Author: Ari Shvat

mall” terrorists in order to free our brothers and sisters kidnapped by Hamas. This is surely a topic which demands humility, for only a select few top army officers and politicians know all of the information necessary to express a serious opinion

I’ll just suffice to say that as a rav, I was against freeing 1,027 terrorists including Yichye Sinuar ym”sh and much of the present Gazan Hamas leadership (and many convicted murderers) in order to free Gilad Shalit, a young soldier who was kidnapped because he defied the army’s orders, and surrendered rather than fight. The pragmatic halacha explains that if we pay more than the usual or accepted “price” (generally one of their’s for one of our’s), the enemy will simply kidnap over and over (Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 252). On the other hand, the brutal kidnapping of so many civilians from their homes, many of them children, women and elderly, must be seen differently.

The story is told of R. Velvel Soleveitchik, an extreme anti-Zionist Yerushalmi, who when asked why he castigates all religious-Zionists aside from R. Meir Bar-Ilan, explained: what can I do, he’s “mishpacha” (they were cousins)! Upon hearing this, exclaimed HaRav Kook: all of Am Yisrael are my “mishpacha”! Every parent of every child kidnapped by Hamas is not to blame for wanting to free their child at any price, and we should also identify with these children mamash as our “mishpacha”! True, Gilad Shalit and every soldier is also our child, but during his years in Tzahal, it’s his national turn to fight to defend Am Yisrael (and himself), which Shalit didn’t do. This is totally different than the kidnapping of helpless babies where, together with our resolve to continue beating Hamas to a pulp (in order to deter our other surrounding enemies), we are obligated, out of love as well as for national morale, to bring them home, and then get back to work fighting evil!

I’ll just mention again in this context, the gemara we’ve cited in the past (Sanhedrin 106a)”‘He [Bil’am] took up his parable [=prophesizing about our generations, the period of ge’ula] and said: Alas! Who can survive when He does this?'(Bamidbar 24, 23). Woe to the nation who will be found hindering the Jewish people at the time when [our Father] the Holy One, Blessed be He, redeems His children. Who dares place his garment to separate between a male lion and a female lioness when they wish to mate? [Woe to him, for who does so will certainly not “survive”].” We must emulate our G-dly Father (remember: Imitateo Dei= צלם אלוקים…) and do anything to free, and to fight, in order to save and love His, and our (!) beloved children. Shabbat Shalom (!!) Rav Ari

Q. Hi Rav Shvat… I just am struggling because my parents ‘love’ Israel but are comfortable overseas and want me to be with them. I have a stronger love for Israel/zionist/will live through a war in Israel view and it is hard to explain to them how I feel towards Israel and also respect them and how they feel. They ‘get it’ but they tell me it’s best to come back in case it worsens or even the current state of war as it is, is bad enough for them. Answer: Shalom! It’s a good and natural sign that your parents love you and want you safe and near them. Otherwise it would be a problem! Nevertheless, it’s logical (and also halachically sound) that at some age (usually around your age), the child already knows, better than his parents, what’s best for him. This is usually difficult for parents to accept, even if their child is 60 years old! Honoring our parents is really important and that’s why it’s even in the Ten Commandments, but that’s regarding their needs, e.g. going to the grocery for them, making them a cup of coffee, and not regarding your life or ideological decisions (Resp. Maharik 166-7; Shulchan Aruch YD 240, 25)

Moreover, experience shows that idealistic and Zionist children almost always received at least part of this davka from their parents, for which you should respect and sincerely thank them. You may try explaining to them that you actually took the education they gave you even more seriously than they took themselves, e.g. they taught you to love Israel, but you actually made Aliyah. Accordingly, they should davka be proud of you, that you choose to live by the ideals with which they raised you! Love and loyalty are also very important middot to which they surely educated you as well, and accordingly, we should not come to Israel just when we need her, but also when she needs us! The guys who are unfortunately sometimes giving their lives now in Gaza to free the hostages and fight Hamas, are your age. If Eretz Yisrael is worth them dying for, Kal VaChomer it’s worth you living for (where BH, you really are not in any danger)! In short, davka your staying and helping out in Israel is a reflection of your love and respect for parents and their ideals, and I have no doubt that, even if they’re a little worried, they are proud of you! With Love of Israel, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

A student once asked R. Zvi Yehuda Kook, why we preach and act with such tolerance and love to bring our fellow Jews closer to the Torah ideals, but don’t do the same with our Arab adversaries? He answered: Of course we want to befriend all mankind, but with those who hate us, we must do so at first, with the aid of tanks.

