Saving Lives, Saving Worlds

Last night’s decisive Israeli operation against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and military leadership wasn’t merely strategic; it was profoundly Jewish.

In a sweeping action combining over 200 fighter jets, extensive cyber operations, and a daring Mossad-led drone base operating covertly within Iran’s borders, Israel targeted approximately 100 Iranian sites, including uranium enrichment facilities, missile launch pads, and command centers. Among the eliminated were top Iranian military commanders, such as IRGC Commander Hossein Salami, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri, and nuclear scientists integral to Iran’s aggressive nuclear ambitions. This was not simply military retaliation but a preemptive action to neutralize a real, imminent threat.

Why should this matter to Jews in Topeka, Kansas, and indeed to people everywhere? Because the destruction of Iran’s nuclear threat significantly reduces the existential danger posed by a radical regime with world-ending weapons and, by extension, enhances global security. Iran’s nuclear aspirations have never been peaceful; they explicitly threaten Israel’s existence, endanger American allies in the Middle East, and imperil stability worldwide, confirmed even this week. Removing this threat isn’t merely wise geopolitics—it embodies the highest Jewish ethical value: pikuach nefesh, saving life above all else.

The Talmud explicitly instructs us, “Whoever saves one life, it is as if they have saved the entire world” (Sanhedrin 37a). This principle compels decisive action when human lives are threatened. Waiting passively for an enemy sworn to annihilation to acquire the means to do so would betray our deepest moral obligations. Judaism does not demand pacifism in the face of mortal danger; it demands vigilance and courage.

Further, Jewish tradition explicitly supports preemptive defense. Maimonides, in Hilchot Melachim (5:6-7), argues forcefully that when an enemy prepares for war against you, it is not merely permissible but mandatory to act first to prevent greater harm. Israel’s strike embodies this principle in contemporary reality. It acted not out of aggression, but out of responsibility. The risk of waiting was too great, and the cost would have been paid in innocent lives—Jewish and non-Jewish alike.

Yet, predictably, voices around the world already condemn Israel’s actions. Critics decry “provocation,” ignoring the provocations inherent in Iran’s repeated threats and explicit commitment to Israel’s destruction and proxy networks that destabilize the region. Israel’s critics conveniently overlook decades of diplomatic negotiations sabotaged by Iranian duplicity, hidden enrichment facilities revealed repeatedly, and the regime’s open backing of terrorism across multiple continents.

For Israel, action was imperative. For Jews worldwide, including here in Topeka, it is a moment of anxious hope and gratitude. Gratitude because, once again, Israel has placed itself at the front line of defense—not just for its own citizens but for global security. This operation makes the world safer for all.

But beyond security, this is fundamentally about Jewish values. We affirm life. We affirm survival. We affirm moral clarity in confronting evil. Passivity and wishful thinking are not virtues in Jewish ethics when faced with existential threats. Resoluteness and moral courage are virtues, fully embodied in Israel’s strike last night.

Today, we must clearly state our solidarity and gratitude to Israel. We should advocate for unwavering American support, ensuring Israel maintains the strength to deter future threats decisively. And above all, we should recognize and embrace the deeply Jewish nature of this moment.

Israel acted. Lives were saved. And as our tradition teaches, to save even one life is to save an entire world.