Spark of Jewish Experience

An Israeli Iron Dome operator is claiming that he witnessed ‘the hand of G-d’ diverting an incoming Hamas rocket into the sea.

The commander claims that the Divine intervention stopped the death of hundreds of Israeli citizens.

Israel’s Iron Dome system allows it to shoot down incoming rockets or mortars headed toward major population centers in Israel.

“Israel Today”-translated a report from a Hebrew-language news site, which carried the man’s report after about an incoming rocket headed toward Tel Aviv.

The commander recalled: ‘A missile was fired from Gaza. Iron Dome precisely calculated [its trajectory].

‘We fired the first [interceptor]. It missed. Second [interceptor]. It missed. This is very rare. I was in shock.

The defense system has been highly effective in the current round of violence between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip – Israeli officials say it has a success rate as high as 90 percent.

The commander explains that with ‘just four seconds’ until the missile landed the military warned emergency services to be on standby.

‘Suddenly, Iron Dome (which calculates wind speeds, among other things) shows a major wind coming from the east, a strong wind that … sends the missile into the sea. We were all stunned. I stood up and shouted, ‘There is a G-d!,’ he said.

‘I witnessed this miracle with my own eyes. It was not told or reported to me. I saw the hand of G-d send that missile into the sea.’

Iron Dome uses radar, advanced tracking technology and anti-missile batteries to follow the trajectory of an incoming rocket or mortar and determine if it is headed for a major population center.

If an urban area is threatened, interceptors are fired to detonate in the air in close proximity to the missile.

Projectiles not posing a threat are allowed to fall in empty fields.

The system targets short-range rockets with a range between two miles and 45 miles; interceptors cost as much $100,000 a piece.

Created by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Iron Dome has enjoyed strong U.S. technological and financial support.

President Barack Obama signed a bill granting an additional $225 million in U.S. taxpayer dollars for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.

The U.S. has provided hundreds of millions of dollars for Iron Dome in the past.

The new package is intended to replenish Israel’s capabilities.

Congress approved the money before lawmakers left for their annual summer break. Obama signed the bill in the late afternoon in the Oval Office with a handful of photographers present.

Throughout history we Jews had to endure, on occasion, a great deal of persecution from the nations of the world. At times the goyim are peaceful, however, at times, with no apparent reason, they can show their vicious hatred, unexpectedly.

In this week’s parsha we discover methods in how our forefather, Yaakov, dealt with such adversity.

The Odd Couple – Oscar and Felix, Abbot and Costello, and Laurel and Hardy, had contrasting personalities which resulted in tremendous amount of unproductive mishap. Apparently, contrary to those guys, it was designed in the heavens that our forefather – Yitzchak’s sons, Yaakov and his brother – Eisav, two opposites, with their individual tremendous talents, were destined to enhance the spiritual level of the world to such an extent that the Mashiach was to arrive in their time. Eisav was supposed to be the fourth father to complement the four mothers. He was an “Ish Tzayid” – a hunter, meaning his method was to attract the average Joe with his charisma and trap him, to bait and entice him to pursuit G-d. Yaakov’s task, on the other hand, was to elevate the high level of goodness, the tzadikim of the generation, even higher.

Eisav failed to accomplish his task leaving Yaakov the one to perform his job of pursuit of excellence as well as Eisav’s job of accomplishing by deception.

The Zohar comments on the verse “And afterwards his brother came out and his hand was holding on to the heel of Eisav; and his name was called Yaakov” [Bereshis 25:26]. The Zohar states that Eisav is compared to the Original Snake (nachash kadmoni). The force in this world that represents the Original Snake that tricked Adam and Chava into eating from the Tree of Knowledge, the personification of that Snake in this world, is Eisav.

How does the Torah tell us to deal with that Original Snake? “And you will strike him in the heel” [3:15]. Against the powers of that Snake, you will not be able to make a frontal attack. To be successful against him, you must grab him by the heel, from behind. This is the only way to deal with the Snake and with Eisav.

