To
Wage War Against The World
Sichos
in English
Shabbos
Parshas Ki Seitzei; 11th Day of Elul, 5750
This
week’s portion, Parshas Ki Seitzei, begins, “When you go out to war
upon your enemies.” The Torah, of course, is eternally relevant, but
on the surface it is difficult to understand the lesson to be derived
from this portion. Parshas Ki Seitzei describes the conduct of the
Jewish people in war, especially a war not directly commanded by G-d,
but a milchemes reshus, which is not at all applicable in the
present era.
The
lesson to be learned concerns our service involved with material things
and matters of this world, refining and elevating its physical
substance, making it a vessel for holiness, transforming the world into
a dwelling for G-d.
This
service is of a different nature than the service in the realm of
holiness itself, the study of Torah and the fulfillment of mitzvos.
The latter service is characterized by peace, drawing G-dliness into the
world. No enemy is involved. In contrast, when one is involved in
refining the world at large, then one must “go out to war upon your
enemy.” The nature of the material world opposes G-dliness and stands
in contradiction to the establishment of a dwelling for Him. To create a
dwelling for G-d where His essence is revealed in this world, it is
necessary to wage war against worldliness and conquer it.
Concealment
in this world — and its tendency to oppose the establishment of a
dwelling for G-d — was created by G-d Himself. The power opposing
holiness does not stem from the world’s material substance, but from
its essential nature, endowed by G-d. It is, therefore, understandable
that a Jew must summon powerful energies to wage war against such a
force. For this reason, the Torah uses the expression, “When you go
out to war upon your enemy.” A Jew “goes out to war,” i.e., he
must leave his own realm, the involvement with holy matters, and involve
himself with material affairs. When involved in this service, he must
know that he has the potential to succeed. Therefore, he is told that he
must wage war “upon your enemies.” Grammatically, it would have been
proper to state “against you enemies,” or “with your enemies.”
Nevertheless, the Torah used a somewhat unusual construction to teach us
that before the war begins, a Jew has to know that he stands above his
enemies.
In
microcosm, this conception of war is relevant within our own lives as
well. A Jew possesses a G-dly soul as well as an animal soul and a body.
He must wage a war, the conflict with the yetzer ha’ra, to
overcome the natural drives of the body and the animal soul, to conquer
them and prevent them from disturbing his service of G-d. He should
ultimately reach the point where he serves G-d, “b’chol levavcha,”
interpreted by our Sages to mean “with both your desires,” the yetzer
ha’ra also having become transformed. The potential for this
service stems from the fact that, in essence, a Jew is “above your
enemies.”
The
Torah teaches us about two types of war: 1) milchemes mitzva,
wars G-d commanded us to wage — the wars necessary to conquer Eretz
Yisroel and annihilate the K’naanim, the war against Amalek, and any
war defending the Jewish people against attackers; and 2) milchemes
reshus, wars waged by a king “with other nations to extend the
boundary of [Eretz Yisroel] and magnify its greatness and reputation.”
The
purpose of the war with the seven nations of K’naan — and in the
Messianic age, the war to conquer the lands of the ten nations — is
the conquest of their land to transform it into Eretz Yisroel, the Holy
Land. In contrast, a milchemes reshus is not a mitzva, and
is intended merely to “extend the boundaries of Israel” to a place
which by nature belongs to gentiles.
In
the personal sphere, a milchemes mitzva involves waging a war
against the material dimension of the world according to the Torah’s
commands, to conquer them for Torah, making them like Eretz Yisroel. It
involves only those aspects of the world that are necessities for life.
In contrast, a milchemes reshus involves “extending the
boundaries” of holiness beyond our minimum necessities. A person goes
beyond the limits of the minimum that Torah allows him and elevates
other aspects of the world, transforming them into holiness.
This
can be illustrated using a comparison to eating. Instead of just eating
bread and water, one can eat succulent meat and drink aged wines, doing
so for the sake of holiness. Similarly, a person can go beyond the
limits of his environment and seek new areas to refine, by establishing
a synagogue, a house of study, or a place where mitzvos are
performed.
However,
a milchemes reshus does more than just involve a wider sphere of
activity than a milchemes mitzva. It requires a different type
and quality of service. To understand this concept, we must probe into
the very nature of a milchemes reshus, because the concept of milchemes
reshus is problematic. In a milchemes mitzva, the reason for
war is because G-d commanded it. He told the Jewish people to conquer
Eretz Yisroel and make it their land. What the Jewish people take
rightfully belongs to them. As Rashi quotes in the beginning of his
commentary on the Torah, the gentiles may claim, “You are thieves,”
but the Jewish people can answer, “The land belongs to G-d...and He
gave it to us.” But when it comes to conquering other lands, this
rationale does not apply. These lands were given to the gentiles, not to
the Jewish people. How can the Jewish people conquer these lands? It
would seem that the claim “you are thieves” has validity!
