Elisha Pearl

A border city: refers to a town that stands between the territory of Israel and that of other nations. We must defend it, lest enemies capture it and thereby gain easy acesss to conquer the rest of the land. RASHI, EIRUVIN 45a I reiterate: Every military ...

What qualifies as an obligatory [mitzvah] war? Defending Israel [the Jewish people] against an enemy. MAIMONIDES, MISHNEH TORAH, LAWS OF KINGS, 5:1 In our exploration of the Torah’s military guidance, we have seen the importance of cultivating and heeding...

If someone is coming to kill you, rise up to kill them. TALMUD, SANHEDRIN 72a Rising Up The talmud teaches: Sanhedrin 72a, 102a; Berachos 58a, 62a; Yoma 85a; Tanchuma, Pinchas, 3; Zohar, Vol. 1, 138a. Rashi on Exodus 22:1 demonstrates how this principle i...

War is an illness which must be healed. THE REBBE Toras Menachem 5727 Vol. 3, p. 428, Bamidbar (1967); Sichos Kodesh 5727, Vol. 2, p. 122. Only military experts can rule on matters such as war and land concessions, since they are the only qualified source...

The leech has two daughters [who cry] Give! Give! PROVERBS 30:15 The “leech” represents a person or entity that constantly demands more, while its two “daughters” symbolize the unending nature of these demands. The phrase “Give! Give!” emphasizes the rele...

The sword shall not pass through your Land… LEVITICUS 26:6 You have been a staff of reeds for the House of Israel. When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered and shattered their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and caused them to ...

His pleasantries are smooth like butter, but his heart is at war. His words are smooth like oil, but they are drawn swords. PSALMS 55:22 You have deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, 'You will have peace’ when the sword is at our throats. JEREMIAH ...

The Rebbe’s timeless vision for Israel’s security in a clear and accessible manner, distilling thousands of pages of his commentary into a systematic guide.

The hostages are back, thank G-d. But this conflict is not over. Israel is still surrounded by those who seek to harm its residents, and peace seems more elusive than ever.

Introduction This chapter develops an earlier discussion of the maamar. Chapter 2 of the maamar highlighted one of the aims of shofar blowing: to rebuild Malchus — G‑d’s speech and action. This reconstruction is rooted in reawakening G‑d’s pleasure, which...