The Zohar says that when the verse, which we read in last week’s parsha, tells us here that Yaakov’s hand was holding Eisav’s heel, the Torah is setting the stage and is telling us how Yaakov — in the future — will have to deal with Eisav. He is going to have to deal with him by attacking at the heel; he is going to have to deal with him, sometimes, deceitfully and secretly. That is the only way one can deal with that Snake.

This is what our Sages mean when they say (on the verse [Samuel II 22:27] “With a pure one, You show Yourself pure; but with a perverse one, You deal crookedly.”) that you cannot always be upfront and straightforward with a person who is a liar. Even Yaakov, the man of Truth, has a mandate from the Torah, that the way to deal with Eisav is by ‘heel,’ which is connoted in Yaakov’s name.

But, points out Rav Elie Munk, Yaakov undergoes two name changes in the Torah. First, Yaakov is changed to Yisrael. Rash”i, over there, says that ‘Yaakov’ refers to a person who waits in ambush, but there will come a time when you will be called ‘Yisrael’ — connoting an officer and a prince. You will then be able to deal with Eisav, no longer deceitfully, but as an equal.

However, we find, that even after Yaakov was called Yisrael, the Torah still, sometimes refers to him as ‘Yaakov’ and sometimes refers to him as ‘Yisrael.’ Why? Because Yaakov can not yet totally abandon the practices of ‘Yaakov’. Throughout Jewish history, there were times when we as a people had to fall back on the tactics of ‘Yaakov’ and could not go with the name ‘Yisrael.’ When we are surrounded by 140 million people wishing to destroy us, we cannot always go with the ‘high-road’ behavior. We have to come back to the practices of ‘Yaakov.’

In the End of Days, however, our Sages tell us that Yaakov will go from the name of Yaakov and Yisrael to the name of Yeshurun, meaning straight (from the word ‘yashar’). When the nations of the world will finally come to recognize the greatness of Israel, then Yaakov can be transformed into the name of Yeshurun and will no longer have to deal with Eisav with deceit and tricks.

This is what Yeshaya HaNavi means [Isaiah 40:4] when he says “… and the crooked will be made straight…” [v’haya ha’akov l’mishor]. Rav Munk says this refers to the name Yaakov becoming the name Yeshurun. We will abandon the practices which were forced upon us, those of ‘Yaakov’ and will strictly conduct ourselves according to the practices of ‘Yeshurun’ (straightness).

In this week’s parsha we find the guidelines of how to deal with the enemy when they are knocking on your door potentially in a hostile manner.

After escaping from the wicked Lavan, Yaakov and his family face another challenge.

To get home, they must first pass through the land of Eisav, Yaakov’s violent brother. As Yaakov well knows, Eisav has been plotting to kill him for many years.

So Yaakov prepares a brilliant three-part plan that teaches us how to deal with bullies like Eisav.

First, Yaakov prays to G-d to protect him and his family.

Second, Yaakov sends messengers to Eisav with pleasant words and valuable gifts, to let Eisav know that he wants peace.

Third, in case all else fails, Yaakov prepares to fight his brother if he has to.

DIPLOMACY OR IMMEDIATE TOUGH ACTIONS

When the Romans colonized the land of Israel over 2000 years ago, there was a heated debate what method to use in dealing with the occupiers. Caligula, the Emperor of Rome at the time, in an act of egotistical lunacy, placed statues of himself throughout Jerusalem. Shamai’s followers, one of two philosophies being observed by the Jews, at the time, defamed the statues at every opportunity causing an uproar among the Roman authorities.

Hillel, the other philosophy being observed, believed that Jews should not make such a raucous of all these offensive situations and play a more diplomacy game. Hillel’s approach was predominantly practiced, for the most part, throughout Jewish history. However though, we have seen, in our time especially, a approach similar to Shamai.

Interestingly, I came across a fellow brother who works for AIPAC which practices the Hillel approach perfectly and effectively.

