‘48, ‘56, SIX DAYS, YOM KIPPUR; NEVER WE COULD HAVE DONE IT!
How did the meraglim (the messengers that Moshe sent into the Land) fail to trust in HaShem’s ability to take us into the Land? The commentaries explain that they knew that Eretz Yisroel would have to be conquered by natural means, not by miraculous means. In fact, with the only exception of the downfall of Yericho, which was an out-right miracle, all the wars they fought were won through natural means.
So, although they experienced HaShem’s miracles and they saw how He overrides the forces of nature, they could not comprehend how HaShem could grant them victory within the parameters of nature. The people of Cannan were simply stronger, fortified and more numerous.
Why did HaShem want us to conquer the Land by use of natural methods? Would it have not been more glorified had we not fought any wars at all. Imagine if our people would have blown the shofar upon crossing the Jordan River and all the inhabitants of the Land would perish. What a magnificent demonstration how HaShem controls the world!
Reb Simcha Zesil Ziv, The Alter of Kelm, explains that since the conquest of the Land was a miracle we needed to be worthy of earning that miracle. To be worthy of this miracle HaShem required us to implement the strategies and wisdom of warfare, to try to win. Even though it was truly against the odds, we must nevertheless plan and do our very best. In the end, HaShem will win the war for us. Once our victory is achieved and we return the credit of our victory to HaShem – our conceding the credit of the achievement back to HaShem earns us the merit for that victory.
In other words, at the time of our victory we are truly undeserving of victory, nevertheless, HaShem grants us victory ‘on credit’ because once we conquer we will express our recognition that it was not our strength and power but it was HaShem Who fought our war.
If the conquest would be purely miraculous and we would do nothing but blow the shofar, there would be no challenge for us to concede the victory as being that of Hashem. It would be ab-surd for us to claim the victory as being our own accomplishment. HaShem therefore required us to put in the effort and apply bravery and strength so that when victory would arrive we would recognize that although we did so much, it was nevertheless a gift from Above.
It is no wonder why in this week’s Parsha Moshe cautions his people “lest you eat and be satisfied and build big homes and settle down, and your business ventures increase and succeed. Your heart will become arrogant and you will forget HaShem and you will actually claim ‘It is my genius and my strength that has built up this fortune.’
This is exactly the very test upon which HaShem determines our worthiness to inherit the Land. He wants us to work for it, to fight for it and to still recognize that it is not we who have achieved success. It is the Will of HaShem that determines our success.
The mission of our people is to be a demonstration to ourselves and to the world that the forces of Nature itself are nothing but the implementation of the Will of HaShem. The world may already recognize that HaShem can override the laws of nature, but they do not know that Nature herself is but an instrument of His.
Our mission is accomplished when our victories and successes are attributed to HaShem and only HaShem.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Paysach Diskind