“I Want Them All”
It has been an eventful twelve hours here in Israel, but probably not the way you might think. If you have been listening to the news, following weeks of constant bombardment of the northern part of Israel by Hezbollah, Israel responded to their attacks by striking the heartbeat of Hezbollah yesterday and sent a message to them through its attack on Beirut where the guts of the terrorist organization is headquartered. They were warned multiple times daily, but refused to listen. Israel had no choice, but to do what they did, and it would have been much worse for them had Donald Trump not stopped us from a full-scale attack late last week. I will get to President Trump a little later.
Last night, my wife and I were out celebrating a life milestone and in the midst of the dinner service they announced that Iran had begun to attack the north of Israel. What did the people in the restaurant do? They danced and began singing with the music “Do not be afraid Israel.” That is a glimpse of life in this wonderful country and what it is like to live here. To live where people are happy, where people do not live in fear because they know they live under Divine protection. I am sure there will be plenty of people who will have a comment or two about my last sentence, but to be sure, your argument is not with me, it is with G-d.
“You shall not fear from the dread of night, from the arrow that flies by day.” Psalms (91:5), he shall call Me and I shall answer him; I am with him in his distress, (91:15).
There are plenty more verses for me to choose from, but I’ll leave that for another time. In Israel there is a certain knowledge of protection from G-d that most everyone here understands. It is the ultimate in bitachon: trust, and faith in Hashem and with all due respect to the United States President, it is on Him that we rely. I get the “wait a minute it’s not practical argument” and as I’ve said, I heard it all before. We are extremely grateful for everything the US and others have done for us. While most of the world has chastised us in public, bought into every false narrative that libels us, President Trump and his administration have not. They are to be commended and publicly so. But I am not foolish enough to believe that putting our faith in the transient is what is best for our people and our country. History is replete with man disappointing man. However, there is nothing as sure in this world as having faith in our Creator. There have been many bumps in the road and will continue to be (CV), but in the end, He has always taken care of us no matter where we have been and regardless of the circumstance.
That is why I am so confused by the comments and actions or lack thereof of some of the leaders of our people. This is very difficult for me. I am not into calling out our people. It is a dangerous game to play. Whenever I do, it is really meant to be an admonishment of me and my own actions. Sometimes I must admit, it is very difficult to sit by and let the name of G-d be blasphemed by those who should know better. I have a great urge to comment about the “protests” that are happening around the country, mostly in Jerusalem. I will only address two things here and while I know it will be insufficient, at this point today while we are under attack from our enemies, I cannot add fuel to that fire and open up gates of Heaven that need to remain closed. Those who understand, understand.
Back in October 2025, a yeshiva boy was arrested for dodging the draft. Within days there were 300,000 plus people lining the streets of Jerusalem to protest against the government requiring students to enlist and as the organizers dressed it up to the participants, storm the heavens with prayer. A wonderful thought on its surface; not anything related to the boy, but any prayer meant to strengthen our people would be considered a good thing. Except when I heard about it, it got me thinking. I couldn’t recall one similar event happening during the previous two years as our people were being held in captivity in Gaza. Whenever I broached the subject it usually went something like this.
“How come I didn’t see you storming the heavens in prayer while our people were being held hostage?”
“We prayed for them in our study halls.”
“Very good. Thank you for that. So tell me, why are you not doing the same thing for this boy?”
“This is of utmost importance. We can’t let the criminal zionists get away with taking our B’nei Torah away from learning.”
“Wait, just so I understand. You feel it’s more important to storm the heavens for this boy who is running away from his Torah obligation (see Sotah 44a-b) than it was for more than 250 of your brothers and sisters in dungeons?”
“He’s learning Torah!
“Are they not our people in Gaza?”
Usually this is where the silence takes over or sadly, “there is either a no, not mine”, or “a yes, but…zionists” or something stupid like that.
This is where I think I differ from my brethren. I grew up in the system in America. I know what is taught and what the approach is. I have actually asked people to disagree with me, but it is hard to find anyone who can deny what I am about to say. In the world of the yeshivas there is an us and a them. They need it, they live by it and instill it in their student bodies. Without it, they would be missing a major driver in what makes their system different, what makes them special. Keep in mind they are my people. I do not subscribe to their thought process. In my life, there is no secular Jews or religious Jews or anything in between. There are only Jews. All of the souls of our people, our sages teach us, were standing at the foot of Mount Sinai. Each and every one of them and they are so very holy. Full Stop.