His father Rav Kook writes similarly, that the mitzva of rebuke (Vayikra 19, 17) is to do so in a way that it will really help. Don’t yell in French to one who doesn’t understand that language, and don’t throw rocks at Jews who drive on Shabbat. Don’t speak gently to those Arabs who idealize and are even proud of slaughtering non-Moslems, for their mindset doesn’t yet understand our language. It’s not beneficial to them, and surely not for us.

Israel wanted to believe that the Hamas was deterred, but wishful thinking doesn’t bring security. We want peace, but if we never carry out our threat, our enemies simply take advantage. In the present, we must “speak in Arabic”.

R. Kook writes that with the advantage of having the G-dly Torah, in the Tanach, Israel was always several generations more moral than the primitive nations. But King David advanced them realistically, not pretending or projecting that all others see the world as we do in his gentle Tehilim. Our heroes deterred the primitive tribes in the Tanach “in their language”, and this advice is true and beneficial until today.

The Middle-East is not the Mid-West. The U.N. and Obama think that it takes 2 to tangle (YouTube Dershowitz’s recent gutsy Kiddush Hashem in answering the former president). But if in Syria, Lybia and Egypt the culture condones civil war with each other and “unilateral” daughter-killings, so it’s laughably naïve to think they will “stam” simply love us more than their own, without bringing in some “game-changer”.

No human is inherently evil (we actually have IDF Moslems with us in fighting the fanatic Moslims) and we do believe that all of the Arabs, as all mankind, will eventually be good. Sadly, they leave us no choice but to hasten their maturation process, by swiftly showing them that evil doesn’t pay. Judaism believes that we must show that savagery not only loses out morally, but also militarily (addressing the foundation of their mindset). If they would leave us alone, we would not have to deal with this issue, but unfortunately, they leave us no alternative but to deter them with tanks and F-15’s.

Modern Christian Europe tries “turning the other cheek”, which is seen in Islam as a weakness. Rav Kook explains the beauty of Judaism is that we reduce the exaggerated and chauvinistic Gevura of Islam, but contrarily enhance Gevura to the “pushover” naïve Christians (Orot, p. 153). Without this, Europe is losing a one-sided (!) war against the new-coming Moslems (who ironically bring the culture from which they fled in the Middle East, easily overtaking the over-tolerant Europeans demographically, forcing those governments to placate them for electoral purposes).

Contrarily, Judaism as is clear from the Tanach, doesn’t believe in going like sheep to slaughter. Historically, while the Jews were battling the pagan and immoral Romans, Jesus was wandering the Judean desert with his ascetic friends theoretically contemplating “how to be good”, with teachings like “resist not evil”. The rabbis both philosophically and practically, rejected his pacifistic approach and we fight evil, for when Am Yisrael is at war, the definition of goodness, morality and kindness is to save and help your brothers from their ruthless enemies, not stand idly by their blood (Vayikra 19, 16), but rather deter the evil.

On our parsha of Chayei Sarah, our rabbis actually write that Yishmael ends up doing teshuva. We truly hope that the Abraham-Accords can be a first sign of such a peaceful future, but we cannot yet naively lay down our sword and shield.

Yes, Judaism is unique in our “middle” approach, balancing and harmonizing the good from both philosophies (in kabbalistic terms: Christianity’s over-chessed+ and Islam’s over-gevura) through being both moral and practical by “resisting evil”. It’s moral to fight evil in Israel’s “war against wars”, to, at least for the time being, bezrat Hashem “mekarev” them with the help of Merkava tanks. Just as they give us no other choice, we should conversely show them there is no alternative to being a “mentch”.

