It’s difficult to think of a more fitting and G-d-sent “picture of defeat”, than the drone-clip of the wounded LOSER Sinwar ym”sh, sitting forlorn outside his destroyed “clever” tunnels, in an abandoned Israeli-bombed building, missing his right-hand (justice for Hersh Polin-Goldberg), even abandoned by his own body guards, and without any “life-insurance hostages”, in his “last -stand” pathetically, futilely and meekly throwing a stick (not missiles or rockets, not even guns!) left-handed at a tiny IDF drone. The picture is only rivaled by the subsequent photo of Sinwar’s embarrassingly laying like rubble among the debris that he wrought upon his fellow Gazans (whom he also butchered ruthlessly)! He wasn’t even killed by a commando unit or classified intelligence report, but Hashem got rid of him via an “accident” in a pitiful end to the most evil of men in our generation.
This picturesque finale is a wake-up call to the Hamas that their game is up, as well as a warning to the Hizballah and Iran what will happen to them and their leaders unless they stop messing with Hashem’s people. We’ve mentioned in the past, and strongly suggest publicizing as much as possible, that the Talmud (Sanhedrin 106a) relates to our present enemies already 1,600 years ago:
“He [Bil’am] took up his parable [=prophesizing about the end of days] and said: Alas! Who can survive when He will do this?’ (Bamidbar 24, 23). [explaining] “Woe to the nation who will hinder the nation of Israel at the time when the Holy One, Blessed be He, redeems His children. Who dares place his garment to separate between a lion and his female lioness when they wish to mate? [Woe to him, for he who does so will certainly not “survive”].”
For those who questioned the capability of G-d and His IDF just one year ago, the turn-around which finds the Hamas hiding like mice, and deliberating between surrender and getting wiped out, is a suitable answer. If in the Shoa we were hiding like mice for 6 years, and even in the end there was no “victory -picture”, today we must also have in mind this week during the Hallel of Sukkot, to thank Hashem for the fortunate change in Jewish history which the aforementioned clip and “photo-finish” so eloquently portray. “He will hide me in His Sukka on the day of calamity” (Tehilim 27, 5).
True, the tragic misconceptions and policies which enabled the worst pogrom since the Holocaust, must teach us humility and our need for Hashem’s help, so davka thanking Him and utilizing the formidable IDF that He granted us is the logical answer and lesson. There is BH now new hope for freeing the hostages- where the kidnappers must choose between returning them or sharing the outcome of their leader…
If “Allahu Akhbar” is still the primitive Islamic battle-cry proclaiming that G-d is “Moslem” by thrashing the “infidels”, a stunning Islamic defeat is the only way for at least some of them to return to man’s natural morality, and rethink their religious folly. True, it’s hard for religious fanatics to change, unless they are thoroughly convinced that G-d isn’t on the side of the sadists and murderers, but rather with the “good-guys”. Although that may be a little naive, we pray that at least the anti-Israel intelligentsia in the Ivy League universities should relearn what real morality is about, before siding with the next Sinwar.
We must also daven for political wisdom, that the Israeli government should make the most of this G-d-sent situation. Among other points, Israel must step-up our own shell manufacturing- which will enable us to stand up to Biden and Harris when necessary. Like every loving father, Hashem wants His children to mature to be independent, and when necessary, just trust in His help. Just ask Bil’am and his new neighbor in hell, Sinwar…
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sam’each! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)