It was never easy to be a Jew. Even now, an overwhelming majority of the nations of the world demand that Israel dismantle the barriers protecting its citizens from a merciless foe. As Israel's ambassador wryly commented in the UN Assembly, "Thank God that the fate of Israel and of the Jewish people is not decided in this hall."
With God's help, the Jewish people have managed to survive throughout the centuries, despite numerous powerful and brutal enemies. In Psalms 135 and 136, King David celebrated our Divine protection and deliverance - what Mark Twain nearly 3,000 years later would term 'the secret of the Jew's immortality' - starting from the triumph over Egyptian subjugation and the defeat of the Canaanite nations.
"He smote many nations and slew mighty kings - Sichon, king of the Emorites, Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan." (Psalms 135:10-11)
What was unusual about Sichon and Og that, out of all the Canaanite kings, they 'merited' to be explicitly mentioned?
We can categorize the various types of human prowess and strength into three basic forms. The Israelites needed God's assistance in overcoming all three, as they fought for their inheritance in the Land of Israel.
The first form of strength is the formidable spirit that is found in a cruel leader. A fierce, ruthless king is difficult to oppose. The Midrash says that King Sichon was like a sayach (wild mule) in the wilderness. (Rosh Hashana 3a) This refers to his brutally vicious nature, unlimited in its violent outbursts. The power to instill fear and terror was appreciated by the ancient despots of the world. Tyrants like Nebuchadnezzar, who used to eat live rabbits, would intentionally develop these traits of violent cruelty and savagery, aware that this power fortified their reign of terror.
The second form of strength is that of immense physical power. Og, king of Bashan, was a tremendous giant; he epitomized this form of power. He was so tall, he would sleep on an iron bed nine cubits (13.5 feet) long. (Deuteronomy 3:11)
And the third category of strength is the collective power that comes from many nations working together for a common cause. This was the military advantage of the Canaanite kings, who formed an alliance in order to fight against the Jewish people.
As the Israelites strove to inherit the Land of Israel, God subdued all of these forms of power before them. Neither the ruthless brutality of Sichon, nor the terrible physical strength of the giant Og, nor the collective power of all the Canaanite armies together, succeeded in thwarting the Divine plan of settling the people of Israel in their land.
This is a lesson for all generations. We need not fear the cruelty, the brute physical strength, nor the numerical superiority of our enemies. Just as the Sichons, Ogs and other tyrants throughout history could not foil God's plan, so too our current foes will fail to obstruct God's promise to the Jewish people.
"There are many devices in man's heart, but the counsel of God will always stand." (Proverbs 19:21)
[Based on Olat Riyah vol. II, p. 83]
With God's help, the Jewish people have managed to survive throughout the centuries, despite numerous powerful and brutal enemies. In Psalms 135 and 136, King David celebrated our Divine protection and deliverance - what Mark Twain nearly 3,000 years later would term 'the secret of the Jew's immortality' - starting from the triumph over Egyptian subjugation and the defeat of the Canaanite nations.
"He smote many nations and slew mighty kings - Sichon, king of the Emorites, Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan." (Psalms 135:10-11)
What was unusual about Sichon and Og that, out of all the Canaanite kings, they 'merited' to be explicitly mentioned?
We can categorize the various types of human prowess and strength into three basic forms. The Israelites needed God's assistance in overcoming all three, as they fought for their inheritance in the Land of Israel.
The first form of strength is the formidable spirit that is found in a cruel leader. A fierce, ruthless king is difficult to oppose. The Midrash says that King Sichon was like a sayach (wild mule) in the wilderness. (Rosh Hashana 3a) This refers to his brutally vicious nature, unlimited in its violent outbursts. The power to instill fear and terror was appreciated by the ancient despots of the world. Tyrants like Nebuchadnezzar, who used to eat live rabbits, would intentionally develop these traits of violent cruelty and savagery, aware that this power fortified their reign of terror.
The second form of strength is that of immense physical power. Og, king of Bashan, was a tremendous giant; he epitomized this form of power. He was so tall, he would sleep on an iron bed nine cubits (13.5 feet) long. (Deuteronomy 3:11)
And the third category of strength is the collective power that comes from many nations working together for a common cause. This was the military advantage of the Canaanite kings, who formed an alliance in order to fight against the Jewish people.
As the Israelites strove to inherit the Land of Israel, God subdued all of these forms of power before them. Neither the ruthless brutality of Sichon, nor the terrible physical strength of the giant Og, nor the collective power of all the Canaanite armies together, succeeded in thwarting the Divine plan of settling the people of Israel in their land.
This is a lesson for all generations. We need not fear the cruelty, the brute physical strength, nor the numerical superiority of our enemies. Just as the Sichons, Ogs and other tyrants throughout history could not foil God's plan, so too our current foes will fail to obstruct God's promise to the Jewish people.
"There are many devices in man's heart, but the counsel of God will always stand." (Proverbs 19:21)
[Based on Olat Riyah vol. II, p. 83]