With Love of Israel, Shabbat Shalom! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

Question: For those of us who still live in the diaspora and feel antisemitism rising around us in the present situation – how can we know when is the right time to flee and make aliyah? Should we go before we feel ready, just to feel safer, or should we wait until we feel ready to make it? Sometimes waiting until we are ready, feels like being in 1939’s Europe and seeing the last ships depart without us… Answer: Firstly, please allow me to admire your candidness! Thank G-d, davka because today we have a Jewish State, incidents like those who missed the last boat out of Europe should not be happening again. On the other hand, those who wait will obviously be missing out on other things. For example certain countries, including democracies (like South Africa, at certain points), have allowed Jews to leave but without their money (for obvious economic reasons, from their standpoint). The longer you wait, the more difficulties you will inevitably face in finding work in your field, more affordable housing etc. As you get older, it becomes more difficult to make changes, e.g. you get accustomed to a higher standard of living, friends, jobs etc.. Also your parents get older and more dependent upon you, your children get older, and will also be less flexible in accompanying you to the Promised Land (they’ll probably follow your example and will also want to “feel ready”, but their “ready” time is much different than your’s, and so it may be with your spouse, as well!). In short, today there are also types of “missing the boat”

I hate to break it to you, but you will never really feel totally “ready”. That’s why my Haredi cousins in Boro Park wait passively for that super-natural Mashiach, waiting childishly for that black and white situation where we’ll all “live happily ever after”. The problem is that if they are literally waiting for that type of Mashiach that they dream about, they may very well be waiting forever, and will almost definitely “miss the boat”!

The question is rather, why remain in a country where a Jew feels uncomfortable or apologetic? In liberal areas, you have the right to protest (against anti-Semitism), but the problem is that anti-Semites, who are more vocal, virulent, and hostile, do as well, and you can’t win (like in the demonstrations yesterday in LA). You must weigh “feeling ready” for aliya as opposed to “feeling vulnerable” and “uncomfortable”, for those are the alternative feelings. I imagine, especially women, will not be physically attacked, but why harbor that frustrated feeling so often, upon seeing the news, overhearing conversations, passing campuses etc. when you can feel at home.

Feeling “at home” means being yourself, feeling pleasant, feeling the security of being surrounded by Jews (Jews are your family!). If you already don’t feel that way in America, I guess that’s your answer. Yes, in Israel we have enemies, but any mature person (even Israeli politicians!!) realizes the advantages of national unity, standing together against our common enemies, and destining our own fate.

Yes, relocating takes “guts” and includes the fear of the unknown, so like Torah and Olam Haba, also “Eretz Yisrael is acquired through difficulty” (Brachot 5a). BTW, so does marriage, starting a new job, and even jumping into a swimming pool, but that doesn’t deter us from these great things, for we know the gain is worth the pain, and life is about moving forward.

Some would say: move to Florida (where the atmosphere is apparently less anti-Semitic, although the headache of moving is similar), but the Torah suggests (and obligates): move to Israel, G-d’s Holy Land!

Baruch Hashem, our loving Father gives us free will, but like any parent, doesn’t want us to misuse it. Accordingly, the G-d of History gives us many positive reasons for making aliya (e.g. see: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/282978), as well as hints and negative reasons why not to stay in galut. We hope He won’t need to “bang us over the head” as was the case in Europe and the Sepharadic countries, and that we Anglos will come willingly asap, thus enjoying all of the aforementioned advantages of not “pushing off” that great dream of Aliya.

See Aliya (as Jews always did) as a zechut/privilege, not just a necessity: “ובאו ציון ברינה!” (Yishayahu 51, 11)! Children of Israel, our Father wants us home, where we will really feel at home.

