HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu is the Chief Rabbi of Tzfat.
Throughout history, Israel's enemies recognized Israel's greatness. Not only its numerical size, but also its strength. Thus Pharaoh says: “Behold, the people of the Children of Israel are more numerous and mightier than we" - and therefore he proposes: “Come, let us deal wisely with them." Likewise Balak says: “Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many," and later: “for they are mightier than I." Both understand that Israel is a numerous and mighty nation. Therefore, both seek to break the spirit of Israel in order to strike at the root of its strength.
Pharaoh Wants to Break the Desire for Freedom
Pharaoh imposes taxes: “They set taskmasters over them in order to afflict them with their burdens." The Torah emphasizes that the goal was not economic but rather “to afflict them." Then follow the storehouse cities, the backbreaking labor, the bitterness of life, and finally the decree against the children.
Even when Moses demands freedom, Pharaoh immediately understands the danger and commands: “Let the labor be heavier upon the men... and let them not pay attention to false words." Break their spirit so they will not think about Redemption. So they will not lift up their heads.
Against this humiliation, the Holy One, Blessed Be He, brings Israel out of Egypt with an uplifted hand. Not at night like thieves, but in broad daylight. In respectable clothing. With silver and gold ornaments. The Egyptians bow before Israel and their stature is restored after generations of degradation. Therefore it is said: “And the children of Israel went out with an uplifted hand."
A Lowly Spirit and a Lofty Spirit
Although they left Egypt, the slave consciousness of Egypt had not yet completely left them. Ibn Ezra asks: How could a camp of six-hundred-thousand people be afraid of the Egyptians? Instead of fleeing, why did they not fight for their lives and for their children?
His answer is fundamental: “For the Egyptians were masters over Israel, and the generation that came out of Egypt had learned from its youth to bear the Egyptian yoke, and its spirit was lowly."
A nation can be taken out of slavery in one day, but the soul of slaves cannot be healed in one day. Therefore, in the Sin of the Spies the Meraglim say: “We were in our own eyes like grasshoppers." A new generation had to arise, one that had not seen exile. A new generation which possessed a lofty spirit.
Balaam Wants Us to Be a Downtrodden Nation
After Israel defeated Sihon and Og, Balak understood that he could not defeat Israel by military force. Therefore he summoned Balaam.
The Sages teach: “From the blessings of that wicked man you can learn what was in his heart." He wished to say a curse, but a blessing came out instead:
- May they not have synagogues and houses of study - “How goodly are your tents, O Jacob."
- May the Divine Presence not rest upon them - “Your dwelling places, O Israel."
- May their kingdom not endure - “Spread out like valleys."
- May they have no olive groves and vineyards - “Like gardens beside a river."
- May their fragrance not spread - “Like aloes planted by the Lord."
- May they have no towering kings - “Like cedars beside the waters."
- May they have no royal dynasty - “Water shall flow from his buckets."
- May their kingdom not rule among the nations - “His seed shall be in abundant waters."
- May their kingdom not be strong - “His king shall be higher than Agag."
- May their kingdom not be awe-inspiring - “And his kingdom shall be exalted" (Sanhedrin 105b).
Balaam wished Israel to be submissive, weak, and lacking strength. For he himself declares: “Behold, a people rises like a lioness, and lifts itself up like a lion," but he really intended the opposite.
Baal Peor - Humiliation Instead of a Curse
After the failure of the curses, Balaam attempts to break our spirit through the sin involving the daughters of Moab.
“Israel dwelt in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab."
It begins with foolishness, descends into immorality, then to eating from idolatrous sacrifices, and finally to Baal Peor - the form of idolatry that degrades a person more than any other.
“They attached themselves to Baal Peor and separated themselves unto shame." Not only that, but they became disgusting in their own eyes: “They became abominable like that which they loved."
Pinchas Restores Courage
The peak of the disgrace takes place publicly in the camp of Israel before Moses and all the leaders of Israel:
“And behold, a man of the Children of Israel came and brought the Midianite woman to his brethren... while they were weeping at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting."
It is astonishing how Israel knew how to defeat the giant kings Sihon and Og, yet struggled to overcome internal degradation.
At that moment Pinchas arises from among the congregation and restores the strength of holiness. He teaches that the people of Israel may not accept degradation as a norm or allow the enemy to break their spirit.
Saul, Mordechai, and Esther - Dignity Against Humiliation
Thus Nahash the Ammonite sought to humiliate Israel in the days of Saul:
“On this condition I will make a covenant with you: that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and thereby bring disgrace upon all Israel."
He did not merely want to defeat Israel; he wanted to humiliate them.
The people wept, but the spirit of God came upon Saul. He rallied Israel, defeated Ammon, and the kingdom of Israel was established.
Likewise Haman sought to humiliate the Jews by demanding that they bow to him. Mordechai “would neither kneel nor bow down." Through his strength, Esther clothed herself in royalty, entered before the king, and brought about Haman's downfall.
The Jews gathered together “to stand for their lives." From this renewed dignity, the path was opened for the rebuilding of the Jewish nation and the construction of the Second Temple.
Do Not Let the Enemy Control the National Spirit
Hitler also began with humiliation, with the yellow badge and the breaking of Jewish morale, so that he could later destroy the Jewish people physically with minimal resistance.
Similarly, Nasrallah ridiculed our strength, saying we were as strong as the strings of a spider's web in order to weaken our spirit.
Likewise, the terrorists on Simchat Torah sought to humiliate and weaken us when they filmed the horrific murders of Jewish men and women, intending to spread fear and cause us to see ourselves as grasshoppers - weak and helpless.
We must not fall into their trap. We must not turn a localized failure into a national collapse. We must not allow voices of fear, despair, and surrender to lead Israel.
Rather, we must follow the path of Joshua and Caleb, who declared in the face of the spies: “We shall surely go up and inherit it, for we are certainly able to overcome it."
We must follow the path of the midwives who did not submit to Pharaoh. The path of the righteous women who saw before their eyes birth and redemption. The path of the daughters of Zelophehad who requested an inheritance in the Land of Israel. The path of the priest anointed for war, who strengthened the soldiers before battle.
Our task is to continue proudly along the path of Redemption.
To repair without breaking.
To criticize without weakening.
To mourn without losing our direction.
To remember that the people of Israel are a numerous and mighty nation whom God chose from among all the peoples.
A nation destined to bring blessing to the world through great strength:
“Behold, a people rises like a lioness, and lifts itself up like a lion."