The heroic victories in the wars of the Jewish people were not due to having the advantage of size, but due to faith in the just cause. We are currently deep in a war we didn't choose, but one that we cannot run away from.
The Israel Defense Forces is a strong, wise and moral army. Yet , even more than that, our victory is built on strong faith in the cause. There are three parts in winning a war, explained Rabbi Isaac Arma, one of Spain's greatest Jewish sages during the generations of the expulsion. In fact, there are three stages:
The first stage is to talk to the enemy and explain the reason for going to war and to ask for peace. Unfortunately, we passed this stage a long time ago. We are not dealing with peacemakers and, as King David wrote about the ancestors of these murderers 3,000 years ago: "I am in favor of peace, but when I speak of it, all they want is war."
We need to turn the power of speech on ourselves: Believing the righteousness of our path, and understanding the mission ahead of us. We need to go to war without hesitation and fear.
"We have nowhere else to go"
The next stage is thinking or strategizing. This is the phase that is happening right now in the higher ranks of the military and the state.
And then, only in the final stage, comes the physical heroism of the soldiers.
The strength of the Jewish people during all their wars, since Abraham went to war against four nations to free his nephew, and to the Swords of Iron war, is not advantage of size nor military power, the strength is, as Golda Meir told young Senator Joe Biden: "We have nowhere else to go."
Military power is worth nothing if the mind behind it does not know when, where or how to use its power. A limited number of weapons in the hands of an inferior number of believers that have a fighting spirit, will lead to results no one ever expected.
The firm belief in the power of life
In the past few days, I find strength with the people who have lost their loved ones by comforting the mourners. I've heard about the bravery of Yaron Ori, who fiercely defended others to save lives. I learned from Eyal Waldman about Danielle and her fight, but mostly about how he cherishes the heroes who fought for hours alone against the terrorists.
This week I've also learned from Rabbi Shmuel Moreno, brother of Lt.-Col. Emmanuel Moreno ,who died in the Second Lebanon war, and the uncle of Itai who died this week. I learned from him a strong and empowering message that he heard from Menachem Goldberg: He said tht we are the only nation that sends its sons to volunteer to the most elite military units, encouraging its most precious assets – its sons – to go to the most dangerous places. This recalls the binding of Isaac. We are doing it because we know this is the only way we can build a thriving Jewish nation.
Israel honors its fallen heroes
(Credit: Evyatar Freilichman, Ya'ara Goldsmith )
The strength of the Jewish State's IDF is the firm belief in the power of life, of the good, of the fact that our ancestors fought right here, in the same place, thousands of years ago. We didn't come back here to fight. We are fighting to come back and bring back a life of blessing, to establish a model society of peace, creation, happiness and giving to others.
We fight because we have a soul, because we care about life. In the booklet of "Vetan Belibenu" I learned a midrash from the Holy Zohar about the Jewish people, about the divine image, about the aura that surrounds us as long as we do good deeds.
Ziv ElulThe military will win because a united people have its back, because it has our best sons, but mostly because of our spirit. It's the same spirit that for thousands of years teaches us what Queen Esther already told Mordechai: 'Go, gather the Jews. for only when we are united do we have the power to win.'
I will finish with a quote from Psalms, chapter 67, and we all pray that with God's help it will come true soon: "May God bless us; and let all the ends of the earth fear Him."
- Ziv Elul is co-founder of Pery - digital health company for ADHD, an investor and serial entrepreneur. He is formerly a co-founder and CEO of Inneractive, until its acquisition by Fyber N.V., where he was appointed as CEO. Fyber N.V has been acquired by Digital Turbine, where Elul was appointed to a strategic position. He also sits on the board of several start-up companies and is CEO of SPAC ISRL. Elul is the author of the management book “Avot Ahaniol “(The seven pillars of leadership) together with Yaniv Fogel, published recently by Yediot Ahronot.