With Love of Israel, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

Q. Can you please elaborate on what you wrote: “The prophets and rabbinic sources are unanimous, that once the redemption has begun, it may face challenges, but it will never stop!’ Can we be sure that there won’t be another exile? After all, over history, there have been several false messiahs! Answer: There’s a formidable list of great leaders who unabashedly declared that the modern return to Israel is indeed the beginning of redemption as said in most shuls world-wide, “ברך את מדינת ישראל ראשית צמיחת גאולתנו”, including: the Chafetz Chayim, the Netziv, the Malbim, Rav Kook, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, and many more. They declared so, despite the fact that they had already seen the catastrophes wrought by the revelation of Shabtai Tzvi and other false messiahs and if they had even the slightest doubt, they would surely have been more cautious

They basically based their decision upon 3 points:

a. REVIVAL OF ERETZ YISRAEL: The “קץ המגולה”, The Talmud details: “There is no more ‘revealed/clear sign’ than that which is written, ‘And you, mountains of Israel, give forth your branches, and carry forth your fruit, for My Nation of Israel is coming soon’. Rashi explains that when the Land of Israel (barren for so long) will return to produce fruit abundantly, that is the clearest sign that the redemption is underway (Sanhedrin 98a based on Yechezkel 36, 8).

b. INGATHERING OF THE EXILES (קיבוץ גלויות) is the opposite of exile. Gathering and unity instead of scattering and distance. The present 7,181,000 Jews in Israel, the largest Jewish population in the world today and many statisticians claim that already most (!) of world Jewry today lives in Israel, for the first time since the exile of the 10 tribes 2,700 years ago.

Not only the number but the “spread” of 1,900,000 olim from East Europe, 494,000 from Central and West Europe, 478,000 from Asia, 514,000 from Africa, and 211,000 from the Americas is also significant. Anyone who doesn’t call the above “ingathering of the exiles” is denying reality!

Nevertheless, a skeptic could seemingly say that despite these undeniable facts, especially with the nuclear threat from Iran, who knows what the future holds? However, as we have said above, the certainty is based on the fact that Chazal state in many sources that there will not be another exile after the third return to Zion.

For example: Midrash Tanchuma, Parshat Shoftim 9; Yalkut Shimoni Zechariya 581: “’and the third will remain in her’ (Zecharia 13, 8), that we will only resettle Israel in the third redemption, the first redemption was from Egypt, the second redemption is that of Ezra (to build the 2nd Temple), the third has no end”. Note, the negative language used here, both at the beginning: “will only resettle Israel in the third redemption” and at the end: “has no end”, leaves no room for misunderstanding.

Nevertheless, the skeptic may still argue: even if we have seen that after the ingathering of exiles there won’t be another exile, how do we know that what is happening today is the ingathering of exiles? In order to complete the picture, we’ll refer to another Oral tradition that we received from Chazal, that the number that is fixed for the ingathering of the exiles is 600, 000 Jews in Israel. When we arrive at this number it is unreasonable that Hashem will “send them back” to chutz la’aretz just in order to bring them back to Israel. Yalkut Shimoni, Hoshea 518: “It is written ‘and I answered her there like in the days of her youth and like the day that she went up from the land of Egypt’ (Hoshea 2, 17), just as 600, 000 left Egypt and 600, 000 entered the Land of Israel, also in the days of Mashiach it will be with 600, 000.”

Thank G-d, today 7,181,000 Jews live in Israel, more than 10 times (!) that number. In summary, as soon as there are 600,000 Jews in Israel there will not be another exile.

c. The STATE OF ISRAEL- The gmara (Shabbat 151b) and the Rambam (Hil. Tshuva 9, 2 (simplify the issue even more, “There is no difference between today (=the exile) and the days of mashiach except that (then) we will not be subject to the nations of the world “. In other words, we’ll have an Independent Jewish State.

The role of independence in the process of redemption is not just a philosophic idea, rather it is also well-based with practical halachic ramifications (=”nafka mina”). The Shulchan Aruch rules: “one who sees the cities of Judea in their destruction must say: ‘your holy cites have become deserted’, and rip his clothes” as a sign of mourning (Shulchan Aruch, O. Ch. 561, 1).

What is the halachic definition of “destruction” which obligates this tearing of one’s clothes? The Mishna Brura (ibid, 2) explains that “even if Jews live there, the cities are considered to be in “destruction”, because Arabs rule over them”. Clearly, independence is seen as the opposite of ,”חורבן” “destruction”, and consequently, with today’s independent State of Israel, the halacha is that we no longer need to tear our garments (just some do so regarding the Kotel).