To illustrate this point I will paraphrase a portion of the Zohar. When Hashem tells Noach to build the ark because He is about to destroy the world, Noach says nothing in response and does as he is told. in the discussion one of the rabbis interjected and said Noach was wrong. Avraham got it right. When Hashem told Avraham He would destroy Sodom, Avraham argued aren’t there fifty righteous people which could save the city. Hashem says, no. Forty? No. Thirty? Twenty? Ten? Hashem says no to all of that and Avraham has nothing left to say. That is how you do it says this particular Rabbi. However, another Rabbi comments they both did it wrong. When Hashem tells Moshe He is going to wipe out the people and start again with him, Moshe says, if You get rid of them, get rid of me. I want all of them. I want the righteous, the sinners, the one’s who know and the ones who don’t. Either give me all my people or get rid of me too. That is leadership. The Torah tells us there has never been nor would there ever be a servant like Moshe who was the most humble of all men. To be a great leader, is to know who you are, to live what you believe and most of all, live with humility.
Which brings me to this last point. I was made aware of a comment recently and while I am fighting even addressing it at this moment, in the end I can’t let it go but for brevity’s sake I will paraphrase this as well. “The reality of the situation in Israel is thousands should have actually been killed in the missile attacks from all our enemies. However, because of the Torah being learned by the yeshiva students, we have seen tremendous miracles and those deaths were prevented.” I am just a simple Jew who loves his people and works very hard to not talk about them especially in any negative way. But I also know I don’t have any special insight to the ways of Hashem. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the L-RD.” (Isaiah 55:8).
However, I do know what the Torah tells me and I know I can rely on that.
“Behold, He that keeps Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers.” (Psalm 121:4) “For the L-RD your G-d is He that goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”(Deuteronomy 20:4). “Do not fear, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your G-d; I strengthen you, and yes, I help you; I uphold you with My victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
It is quite a statement to attest that the only reason for the miracles we have been able to witness with our own eyes is because of the boys in yeshiva studying Torah. I am not going to discuss either way the Divine protection that Torah study may or may not provide and to what extent. I am sure you can find others confident enough to make bold claims like that. I am not one of them. But what I will say is I am trying to wrap any head around the inherent lack of gratitude that comment projects, whether intended or not. Last week in Israel we read the Torah portion of the spies and the tragic consequences of their actions. But as Nachmonidies (Ramban) asks, how is it that Moshe sent spies? Didn’t G-d already tell him it was a good land? He answers in essence that the people wanted to take precautions and even though he knew, G-d let them err due to their lack of faith. However as we see with Joshua when crossing the Jordan, he too, a humble man of great faith, sent spies because it is not for us to rely on miracles. We must do our part and fight for ourselves, defend ourselves and prepare ourselves. As we do so, to always have in mind that Hashem is in fact, as He promised us, fighting our battles too. Not my words, His.
For this Rabbi to make such a comment not only relies on miracles, but showed an immense lack of gratitude to the IDF, IAF and everyone else who is keeping us safe with, indeed, help from, He that goes with you. To fail to acknowledge it is Hashem and He alone that guides this war and is the Sole Reason we don’t have thousands of deaths, shows an incredible lack of faith in Him by claiming it is Torah study and NOT Hashem that protects His people. It is Hashem that has gifted His people the ability to improve the protection of Israel through Iron Dome, David Sling, the Arrow System and now Iron Beam defense systems. This is exactly what He wants us to do with our abilities. Not stifle them, apply them to make everyone’s life better both here and around the world. But unfortunately that is the inference the Rabbi made if not an outright statement. I am a huge proponent of Torah study and do it myself every single day, may G-d allow me to continue to do so. However, it is truly an anti-Torah position to make this claim especially when it is not accompanied with the much needed gratitude for everyone who is protecting these same boys to allow them to learn, notwithstanding their sudden availability to protest during learning hours. Another topic for another day. Lastly, I challenge anyone, anywhere to tell me of another person, or organization that has done more to financially support the study of Torah than the State of Israel. That alone demands our respect and it very well could be, using this Rabbis very same argument, that it is this country’s commitment and support of Torah study for the last eighty years which is the reason we have been granted those same miracles he claims are due to the yeshiva boys who are learning it.
I apologize for writing anything that exposes our people to even the most minuscule lack of protection offered by Heaven. I mean it only to strengthen myself and my people so that we should not succumb to the ways of the arrogant and remember our teacher Moshe and strive to live our lives with humility, honesty and courage. As Iran and their proxies, continue to attack us, have no fear because you should know Hashem is with us. He told us He would be and puts that protection on display each and every day. “You shall gaze with your eyes, and the retribution of the wicked you will behold.” (Psalms 91:8)
May it be His will that we continue to be afforded that protection each and every day and may we soon witness the downfall of the enemies of Hashem so that someday soon the whole world will know Hashem is One and His name is One.
If it tarries another day, (CV) strap up, my people; this may be a bumpy ride, but know that so long as we stay humble and have faith in Him, we will be just fine.
