The Miracle of National Survival: Army, Soldiers, and Weapons – What's Missing?

King David, of blessed memory, says in Psalms (35:18): "I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you." And as he brought the Ark of the Covenant, he danced and rejoiced like any person with movements of joy and merriment, until his wife, Queen Michal, despised him in her heart. David answered her (Samuel II 6:21-22): "Before Hashem, who chose me over your father and all his household to appoint me ruler over the people of Hashem, over Israel, I will celebrate before Hashem. I will demean myself even more than this, and I will be lowly in my own eyes." I did not merit honor and kingship, only because I submit to Hashem and acknowledge that everything comes from Him.

This was David, the King of Israel, who demonstrated bravery and victories for the people of Israel, and understood that all his strength and victories were only because the name of Heaven was familiar to him, and he did not allow himself to think for even a moment that his power and might were a reason for his victory. He attested about himself by saying, "My heart is not haughty, nor my eyes arrogant nor do I involve myself in matters too great or wondrous for me" (Psalms 131:2). The Sages expound: "My heart is not haughty" — when I killed the bear and the lion with my hands and tore them apart, I returned to the flock as if nothing happened. "Nor my eyes arrogant" — when I killed Goliath the Philistine. It's astonishing for the observer! All of Israel was worried and anxious about who would be the hero of the nation to defeat Goliath the Philistine, as the nation’s victory depended on it, according to the agreement with the Philistines. David rose from the flock and with bravery and strength struck down the head of the Philistine before all of Israel and all the Philistines standing on either side. Such bravery and courage that no one else among Israel was capable of, also knowing that victory promised the king's daughter Shaul and great wealth, yet afterward he returned to be a shepherd of his flock and testified about himself "nor my eyes arrogant." Astonishing!

We have lived in the State of Israel for fifty-two years, during which Hashem has shown us countless deliverances and miracles. We are surrounded by our vicious enemies who want to annihilate us and drink our blood, and unfortunately, they raise the flag of the State of Israel with a full proclamation of "We have no part in the God of Israel." From the founding of the state, there has been no gratitude reported in the media to the Creator of the Universe. The denial and rejection of the Holy One's power is so evident and overstated that it isn't even mentioned in passing. They appropriated everything for themselves and wore the crown of victory on their heads without giving even a little portion to the Master of the Worlds.

We're not trying to awaken them, as we have no means of communication with them, but the painful truth is that their heresy and apostasy have infiltrated our hearts.

Is There Greater Heresy Than This?

For evidence, I'll share a story that deeply shook me. Once, I was at a celebration. Next to me sat one of the organizers, a Jew who observed mitzvot, prayed, and kept Shabbat. Our conversation turned to the abundance experienced today, thank God, with great blessings of sustenance, and he said things that shocked me: Today, we have the strongest army and force in the world. He continued to admire and say: You know, our pilots are the best in the world today, we have nothing to fear from the Arabs, our pilots lead the air force in all countries. And he continued explaining to me how one of our pilots could disperse a thousand, etc.

I said to him: Excuse me, our Sages described us, the people of Israel, as "a sheep among seventy wolves," yet from your words, I understand the opposite – that we are "a wolf among seventy sheep"…?!

How can a believing Jew think that our existence is ordinary and attribute the cause and glory to our army and weaponry? Is there a greater heresy than this?

Moreover, let's ask every Jew: You know you are surrounded by millions of Arabs who want our lives; how can you lay your head on the pillow and sleep when they seek your life?! Everyone, in truth and honesty, should contemplate why they can be calm and at peace. Most people's tranquility stems from the reason: What is there to fear? We have an army, we have soldiers and weapons that guard us, we have an air force, etc. And how many of us truly lay our head to sleep quietly solely because there is a Guardian for Israel, and He is the true protection, not the "Israel Defense Forces," which is only subject to the decrees of Heaven, and as the will of Hashem, so it will be? And failures prove how that idol of an army fails not infrequently, as known, and if not for Hashem's help, we would almost be like Sodom, similar to Gomorrah.

Heresy has penetrated our homes and swept over our minds.

These are the words of Rabbi Or HaMeir, who told his students: In the end of days, even the pious like you will utter words of heresy and apostasy. And it is explained in the book Shomer Emunim, how it is possible, and he answers: There will be faith in the state and politics, in power and army, heaven forbid. And who doesn't fail in this today? And how much are we obligated to be equipped with simple faith so as not to be swept away by the overwhelming and outrageous heresy paraded openly without any sense of rebellion or betrayal. On the contrary, people are ashamed to call out in the name of Hashem, ashamed to deny the idol of power and the state, while not ashamed to deny the power of the God of Israel.

In the last year of the "Saba from Novardok," blessed memory, during the years of emergency when the war was raging fiercely across the land, it was the war of the citizens against the invading Bolsheviks. Once, on a Saturday night, he stood with the Havdalah cup in his hand, his hands filled with faith, steady without tremor, not a drop of wine spilled, and he recited with the melody of Havdalah, as was his holy way. At that time, bandits were shooting and bombing in his courtyard, and all the students watched in awe of the rabbi's sanctity, observing how his trust did not waver for a moment, even at such a fearful time. ("The Great Luminaries")

The article is taken from the book "Living in Faith". To purchase Rabbi Yaakov Israel Lugasi's book click here.