As opposed to the cynics who ask, “Do you have a direct link with Heaven that you know what is going to happen?”, the answer is, yes, we do have a direct connection with Heaven, namely the prophets and Chazal, and in this case we do know what will not be. There will not be another destruction of the Jewish settlement in Israel.

If this is definite enough for the Chafetz Chayim, Rav Kook, Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, the Sridei Eish, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and many other aforementioned giants, then yes, it is enough for the rest of us.

No false messiah ever revived the deserted Israel, gathered and returned most of the exiles to Israel, nor had a strong formidable Jewish State, which as we saw, are the 3 clearest signs of redemption.

Similarly, just as Rav Kook, Rav Herzog and others felt the need in their generation to repeat this guarantee and to emphasize that it is possible to “bank” on it and even to act accordingly, it is also important to do so today. At this time of national trouble, it is particularly important to strengthen the morale of the people, to look at the events with a wise eye – realistic and believing at the same time – and not with a pessimistic and unbelieving eye. These words of Chazal were meant precisely for our generation , and we would be wrong to ignore them. This G-dly guarantee doesn’t bring us to rest passively, but rather to act with confidence, bezrat Hashem!

As the prophet says: “And I will return the exiled of my people Israel, and they will rebuild and settle desolate cities, and they will plant vineyards and drink their wine, plant gardens and eat their fruit. And I will plant them on their Land, and they will not be removed again from the Land that I have given to them, says Hashem your G-d (Amos, 9:15-16).”

Similarly, Yeshayahu prophesies in this context of redemption (66:9): “Will I begin labor and not give birth?!’ says Hashem. Rashi explains: “Will I bring the woman to the birth-stool and not open her womb to take out the fetus?! In other words, would I start something (the redemption) and not be able to complete it?! Am I not the one who enables all births and now I have stopped myself?!”

For more details and sources, see my article:

https://www.yeshiva.co/midrash/10933

Since the founding of the State of Israel, millions of Jews have fled anti-Semitism and come Home to Israel. Israel has always been there for the Jews running from Germany, Iraq, Iran, Morrocco, Russia, Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Ethiopia, Venezuela, France etc. This is one of the main and minimal reasons why Israel was founded, and has been justified time and again until this very day regarding the Jews from the Ukraine.

The current war in Israel has been an economic blow. With the drafting of over 300,000 young men into reserves, the backbone of the national workforce, there is a noticeable shortage of hands to milk the cows, pick the olives, do civilian guard duty, deliver the mail, not to mention a need to help out mothers who are home alone with their children, as many schools and nurseries are not functioning. As during the Yom Kippur War, Jews of all ages (but mostly students) from all over the world are volunteering to come and help out wherever Israel needs them.

As in any mature and good relationship, we are happy that our brothers from the diaspora come to Israel when they need us, so they should also come when we need them.

We have recently witnessed unthinkable anti-Semitic events throughout the world, but especially on college campuses (supposedly the bastion of tolerance) in England and the U.S. On this outrageous issue, where Hamas in one day indiscriminately murdered, decapitated, maimed, raped and kidnapped thousands of innocent Jewish civilians from their homes: elderly, women and small children, rabbis, professors, housewives, hi-tech workers, farmers and even a busload of retirees, one would have thought that mankind, and especially the idealistic intellectuals, would be united against the Hamas. If in the past, the world was divided between pro-Israel and anti-Israel, it is now divided between the objectively humane and the anti-Semitic; the good against the bad; the truly progressive and open-minded against those who pretend to be so- as long as the issue doesn’t involve Israel- where they will even side with sadistic terror against democracy.

When tens of innocent, not necessarily Zionist, Jewish students are attacked by pro-Palestinian protesters in New York (!) and need a police escort to leave the campus, it’s time to understand that today, both you need Israel and Israel needs you. It’s illogical to stay in a place that doesn’t welcome you, when BH you have the natural and logical alternative, to come study and live in a place that welcomes you home.