American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) ) is a lobbying group that advocates pro-Israel policies to the Congress and Executive Branch of the United States. Describing itself as “America’s Pro-Israel Lobby”, AIPAC has more than 100,000 members, seventeen regional offices, and “a vast pool of donors.” It has been called “the most important organization affecting America’s relationship with Israel,” and

one of the most powerful lobbying groups in the United States. The group does not raise funds for political candidates itself, but helps organize to channel money to candidates, AIPAC describes itself as a bipartisan organization, and bills it lobbies for in Congress are always jointly sponsored by both a Democrat and Republican.

AIPAC’s stated purpose is to lobby the Congress of the United States on issues and legislation related to Israel. AIPAC regularly meets with members of Congress and holds events where it can share its view.

Most members of congress are not very proficient in foreign affairs. They basically cater to the needs of their district which consists of local matters. AIPAC educates these congressmen providing the real truth about Israel.

AIPAC influences lawmakers:

* matching an AIPAC member with shared interests to a congressperson/senator to serve as a contact to them;

* “carefully curated”, “lavish” trips to Israel for legislators and other opinion-makers, all expenses paid for by AIPAC’s charitable arm. In 2005 alone, more than 100 members of Congress visited Israel, some multiple times.

* cultivating potential politicians such as student council presidents. At colleges it provides “political leadership training” to undergraduate student groups. This is an effort to “build a stronger pro-Israel movement among students on and off campuses nationwide”.

* sympathy for Israel among the general public.

AIPAC executive director – Howard Kohr appeared before the House Committee on Appropriations’ Foreign Operations subcommittee and requested that Israel receive $2.775 billion in military aid in fiscal year 2010, as called for in the 2007 Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Israel that allocates $30 billion in aid for the Jewish state over 10 years.

During the Gaza conflict, AIPAC has made a priority of sending a message of bipartisan congressional support for all of Israel’s actions. Pro-Israel resolutions passed by unanimous consent carry weight, but not nearly so much as military funding. During the fighting, Israel has relied on the Iron Dome system, a U.S.-funded missile defense that has largely neutralized Hamas’s rockets. Although the U.S. was scheduled to deliver $351 million for the system starting in October, AIPAC wanted more money right away. On July 22nd, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had sent a letter to Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, seeking an immediate payment of $225 million. The project Iron Dome is to be continued uninterrupted!!

AIPAC is influential; AIPAC has helped their brothers in Israel; AIPAC is greatly responsible for the Iron Dome project; AIPAC has done it all by diplomacy…….THE HILLEL WAY!! This is diplomacy at its best; the Jewish way at its finest.

However, diplomacy, at times, has not always been the Jewish way. We see, further, in this week’,s parsha, Yaakov’s daughter, Dina, is raped by Shechem, leader of the town. The town’s people cover up the crime and protect it’s leader.

After Shechem reaches out to Yaakov’s children to make peace, and propose intermarriage between each other, Levi and Shimon respond by telling them the bond between us can only be united only if the men in the town will be circumcised. On the third day, though, after all the men in the town were circumcised, Shimon and Levi destroyed and massacred the men in the town.

Although it seems like through the scripture in the Chumash that the Torah defends and justifies their killing of the town, Yaakov , however did not approve.

On Yaakov’s deathbed, later on – in Parshat Vayechi – “At this critical juncture, when Yehudah is assigned the crown of royalty, Yisachar – the role of scholar, Zevulun – the role of philanthropist and so on, what does Yaakov say to Shimon and Levi? He reminds them of the outburst of bloody rage in which they destroyed the city of Shechem. “Their weaponry is a stolen craft,” he declares, behavior unfit for the exalted family of Yaakov, a page stolen from the book of Eisav.”

When the Jews were under the British rule in the 40’s, the Brits favored the Arabs because of their oil. The Jews would constantly be harassed by both the British soldiers and the Arabs.. They had no choice and developed an underground that terrorized their enemy.

Diplomacy is the Jewish way. As a matter of fact, we see from this week’s parsha that Yaakov’s concern of the wholeness and wellbeing of his family while Eisav is establishing himself as a leader and a warlord. This is the way it’s been defined for thousands of years. We’ve always been behind the scenes, whether writing the president’s speech, making the calculating decisions as opposed to being the president himself. Although, being in the front line is the glorious and glamorous choice, it might not be the optimal Jewish choice.