in their place. Military force alone is no answer to Israel's security issues. People need to start talking. And it seems to me that Israel -- along with their partners, particularly the U.S. -- needs to start emulating their adversaries in terms of building hospitals, schools and infrastructure, and reigniting the Palestinian economy.
Although at this point it may be that everything depends on whether the U.S. decides to attack Iran. If it does so, I'm afraid the whole Middle East will be caught up in a firestorm which will make the last 30 years seem like a golden age by comparison. And there will be no safety for anyone, anywhere.
(When people say that God has given Israel to the Jews, I have to wonder what they imagine the future will look like, once that promise has been fulfilled. Will the Arabs have just disappeared? Will there be a place in this Israel for secular Jews? It concerns me too that Christians and Jews both see events in Israel today in terms of the fulfillment of prophecy; what happens when a point is reached where Jewish and Christian visions of the future begin to diverge? Throughout history so many terrible things have been done that would have been too awful to contemplate without the certainty that God willed them; how does one ensure that God's promise is not interpreted as a license to kill? On a more specific note, how can the absolute nature of God's promise be reconciled with the flexibility, practicality and need for compromise which are fundamental to human politics? Does God's promise provide enough latitude to even have a meaningful negotiation with the Palestinians? If not, should Israel make that quite clear from the start?)
(5) Diana, August 27, 2006 12:00 AM
So True
May Isreal not lose heart because every nation has its problems and far fewer realize the necessity of God in those lands - let alone the beauty of God. Or that he is not narrow minded and parochial.
(4) VictoriaandArthur, August 27, 2006 12:00 AM
I wish everyone I know would read this.
Thank you for saying that which has appeared to be unacceptable for the many of us who see Israel as our last hope if the situation chould change here.
(3) DAVIDSHAPIRO, August 27, 2006 12:00 AM
ARMCHAIR GENERALS ARTICLE
I JUST WANTED TO SAY HOW MUCH I ENJOYED THE ABOVE ARTICLE ,HOW INTERESTING AND THOUGHT PROVOKING IT WAS.
THANK YOU
DAVID SHAPIRO
DURHAM
ENGLAND
(2) char, August 27, 2006 12:00 AM
Your answer is in the article
The Holy One of Yisroel, Blessed be He, set the boundaries, wider than in practice today, a land flowing with milk and honey. It's in the struggle that we are reminded of our dependence on Him, which is the very same lesson taught 40 years in the desert -- to seek Him early in the morning, to lean on Him during the day, and to trust in Him when we close our eyes at the end of the day -- always. To call us out and to teach us not to be like other people and other nations -- a nation established upon His precepts and ordinances and the way we live and the way we worship. And for that, the nations became angry.
King David knew where his help came from -- the Ancient of Days.
Yisroel is a model nation with a Chosen People and a Destiny long foretold. There is an everlasting peace promised, but it will come in HaShem's time, and not our own -- and He reminds us that though He seems to tarry, yet will He come. Shalom.
(1) Pedersen,SteffenLauge, August 27, 2006 12:00 AM
You are not alone
Being a Danish citizen, born in 1927, I witnessed the essentially abortive attempt from the German responsible quarters to annihilate also the Danish
Jews. I remember clearly the combined feeling of disgust and solicitude, that brought most of our threatened countrymen safely over Oeresund to Sweden.
I hope, that most "westerners" today feel like I do and did. Israel must prevail, notwithstanding the costs