This is the ideal loving relationship: Israel needs you, and you need Israel! Let’s stand together for all of our sake, especially together in the State of Israel, where we can and do defend ourselves as Jews. Where we can raise our children with Jewish pride and without apologetics, and everyone feels free to express their views and be themselves without fear. Where we can and do unite against all of our common enemies! True love is about living together, meeting life’s challenges as a team. Brothers and Sisters in the diaspora, it’s time to come home.

Question: Dear Rav Shvat, In the shiur that you gave on Sunday, I believe you mentioned that prior to the Geula, the whole world will be against us. For many long years, we have felt that the world is indeed against us. Finally, now, after the horrible atrocities of the Hamas, it seems that most of the world has woken up and begun to understand whom and what we are fighting against. This feels like a massage for the aching collective Jewish soul. Having said that, what does this mean regarding the prophecies of the geula?

Answer: Shalom! That’s not exactly what we said. In the wars which are part of the ge’ula process, the navi writes that some nations will gather together against us, but not necessarily all of the nations (Yechezkel 38-39, compare Zecharya 14 which apparently is referring to a different war). In general, the geula is not just for Am Yisrael but for all mankind, “for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples (Yeshayau 56, 7).” “And many peoples shall go, and they shall say, “Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mount, to the house of the G-d of Jacob, and let Him teach us of His ways, and we will go in His paths,” for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”(ibid 2, 3) Accordingly, just as Cyrus, the Persian king, helped us return to build the 2nd Beit haMikdash, the Radak (Tehilim 146, 3) and Ramban (Shir HaShirim) and others point out that in the final ge’ula it will be that way, as well. In fact, the international support for the Balfour Declaration (1917/5677) and the U.N. Partition Plan (1947/5707) were seen by many great Rabbanim of the time (including the Or Same’ch-Meshech Chochma, Avnei Nezer, Rav Kook and others) as this type of international support and participation.

Also after the Shoah, the Church has repeatedly tried to reconcile with the Jews, which Prof. Shalom Rosenberg explains, because in WWII, the allies and the axis divided the world into 2, and the Jews obviously were victims, so the Popes want to side with the “good” and not the “bad”.

From our point of view, we hope this continues, and were very glad and thank the Presidents and PMs from the U.S., Germany, France and England for taking a stand with us, even though this angered some of their anti-Israel voters and press. Nevertheless, Rav Kook’s student, Rav YM Charlap writes (Mimaynei HaYeshua, p. 29) that as long as we aren’t at the aforementioned final stage of world unity, we shouldn’t be surprised if eventually they once again turn their backs on us- for big changes aren’t made overnight. Even then the process will undoubtedly continue, for our geula really comes from Hashem who arranges it all, “Fortunate are you, O Israel! Who is like you, O people whose salvation is through the Lord, the Shield Who helps you, your majestic Sword! Your enemies will deny you, but you will tread upon their heights (Dvarim 33, 29)”.

In addition, we also must be wary for such international support is often conditioned upon our compromising on important issues, which can be very problematic. We don’t rely on miracles and do want their aid- especially if they can help free hostages, but we cannot compromise on our independence to do what we deem necessary, especially regarding our security. This principle was instituted by David Ben-Gurion right after the Holocaust, where we clearly saw that if we don’t take care of ourselves, who will take care of us (see Avot 1, 14)? As Yoni Netanyahu HYD said on the way to Entebbe: “We’re going on a long and dangerous mission to save Jews, because they are Jews. And if we don’t save them, nobody will”. America has their own interests, and so do we. The two usually overlap, but not always. We cannot act like a “banana republic”, for otherwise we will be treated accordingly. We must pray that our leaders choose wisely, especially in this complicated case, to bezH also free the hostages, and also free Gaza from the Hamas, and firmly deter our other enemies from starting up with us, as well! It’s complex, but it’s good Hashem is on our side and only He can really do it all! With Love of Israel, Shabbat Shalom! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

Another important aspect of our current war with Hamas which is definitely worth publicizing, is the Talmud (Sanhedrin 106a) written about 1,600 years ago and is precisely relating to today’s situation:

” ‘וישא [=בלעם] משלו ויאמר אוי מי יחיה משֹוּמו א-ל’ (במדבר כד, כג) א”ר יוחנן אוי לה לאומה שתִמצא בשעה שהקב”ה עושה פדיון לבניו! מי מטיל כסותו בין לביא ללביאה בשעה שנזקקין זה עם זה!”.

