Arise, O L-rd, and scatter Your enemies

by HaRav Dov Begon
Rosh HaYeshiva, Machon Meir

The Torah says: “Arise, O L-rd, and scatter Your enemies! Let your foes flee before you” (Bamidbar 10:35). Rashi explains, “‘Your Enemies’ here refers to Israel’s enemies, for whoever hates Israel, hates the One whose word brought the world into existence.”

When a Jew encounters anti-Semitism, he asks himself, “Why do they hate me? Surely I did nothing wrong.” Quite the contrary, throughout history, the Jewish People have only benefited mankind. They imparted, and continue to impart, the divine, eternal values that were given to them in the Bible by the Neviim of Israel, values that all of mankind respects, like justice, peace, love, and so forth. In our day as well, the People and State of Israel set the universal example of people who display a tolerant, considerate relationship even to those who fight against them.

The Jewish People are the light of the world! It is precisely because we have a beneficent, luminant soul that all those forces that prefer darkness hate us. They are reminiscent of those wild beasts that hunt by night, while the light of day disturbs them and hinders their food gathering.

Today, Israel are finally returning home to the Land of Israel and Yerushalayim. The process of Israel’s rebirth is gaining momentum as millions of Jews are gathered in, as the State of Israel becomes stronger, and especially as we consolidate our hold on ancient portions of our holy land. The further this process advances, the greater becomes the opposition of Israel’s enemies, near and far, as in the words of Dovid HaMelech, sweet singer of Israel: “The kings of the earth join ranks, the rulers take counsel together, against the L-rd and against His anointed” (Tehilim 2:2). Yet their thoughts will not bear fruit, thanks to G-d’s promise: “Ask of Me, and I shall give you nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with an iron rod. You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ibid., v. 8-9). This promise will be fulfilled because “the faithful G-d who says and does, who speaks and fulfills, not one of His words shall return void” (Haftara brachot).

Looking forward to salvation,
With the Love of Israel,
Shabbat Shalom.