Since its establishment in 1948, according to jewishvirtuallibrary.org, Israel has engaged in 12 wars or major military operations. For the most part, the Arab-Israeli conflict has continued unabated since Israel’s inception.
Traditionally, Israel has faced weapons of mass destruction including the threat of Iranian nuclear bombs, conventional armies from the likes of Hezbellah, terrorism from multiple factions including Hamas, economic boycott from numerous organizations and political de-legitimization.
And only an isolated hermit is not aware of the most recent wave of knife attacks facing Israel. Many in the press claim this latest wave of aggression stems from lone wolves. Yet, the call for cessation or peace from the leaders of those engaged in knife attacks are either non-existent or scarce and sporadic at best.
The continual threat of war and instability is ironic given the longstanding tradition of peace deeply rooted within the Jewish people.
At the time of the exodus from Egypt, around the year -1313 in the modern day calendar the first Jewish priest, Aaron, went to great lengths to make peace between two feuding parties. He would approach each party separately and inform that the other was remorseful and wanted to make amends. When the parties happened to meet, each would extend their hands with the result being immediate reconciliation.
Centuries later, around the year zero in the modern calendar, the great Sage Hillel wrote that we should “Be of the disciples of Aaron, love peace and pursue peace”. (Ethics of our Fathers 1:12).
Clearly peace is an underlying principle of the Talmud which was compiled from 220-500. We learn that “The entire Torah is for the sake of the ways of peace”. (Gittin 59b). King Solomon teaches us that “Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peaceful”. (Proverbs 3:17).
In the interests of peace we are taught to assist or aid our non Jewish neighbor. “We provide support to the gentile poor along with the Jewish poor, and we visit the gentile sick along with the Jewish sick and we bury the gentile dead with [just like we would bury] the Jewish dead, because of the ways of peace”. (Gittin 61a).
Throughout the years, generation after generation has transmitted the notion and importance of peace. In fact, to this day we yearn, we cry out and we pray for peace on a daily basis. Practically every major Jewish prayer – Amidah, Kaddish, Priestly blessing, Grace after meals – concludes with an appeal for peace.
Peace is so important that we are told to some degree we should “Be of the pursued rather than the pursuers.” (Bava Kama 93a). This can be loosely translated to be of the persecuted rather than the persecutor. Perhaps this is acceptable when hit with a verbal insult here or there. But the Sages understood that to the extent that someone wants to kill us then we are obligated to defend ourselves. Sounds logical.
After World War II, our parents and grandparents took measures to procure and develop the State of Israel to ensure future generations the means to defend from persecution. Since then, when someone wants to hit us with a stick, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that we will search for a bigger stick to defend ourselves. When they have a big enough gun then we will roll out a tank. When they have thousands of rockets then we build a rocket destroyer.
So, throughout the years the conflict between Israel and its adversaries has
intensified. But in the meantime, in the interests of peace, Israel has made some major concessions. For example, in exchange for peace with Egypt, Israel relinquished control of the entire Sinai. Also, Israel evacuated Gaza in 2005. As we are aware, these measures did not bring lasting peace to the region.
Despite prodding from outside nations and proposed agreements or road maps the Arab Israeli conflict has persisted. Many question when it will end.
The answer may seem complicated but yet so simple. It is the same answer for any two feuding parties in the same neighborhood: When the parties love peace and pursue peace. Hillel was keen to this concept centuries ago.
Different people may have different opinions as to the meaning of “love peace”. Mahatma Gandhi said “Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.”
So, perhaps “loving peace” results when two opposing parties spend their time and energy on improving themselves or their own societies and are much less concerned with blaming or inciting the other. Learning tolerance and accepting those who are different.
Pursuing peace appears to entail actively establishing a good connection or relationship with the other party. Ultimately, mutual respect and recognition.
The Hebrew word for peace, Shalom, denotes completion or perfection. True peace is when two parties can come together to be complete or perfect. When the relationship between two opposing parties is not totally complete or perfect then there can be peace but to some degree it is fragile. When the relationship between two opposing parties is substantially fractured then we call it war.
Many used to think that weapons like bombs, guns and tanks defined war. Recently we have learned that a kitchen knife can be a weapon of war.
Most people use knives to cut bread or cheese. In the middle east, though, knives are being used to cut peace.