” ‘He [Bil’am] took up his parable [=prophesizing about the end of days] and said: Alas! Who can survive when He does this?’ Woe to the nation who will be found hindering the Jewish people at the time when the Holy One, Blessed be He, redeems His children. Who dares place his garment to separate between a male lion and a female lioness when they wish to mate? [Woe to him, for who does so will certainly not “survive”].”

This clear and vivid quote speaks for itself. Nevertheless, when I showed this to my neighbor and colleague R. Yair Ben-Shitrit, he was floored, but then noticed that the Talmud is relating to both of our relationships with G-d during the ge’ula process: He is our Father and also our Lover. When IDF soldier Gilad Shalit was taken hostage by the Hamas several years ago, his father Noam Shalit shook the heavens and earth, successfully pressuring the government of Israel to free 1,000 convicted terrorists (!) in exchange for his son’s freedom. We similarly heard unbelievable heroism 2 weeks ago on Simchat Torah, especially of parents who did the incredible in order to free and save their children. How much more so will G-d do to those fools who try preventing Him from redeeming His children, the hostages themselves, as well as all of His sons of Israel, in our period of ge’ula.

Bil’am is prophesizing about our current period of redemption: Woe to the fool who interferes when the Lion [=Hashem] wants to mate with His beloved lioness [Israel] after 2,000 years of separation! Do they really think that a garment can divide and prevent such graphic love, 2,000 years of longing, desire and passion! Especially when they not only partition between Him and us, but actively murdered, maimed, mutilated, kidnapped and raped His sons and daughters. He will undoubtedly avenge and redeem us.

Someone should warn Hamas and the Gazans to get out of the way, for they are going to get walloped by the Almighty Lion and Father Himself!

With Love of Israel, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

1. Because we have no choice! We love peace more than any nation, but as Golda Meir once told the young Senator Joe Biden, our secret weapon is that we have nowhere else to go!

2. Because we are right. In this war of good against evil, there is no doubt who is correct and justified, and which side is satanic and barbaric.

3. The World now also understands- All of the leaders of the free world who sometimes were confused, suddenly have a clarity and are siding with Israel, even visiting us out of solidarity. We have now also unmasked the anti-Semites and proved that nothing in the world will ever convince them to side with us, but all objective people are also seeing them for what they really are. Even if the world leaders may eventually think that our reaction is “disproportionate” (however that’s possible!), they agree that we are correct in fighting evil and justified in defending ourselves. They are beginning to understand that our enemies in the Middle East must be deterred “in their own language”.

4. Because we are stronger. Baruch Hashem, G-d has blessed us with a very strong and smart army, and even if we made terrible mistakes in underrating these terrorists, our resolve will return the true proportions that the IDF will undoubtedly trounce the less-armed, less advanced, poorer and smaller fanatic extremists.

5. Because we are united. The recent threat of civil war, and leftist pilots and soldiers threatening to stop serving in the IDF if the Prime Minister isn’t switched, has proven to be false. BH, in this time of need, all Israelis (and Jews throughout the world) are united and volunteering everywhere to help each other, even sacrificing their lives for Am Yisrael and their fellow Jews. You can tell who a person/nation really is underneath it all, when really under pressure (see Eruvin 65b). Left and right, religious and secular, Ashkenazi and Sefaradi, Olim and Veteran Israelis, we stand united fighting for Israel, just as in all of Israel’s previous wars.

