Home at last, living in harmony in Jerusalem
Nothing can compare with the joy of finally returning to our home in Jerusalem this past week.
After a delay of almost two months due to the tragic illness and passing of my beloved mother-in-law, my wife and I were finally able to come back to Jerusalem and reconnect with our wonderful friends and family. And by friends and family, I mean all of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael.
There are some in this complicated place with whom I vehemently disagree, but whereas before that fateful Oct. 7 I would be angry, even vituperative, at those on the other side of the political and religious spectrum, I realized immediately afterwards that the demands of ahavat achim, love of one’s’ fellow Jew, requires that we restrain our emotions and disagree with dignity and calm (even if the other side fails to do so). Not always easy, I admit.
But as many commentators have suggested, the reason for this horrible war was our engagement in sinat achim, hatred of our fellow Jew. The arguments over court reform, Haredi recruitment and many other issues, that rocked the Land and People of Israel to their very foundations, culminated in the catastrophe of slaughter on Shmini Atzeret 5784, a holiday that is all about love of one’s fellow Jew.
Because of our mutual hatred and disgust, G-d chose to hide His face.
The nation quickly realized the awful error and corrected, with acts of ahavat achim that for the most part continue to this day and have been a key ingredient in our slowly winning the war.
• • •
We’ve decimated Hamas and killed Sinwar; why can’t we find the hostages?
Once again, as Hashem hears my prayer and feels my sometimes desperation, He sends me guidance from this past week’s parsha.
Lech Lecha is about Avraham and his journey — his physical journey of travel, as well as his journey of self-discovery and establishing a personal relationship with Hashem. But Lech Lecha is also about his relationship with his wife, Sarai (later Sarah); his nephew, Lot, and his family; and his enemies, such as Pharaoh of Egypt. In fact, as Avram, later Avraham, becomes increasingly successful (Bereishit 13:2) it’s clear that he can no longer stay with his nephew Lot, and ultimately they agree to go their separate ways — vayipardu ish mei-al achiv — the first breach in the Abrahamic family. And then a war breaks out.
At first, it has nothing to do with Avraham. Four Kings against five. Who cares? Well, it is taking place in the land destined to be the inheritance of Avraham and his descendants forever, the future land of Israel.
And then it gets personal. Avraham’s nephew and all he has are taken captive. When informed of this, Avraham without hesitation gathers his allies and disciples (numbering only 318) and chases them north as far as Hobah, above Damascus (more than 200 miles from Hebron), defeats them, and rescues Lot and all his possessions.
• • •
I see this as an example of maaseh l’avot siman l’banim. In fact, the Ramban earlier in Lech Lecha cites this very principle — that what happened to our avot is a sign for their descendants and their actions lessons for the future. Although he does not cite the rescue of Lot by Avraham as an example, with our existing hostages a bitter reality, the story shouts, “My children, see what Avraham did in a similar situation and learn!”
First lesson: He verified his information “vayaged l’Avram,” even if it came from the most nefarious sources (the Midrash tells us that the refugee who informed Avraham that Lot was taken captive was none other than the evil giant Og, who would later be cut down by Moses himself).
Second: He gathered his best friends and allies to help (Mamre, Eshkol and Aner). When I see the name Aner, I think of Aner Shapira, the friend of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who at the cost of his own life threw back seven grenades, saving the lives of many, including Hersh, who had taken shelter from the attack at the Nova music festival.
Third: He “armed” his disciples, notably, Eleizer. The number of disciples is low, 318. The Midrash says it was even lower, only Eliezer alone, whose name has the gematria of 318 (Nedarim 32a).
But as Rashi says, his “disciples” — chanichav from the word chinuch (to educate religiously) — whom Avraham taught to do mitzvot. The lesson for us is clear — religious young men who are educated to perform mitzvot, certainly in times of danger and national emergency, must be armed and ready for battle to help their fellow Jew.
Fourth: “Deployed against them at night … he struck them and pursued them” — a long distance, as far as it took, without hesitation, without mercy.
Fifth: He was finally successful in bringing all, men and women, “the people back.”
Sixth: The most valuable lesson of all, that despite parting from his “brother” due to irreconcilable differences, Avraham did not hesitate to rescue Lot when Lot was in need. That is what real ahavat achim is all about.
Furthermore, after victory, Avraham refuses any reward for his actions, raising his hand and allegiance to “Hashem, G-d the Most High, Maker of heaven and earth.”
• • •
We are Avraham’s children. We must use every source of information to locate our hostages, bring our closest friends to assist us, arm our soldiers with the most advanced weaponry also also with Torah and mitzvot.
We must act with cunning and guile, tirelessly, and strike our enemy without mercy, pursuing them as far as it takes, and with G-d’s help we will finally succeed.
This road has been long, but the brave forces of Tzahal have imbibed and executed these lessons well.
Stories abound of their bravery and heroism, but also how units of men and women of disparate backgrounds — religious and non-religious, right and left — work cohesively and effectively as one, not allowing their different beliefs or opinions interfere with their mission.
It is our job to continue to support them in every way we can, to allow them to complete their task and like Avraham Avinu, bring our hostages home.
Dr. Alan Mazurek is a retired neurologist, living in Great Neck, Jerusalem and Florida. He is a former chairman of the ZOA. To reach him, write: Columnist@TheJewishStar.com