A
similar and perhaps even deeper question applies regarding the parallels
to this concept in our service of G-d. A Jew can transform the material
substance of this world into holiness because of the potential granted
to him by the Torah. Materiality was created with the intent that it
ultimately be transformed into holiness. A war is necessary to bring
about this transformation because G-d desires a dwelling in the lower
worlds. The material world was created to appear as an “enemy” to
the service of holiness.
Nevertheless, it was intended to be transformed into holiness.
We
see this concept in regard to Eretz Yisroel. Although G-d promised
Avrohom that He would give Eretz Yisroel to his descendants, when the
Jewish people re-entered Eretz Yisroel, they had to assert their control
over the land through waging war. Before the Jewish people’s conquest,
the Torah referred to Eretz Yisroel as “the inheritance of the
nations.” Nevertheless, at the very beginning of Creation, the
potential was already granted that the Jewish people would conquer Eretz
Yisroel and transform it into a land of holiness.
This
concept can be understood as follows. Since G-d created Eretz Yisroel,
He is entitled to give it to whomever He pleases. He granted it to the
Jewish people, however, in a manner that will enable them to appreciate
it not as a gift given from Above, but rather as something they acquired
through their own efforts. This requires that they wage a war to
transform the land from being the heritage of gentiles into Eretz
Yisroel, the Holy Land.
This
applies regarding wars that are mitzvos. There is a Divine
command to conquer this portion of the world for holiness and reveal its
essential connection to the Jewish people. But with a milchemes
reshus there is no Divine command involved, nor does the land belong
to the Jewish people. Taking it away from the gentiles — or in the
personal sphere, taking it away from worldliness — seems improper.
The
purpose of this portion of the Torah, Parshas Ki Seitzei, which
describes a milchemes reshus, is to teach us that we possess the
potential for a new and different service – a war fought according to
the directives of the Torah that was not obligated by its command. This
endows the Jewish people with the potential to conquer additional
portions of the world and make them and the entire world — not only
the limited area of Eretz Yisroel — a dwelling for G-d.
This
is the purpose of Creation. The Torah states that only Eretz Yisroel was
given to us from Above, not the world at large, because G-d desired that
the task of making the world a dwelling for Him should be dependent
totally on the service of the Jewish people. Torah does not give any
commands regarding these matters, leaving them solely in the hands of
the Jewish people.
Thus,
a milchemes reshus brings out a new dimension of service, serving
G-d voluntarily, on one’s own initiative, reaching a more complete
level in the efforts to make this world a dwelling for G-d. Through this
service, even what belongs to the realm of worldliness — as opposed to
what was at the outset designated for holiness — becomes part of G-d’s
dwelling.
Since
there is no obligation from the Torah to carry out a milchemes reshus,
and there is even danger involved, why should the risk be taken?
Similarly, in the personal sphere, since the “war” to transform the
material substance of the world requires that one become involved in
material things, there is a possibility that the person’s spiritual
level will decline. Although danger also exists in a milchemes mitzva,
a) we have no choice, for it is a commandment, and b) the Torah’s
command itself protects us from danger.
In
a milchemes reshus, however, there is no such command. The
question remains: Why should a Jew expose himself to danger? The Torah
commands us to protect ourselves from physical harm. Although this
service can bring a person to a higher level, since there is a risk
involved it would appear more appropriate to devote time and energy to
the service of holiness, where one will surely succeed. Plus, if there
is a failure in a milchemes reshus, there is a possibility that
there would no longer be any service at all. It, therefore, seems
preferable to devote oneself to the service of holiness, where one’s
future will not be jeopardized.
Despite
the danger, a Jew must commit himself to this service. He is granted a
Divine promise for success: “The L-rd, your G-d, will give the enemy
into your hand.” On the one hand, the Torah teaches us that the Jew
must choose to go to war despite the danger involved. But at the same
time, he must fulfill the command to preserve his life. This is possible
because a Jew is connected with the essence of G-d, which is the source
of the fusion of opposites.
The
world and worldliness (“your enemy”) has a power granted by G-d. It
appears as being separate from the realm of holiness. That is why it is
necessary to wage war to conquer it and also why this war possesses a
certain amount of danger. But since a Jew is connected with G-d’s
essence, he has the potential to bring about a new development in
Creation, conquer these elements of existence, and cause them to be
included in the dwelling for G-d established in the lower worlds. G-d
promises him success in these activities: “The L-rd, your G-d, will
give the enemy into your hand.” In addition, “you will take
captives.” This phrase can be interpreted that even those aspects of
existence “captured” by the “enemy” can be redeemed and
transformed into holiness.
