By Rabbi Elimelech Biderman
The pesukim with Rashi’s commentary in Parashas Shoftim describe the terrifying experience Bnei Yisroel may encounter when they go to war against their enemy.
Rashi (20:3) writes, “[The opposing army] clash their cymbals, make their horses gallop and neigh loudly, they shout and blow horns.” These aren’t minor matters. They fill a person’s heart with fear.
Furthermore, the Torah states, Am Rav Mimcha, “a people more numerous than you.” We are outnumbered when we go out to war.
To top things off, the passuk states L’milchama Al Oyvecha and Rashi writes, “Consider the opposing side to be your enemies. Don’t have compassion on them because they won’t have compassion on you.”
The description of war seemed to be petrifying. There were frightening sounds, massive numbers, and barbarous nations. Yet the Torah urges us (20:1-3) “Don’t be afraid of them, because Hashem, your G-d, is with you Who brought you up out of the land of Mitzrayim. Don’t be fearful, don’t panic, and don’t break before them because Hashem your G-d, is going with you to fight the wars to save you.”
Rashi writes, “They come with the strength of man, and you come with the power of Hashem.”
Am Rav Mimcha, Rashi writes, “To your eyes, they are a large nation, but in My eyes, they aren’t a large nation. Sus V’rachov, I consider them as though they have just one horse.”
When Klal Yisrael is courageous and fearless because it trusts in Hashem, they will win the war. But when they don’t trust in Hashem’s strength, they are at risk.
The Rabbeinu Yonah (Shaarei Teshuvah 3:32) says that this lesson isn’t only regarding war. He writes, “The Torah is telling us that if one sees trouble approaching, his heart should rely on Hashem’s salvation.” So, if one is worried about his parnassah, he should trust in Hashem. If he is concerned about finding a shidduch, he should trust Hashem. The same applies to health issues and all other kinds of problems. One should be fearless and worry-free because he trusts in Hashem, and Hashem will save him. The problems seem tremendous and overwhelming, but remember, Hashem is greater than the problems, and He can free you from all your troubles. Concerning war, the Torah (20:1) reminds us that Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim, and He will save us now, as well. We should similarly think about the numerous times Hashem saved us in the past, and that will strengthen our hearts to trust in Hashem to save us from the issues we deal with in the present.” In Brisk, the non-religious put on a play (ch.20) to show how Yidden go out to war (based on ch.20 in this week’s parashah). Someone stood before the soldiers and announced, “Whoever built a home and didn’t yet live in it should return home and not go to war.” Some of the soldiers left the troop. Then the man announced to the soldiers, “Whoever planted a vineyard and didn’t yet eat its fruits should return home,” and a few more soldiers left.
Finally, the man announced, “Whoever is afraid should go home,” and everyone ran home. Only two older, bent-over men remained. Each of them was honoring the other one to take the first shot.
The morning after the play was performed, the religious Yidden in Brisk were very upset as the play was intended to poke fun at the Torah. The Brisker Rav saw the commotion in his beis midrash and inquired about it. They told him about the chillul Hashem caused by the play. The Brisker Rav replied, “Everything they showed in the play was true. The only part they left out was to show how the two elderly men won the war!” Those afraid of war were told to go home from the battlefield. What were they afraid of? Rashi states two explanations:
(1)Rebbi Akiva explains, “He cannot stand in the closed ranks of battle and look upon a drawn sword.” In other words, he is afraid of war.
(2)Rebbi Yosi HaGlili says that the passuk refers to someone afraid of his aveiros, that because of his sins, he may die at war.
The Gemara (Sotah 44.) says, even if someone spoke between tefillin shel yad and tefillin shel rosh he can return home. This aveirah is enough reason to be afraid of war, and he may return home. However, a few pesukim earlier (20:3), the officer who speaks to the nation begins with the words Shema Yisrael, “Listen Yisrael.” Rashi writes, “Even if you have no merit other than that you say the Shema, you are worthy that Hashem will save you.”
The Kotzker zt’l (Siach Sarfei Kodesh, end of Shoftim) asks that there seems to be a contradiction. One source says that for the slightest aveirah, like speaking between putting on the tefillin shel yad and tefillin shel rosh one can leave the war, and one source says that just one merit is enough to win the war. So, which one is it? Does one need perfection to merit winning the war, or does one need just one merit?
The Kotzker replies: There are two ways to win a war. You can win with perfection when you don’t have any aveiros, and you can win a war with bitachon. If the nation has bitachon, the merit of saying the Shema is sufficient, and they will win the war. If they lack bitachon, they need to be perfect in their deeds, and then they will win their battles.
This lesson can be applied to all yeshuos that one needs in life. If he has bitachon, he doesn’t need many mitzvos and merits. The merit of bitachon is so great that he will receive his salvation.