6. Because we are the “next chapter” in Tanach. We continue the glorious chain of Moshe, Joshua, Samson, Gidon, Kings Saul and David, and the Maccabees, as we have returned to Israel for the 3rd and final time. We are proud of our eternal history, who brought the world the Bible, Ten Commandments, monotheism, morality, prophecy, many intellectuals, artists, inventions, Nobel Prizes and much more, yet we always knew how to defend ourselves when necessary. We have a moral obligation and responsibility to continue our role to build a model nation, a light for others, fulfilling the promise of eternity as promised to our fore-fathers.

7. Because Hashem is with us, and He promised: “כי לא יטוש ה’ עמו ונחלתו לא יעזוב”, “For the Lord will not forsake His people, nor will He desert His inheritance (the Land of Israel) (Tehilim 94, 14). We have witnessed over the last century that Hashem has gathered the exiles (7 million Jews from 104 different countries), built us a formidable State, army and economy, revived the deserted Holy Land, revived the Holy Language, and has granted us time after time, miraculous military victories. The prophets and rabbinic sources are unanimous, that once the redemption has begun, it may face challenges, but it will never stop!

Let us all declare together: The People of Israel are Strong, the Nation of Israel is United, the G-d of Israel is with us, and Israel will be victorious!

With Love of Israel, Rav Ari Shvat

(in conjunction with my colleague: R. Yoni Lavie)

Q. I just saw something that really drives me crazy and I’d like to hear the halachic side. People take and list names of individual soldiers to be prayed for. Aside from the fact that you just shouldn’t post that information-it seems wrong to me to individualize them in our prayers/Tefilote. Thanks in advance! Answer: Hi, how many of your boys were called up, and how are they? May Hashem return them liShalom together with all of the chayalim and hostages of Israel! In general, the main point is: the more we daven- the better! Of course you are correct we should be davening and saying Tehilim for all Am Yisrael and all of the soldiers, and that’s why all of our tefilot in the siddur are worded in the plural. But also for our own individual children, and all of the individual hostages and wounded that we know, and even for all of the Jews in Chu”l who are suffering anti-Semitic attacks. Often, when focusing on specific names and faces, it helps us have better Kavana, which is the most important thing, but even then, you are correct that we must (!) always add: בתוך שאר חיילי צה”ל, just as when davening for a sick person, what we do is to mention the individual sick person and his mother’s name, and then it’s obligatory (Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 335) to add: “together with all of the [other] sick/wounded of Israel”. Similarly, when chalila, comforting a mourner we add: “בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים”! Our sorrows and challenges are all nationally related, and we always worry, think and daven for all of Israel- how much more so when Am Yisrael goes to war, that it’s a obviously a national issue! This also gives certain comfort to the one praying, that we’re all in this together, and also “packages” all of the zechuyot of all of the tzadikim (e.g. the many volunteers wherever we turn, and especially the many who altruistically and G-dly gave and endangered their lives to save others) together with those who may not necessarily merit deliverance on their own. הנה א-ל ישועתי אבטח ולא אפחד. כי עזי וזמרת י-ה ה’ ויהי לי לישועה… לה’ הישועה.. ה’ צבאות עמנו משגב לנו א-להי יעקב סלה. ה’ צבאות אשרי אדם בוטח בך, ה’ הושיע, המלך יעננו ביום קראנו. א-ל נקמות ה’, א- נקמות הופיע, ה’ שמע, ה’ סלחה, ה’ הקשיבה ועשה אל תאחר, למענך אלוהי, כי שמך נקרא על עירך ועל עמך”!! “Behold, G-d is my unfailing help; I will trust in G-d and will not be afraid. G-d is strength and song, my Deliverer. With joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation. G-d alone is our help; may G-d bless His people. G-d of the universe is with us; the G-d of Jacob is our protection. There was light and joy; gladness and honor for the Jewish people (in the time of Purim). So may we be blessed. I will lift the cup of salvation and call upon G-d’s Name.” “O Hashem, hear; O Hashem, forgive; O Hashem, hearken and do, do not delay; for Your sake, my G-d, for Your Name is called upon Your city and upon Your people.” May we speedily see the great victory and advancement in the ge’ula process that Hashem promised us that will grow out of this tzara, soon and with as few casualties. With Love of Israel, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)