Potential
for this service is by virtue of the fact that a Jew is essentially
“upon (i.e., above) his enemies.” He is one with G-d, transcending
the limits of the material world. This reflects a higher dimension of
the soul than the service to conquer Eretz Yisroel. This is because from
the outset, Eretz Yisroel was the part of the world destined to become
included in the realm of holiness. It involves a service limited in
nature that relates to worldly matters. The service of milchemes
ha’reshus relates to that aspect of the Jewish people that is
“above your enemy,” transcending all aspects of material existence,
and one with G-d.
These
concepts are also reflected in the personal realm, in a Jew’s war with
his yetzer ha’ra, his struggle to refine his body and animal
soul. On the verse, “And you shall...see the difference between one
who serves G-d and one who does not serve Him,” our Sages comment,
“‘One who serves G-d’ is one who reviews his subject matter one
hundred and one times. ‘One who does not serve Him’ is one who
reviews his subject matter only hundred times.”
In
Tanya, the Alter Rebbe differentiates between these individuals
and a tzaddik. A tzaddik is called “a servant of G-d.”
He has already completed his battle with the yetzer ha’ra and
is referred to by a title that attests to the acceptance of his service
as an established fact. In contrast, the expression “one who serves
G-d” indicates that the person is in the midst of his struggle with
his yetzer ha’ra and is a beinoni.
The
Alter Rebbe explains the difference between “one who serves G-d” and
“one who does not serve Him.” In the time of the Gemara, it was
customary for a student to review his subject one hundred times. The one
hundred and first time, when the person went beyond his habit and normal
practice, caused him to be distinguished as “one who serves G-d.” On
account of his striving (“war”) to rise above his nature and
personal habits he merits this title.
These
ideas can be related to the concepts of milchemes mitzva and milchemes
reshus. If a person has already waged the milchemes mitzva
required of him and refined his nature and habits so that he is worthy
of the title tzaddik, one might assume that he need not be
involved in “wars” any more. On the contrary, he should proceed from
strength to strength in the realm of holiness. But in order to merit the
title “one who serves G-d,” he cannot be satisfied with previous
achievements. He must “go out to war,” striving to change and
elevate his habits and nature and reach an even higher level of
holiness. This applies even to one who has previously engaged in milchemos
reshus. Although after refining his behavior to be included in the
realm of holiness, he strove to seek greater heights – having attained
those heights, he cannot remain passive, but must “serve G-d” by
seeking an even higher achievement.
This
is particularly relevant in the month of Elul. The yetzer ha’ra
may try to tempt a Jew by saying, “Surely you have already carried out
all of the service of Elul, observing Torah and mitzvos b’hiddur.
Now it is time to rest. If you want, continue your service, but do it in
a regular manner, in a pattern that fits your accepted norms. Don’t
risk anything. Devote your energies to holiness.” In the present
generation in particular, the yetzer ha’ra will add, “This is
the last generation of exile and the first generation of the Redemption.
Our energies
should be directed towards preparing for the coming of Moshiach by
devoting our energies to progress in holiness, to rising higher
spiritually, rather than “go[ing] out to war.”
For
this reason the Torah teaches us, “When you go out to war...”
emphasizing how a Jew must constantly wage war, both against his own
personal nature and against the world at large, to make the world a
dwelling for G-d. Even Moshiach will “fight the wars of G-d” to
bring the world to its ultimate state of refinement.
Each
person must apply himself to the service of Elul in a manner that
challenges his nature. This includes the establishment of a bond of love
and happiness with G-d, as emphasized by the verse, “I am my
Beloved’s.…” This relationship is expressed through Torah study,
in which a complete bond is established between a Jew and G-d. It is
appropriate that each individual increase his own Torah study and also
influence others (particularly children) to attend public sessions of
Torah study. Similarly, there should be an increase in tzedaka,
which reflects the unity of the Jewish people. This unity brings about
the love of G-d and motivates the expression of His love for the Jewish
people.
*
* *
Our
Sages state that thirty days before a holiday we should learn the
applicable laws. It is already less than thirty days before the holidays
of Tishrei begin. It is, therefore, necessary to mention the importance
of providing Jews with their holiday needs so that they will be able to
celebrate Rosh HaShana (and the holidays that follow) in the manner
stated in the Bible, “Eat sumptuous foods and drink sweet beverages
and send portions to those who do not have anything prepared.” This is
particularly relevant this year, when Shabbos comes directly after Rosh
HaShana, Sukkos, and Simchas Torah. Festive meals will have to be
prepared for three consecutive days.
May
these activities bring each person a k’siva va’chasima tova
for a good and sweet year and may it conclude with the greatest
blessing, the coming of Moshiach, who will “fight the wars of G-d and
be victorious.” Then he will rebuild the Beis HaMikdash, where
we will fulfill the mitzvos mentioned in the coming week’s
Torah portion, bringing our first fruits as an offering to G-d.
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