In this week’s Parsha, we read about the epic confrontation between Yaakov Avinu and the Malach of Esav. This event foreshadows our entire history to this day. The collective life of Am Yisroel, with few exceptions, has been a constant struggle for survival ever since this day so many years ago in a lonely field on the border of the Holy Land.
Who has struggled more than we? Who has had to fight for survival more than we? But we have a secret, “for Hashem has redeemed Yaakov and delivered him from a power mightier than he. Blessed are You, Hashem, Who redeemed Israel.” (Maariv) Now, as we approach the end of this long exile, it seems that the battle is heating up. This is the darkness before the dawn. In this period, when we can hear the footsteps of Moshiach echoing on the street, I would like to address a letter to our enemies, who think that their time of victory is near, but who are so tragically mistaken.
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Letter to our enemies:
Now that virtually the entire world is lining up against us, the Jewish people, I feel it is appropriate to address you, our enemies, in order to give you an understanding of what you are doing and where it will lead. Obviously, you do not understand the implications of your actions. If you did, then you would behave differently. “If the nations of the world had realized the value of the Temple to all of humanity, they would have surrounded it with their armies to guard it for the Jews.” (Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar)
Whether or not you read this letter, it clarifies the subject for us, even if not for you. Besides, one never knows where one's words will travel. We do our best and Hashem does the rest.
Your war against us is hopeless. You may kill or hurt us -- God forbid -- but it is impossible to destroy us. Every major empire since ancient Egypt has tried to destroy us. They were sure they would succeed, but they all failed, and they were all destroyed in the attempt. It is stated countless times in the Torah that Hashem will never let us be destroyed. You know that you cannot touch G-d. He will destroy those who try to destroy us, as He destroyed every enemy before you.
The paradigm for this is the story of ancient Egypt, which is prominently presented in the Torah. The entire world knows this story, but they fail to absorb its lessons. It must be pointed out that the children of Israel are always the underdog, the weak minority. Our enemies always vastly outnumber us and their armies seem invincible. But in Egypt, Pharaoh’s entire army was drowned in the Red Sea, and it will always be that way for our enemies, because G-d loves us and He is beyond reach.
When I say that G-d loves us, I am not implying that we are perfect. Everyone knows our faults because they are clearly revealed in the Torah. G-d knows our faults better than you do and better than we do. But He sees within us an everlasting inextinguishable flame of love for Him, which you do not possess. We have endured innumerable tortures in order to sanctify His Name. No other nation has gone through what we have gone through. Because of the Covenant between us, G-d has sworn, as is clearly stated in the Bible, never to abandon us until the end of time and into the Next World. “By Myself I swear,” G-d said to Avraham, “that I shall surely bless you …. Like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore … and all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your offspring….” (Beraishis 22) You would receive this blessing if you would drop your weapons and humble yourselves before Your Creator.
Do not forget what is written: “that [Hashem] established the covenant [with Avraham] to give the land of the Canaanite, Hittite, Emorite, Perizzite, Jebusite and Girgashite to [Avraham’s] offspring….” (Nechemiah 9:8) Do you think that the war for the Land of Israel is our idea? No! G-d has given us this Land and stated that the previous inhabitants will be forced out. Those who oppose the will of Hashem cannot survive!
Listen to these words of the Torah: “This will be the plague with which Hashem will smite all the nations that [rally] against Yerushalayim: their flesh will rot while they stand erect, their eyes will rot in their sockets and their tongue will rot in their mouths….” (Zechariah 14:12) This will be the fate of those who attack Yerushalayim.
Nations of the world: is this what you want for yourselves? Is it your desire to oppose the Ruler of the Universe? Why do you want to destroy yourselves? By attacking Israel, in truth, you are attacking the Al-Mighty G-d Himself. But since you cannot reach Him, you attack those most closely associated with Him, the Children of Israel.
Ancient Egypt failed. The Philistines failed. The Assyrians failed. The Babylonians failed. The Persians failed. The Greeks failed. The Romans failed. The Byzantines failed. The Crusaders failed. The Inquisition failed. The pogroms failed. The Nazis failed. The Communists failed. And the same for Hamas, Hizbollah and the Mullahs of Iran; they will all fail.
They all thought they would succeed and then disaster struck. Because Hashem loves His People and has sworn a covenant until the end of time. He has given the Land of Israel and the Torah to us as eternal possessions. And you know it. He has sent us into Exile, but He is bringing us back to inherit the Land forever. And you know it.
Be good to yourselves and save yourselves while you still have time.
GLOSSARY
Esav: Esau, our primordial enemy, twin brother of Jacob
Malach: Angel
Yaakov Avinu: our Father Jacob
