Israel’s “War Crimes”

During the most recent war in Israel, there was an incredibly disturbing prevalence of anti-Semitism being revealed all over the world. Many Jews were shocked and disappointed, as they had been living in the illusion that we are in a modern world, and everyone and everything is accepted and tolerated. Well, I guess it's not a total illusion. The reality is that we are in a modern world where everything is accepted and tolerated- except the Jews.

We're like a recurring infection that just won't go away. That's how the world sees us underneath their flimsy veneer of superficial niceties. It's an old story, isn't it- when something goes wrong in the world, it's always the Jews' fault. We all know that this line of reasoning is completely unreasonable and irrational, yet we have no rational way of understanding why we are consistently the scapegoat.

However, we can find a spiritual answer to this conundrum. It's actually a halacha (Jewish Law) that Eisav hates Yaacov. I can't tell you the source, but I'm sure that Rabbi Googlestein can. Anyhow, until we accept and internalize this simple spiritual fact, the message is going to keep getting louder and louder, until one day we will have to come to terms with it. One day, our collective illusion of acceptance and equality will come crashing down.

And it seems that this day is not so far away.

The war here in Israel last summer was a surreal experience. On one hand, we were in constant danger of having missiles landing on us at any second. On the other hand, life for the most part went on as usual, at least for those people who didn't live near Gaza.

The second aspect of the surreal war was the mind-blowing, outright miracles of nearly 4,000 missiles being fired at us from Gaza, and a relatively small amount of people were injured- 67 soldiers and 6 people died, may Hashem avenge their martyred blood.

The third aspect of the surreal war was the insanely humane way the Israeli government helped support their mortal enemy all throughout the war. Somehow, the Gazans are portrayed as a poor, oppressed nation who only wants to live in peace, blah, blah, blah. In reality, they elected Hamas into power, and they all rejoice and hand out sweets and pastries when they hear of any Jew being injured or dead as a result of a terrorist attack. These are not peace-loving people, as CNN would have you believe.

Nevertheless, the IDF was at the border, every day, with trucks of food, water, and whatever daily supplies that murder-happy people need. Why they didn't do the same for the poor Jews who lived in Ashdod and Ashkelon, who suffered from sirens all throughout the day and night, who couldn't go to a supermarket because either they were closed or because they didn't feel like getting hit by a missile, is beyond me. So is the idea of feeding and supporting people that want to kill you. I must be slow or something.

Here's the real surreal kicker- the UN warned that if Israel kept retaliating, they would try our government for war crimes. So, we're supposed to sit back and let the missiles fall where they will, without trying to protect ourselves? Better yet, why don't we just shoot our own missiles at ourselves?

Now, the Israeli government has a new headache to deal with, as the International Criminal Court has declared it is opening up an investigation to determine if there is enough evidence to try Israel for war crimes. Of course, let's take this with a Costco-sized grain of salt, as the prosecutor for the ICC is none other than an Arab by the name of Fatou Bensouda. Hmmmm.

Many Jews brush it off as simple anti-Semitism. So did I, until I did a little deeper thinking about it. Being slow and all, it took me a few days to come up with an insight that many people would have come up with in a few seconds.

My realization was this: Israel is guilty of war crimes.

But not the ones the International Criminal Court is accusing us of.

We're guilty of a different type of war crime. Over Shabbat, my husband was trying to explain to me over the chaos of four wild fighting boys and a hysterical baby why Pharaoh didn't let the Jews go after five of the plagues. I think I heard him say that Hashem hardened his heart, and after the fifth plague, he lost his free will and simply could not let them go, even if he had wanted to. His five chances were, like, sooo over.

Any rational person would not understand why, after seeing miracles that his sorcerers could not duplicate, Pharaoh didn't let the Jews go. Actually, it's not such a surprise. Here's why.

My husband continued, telling me that Yitzchak Rabin, a former Israeli Prime Minister, outright admitted that Hashem was responsible for all the miracles in a previous war. But, even though he saw Hashem's hand in Israel's victory, he didn't make teshuva. He didn't become religious and run the government according to Torah law. I don't even know if he put on a kippah.

As we know, history repeats itself, and it's happening again. All Israelis saw the amazing, outright miracles during Operation Protective Edge. One of the most impressive miracles was when a missile was headed toward the Azrieli Towers, the tallest group of towers in Tel Aviv. There was no time to deploy an Iron Dome missile, and officers at the command center sat and watched helplessly on the radar, as the missile steadily sped towards its target.

Out of nowhere, an unexpected east wind came and simply moved the missile off-target, and redirected it out to sea. People were aghast at such an outright miracle, and it was all over the news. Even one Hamas leader admitted that our God does miracles for us.

All over Israel, we lived under a Divine blanket of protection as missiles were raining down on us. It was as if the Clouds of Glory had come back to protect us, yet we couldn't see them this time. All Jews, in Israel and all over the world, clearly saw how much Hashem loves us.

But what did we do about it?

Did we make a commitment to keep Shabbat, cover our hair, keep family purity, or any of the other 610 mitzvot that we are obligated to keep?

Did we make a commitment to start praying every day?

Did we decide to take our general Torah observance to the next level?

Did we decide to have more tolerance and patience for our fellow Jews?

Did we decide to do more acts of kindness because we now know that God is watching?

Did we come out and publicly and collectively announce that God is the One in charge of the world, and we will do His will?

Did we swarm like bees by the millions into our local Nefesh b'Nefesh offices, demanding a one-way-ticket back home?

Did we even say, “Thank You”?

I am sure that there are plenty of people who can definitely answer “yes” to all of these questions. However, there haven't been any news headlines of a mass teshuva movement, not here in Israel and not anywhere in the world. The number of people who were genuinely moved to connect with God in a more meaningful way didn't make prime time news.

As a result, God was very, very disappointed in us, so he sent the ICC to do the dirty work. He made them want to try us for war crimes. What war crime is Hashem trying to show us that we're guilty of?

The real war crime is that we didn't return to Him when we should have.

I am very afraid for the next war. I don't know if God will be as gracious with us as He was this last time around. But I do know this- He is giving us time, precious time to come closer to Him now, during “peace” time. Take advantage now. Leave the materialistic life behind and make your life about connecting with God, preferably in the land He gifted us. Don't wait another moment!

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Feel free to send Racheli your questions, particularly in the areas of marriage, dating, child-rearing and women's role; write her at racheli@breslev.co.il