On the Occasion of Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day, 2023

Moshe recalls how when the Children of Israel approached the territory of Sichon G-d instructed them to drive them out and provoke war with them.

In the very next verse though Moshe on his own initiative sent messengers from מדבר קדמות — the Wilderness of Kedaimos to Sichon king of Cheshbon, words of שלום —peace, requesting to traverse through their land unimpeded. (דברים ב כו)

What was Moshe thinking after being commanded to provoke war with Sichon to defy G-d's directive by seeking peace?

Rashi enlightens us by quoting from the Midrash that Moshe derived this from G-d himself.

Even though the Omnipresent had not commanded me to call to Sichon in peace, I learned to do so from the incident at the desert of Sinai, i.e., relating to the Torah which preceded (קָדְמָה) the world. When the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to give the Torah to Israel, He took it to Esav and Yishmael. Although it was clear to Him that they would not accept it, nevertheless, He began with them in peace. So too, I first called to Sichon with words of peace. Another explanation מִמִּדְבַּר קְדֵמוֹת  — Moses said to G-d, “I learned this from You, Who preceded (קָדַמְתָּ) the world. You could have sent one flash of lightning to consume the Egyptians, but instead, You sent me from the desert to Pharaoh. saying, ‘Let my people go’ patiently.” (Midrash Tanchuma)

Aside from the difficulty of the parallel of this offer of peace to the presenting of the option of accepting the Torah to Esav and Yishmael, in that former seems to be an eagerness for peace and the latter merely the opportunity for them to accept the Torah so they can't complain later they were never given a choice, there is a greater question.

In both cases cited, that of Esav and Yishmael, as well as Pharoah, and that of Sichon too, G-d knew they would reject the offer, so why play games and portray it as שלום — 'peace' when it wasn't even a possibility?

Have you ever wondered what the accurate translation of the word שלום is?

Commonly it means 'peace'. Yet in a verse in Shmuel II (11 7), regarding a battle being waged against Ammon, King David approaches Uriah asking him how is the שלום המלחמה going?

Literally this translates as the 'peace of the battle' an obvious oxymoron. Loosely it might intimate welfare of the battle.

The great 15^th century Spanish Rav and scholar, Rav Yitzchok Arama in his seminal work Akeidas Yitzchok addresses this very verse.

It is commonly supposed that 'peace' is the restoration of harmony between parties that have been at odds with one another. People who conceive 'peace' as being merely just that deprive the concept of much of its value. If 'peace' does nothing more than restore a balance where there had previously been an imbalance, it can hardly be considered a blessing… peace is more like the silver thread that joins two people or two entities combining them into a unified whole. Why is one of the names of G-d Shalom — peace? Because He ties together worlds, keeps them united and preserves their appearance and format. When we read in Shmuel II, "David enquired after the peace of Yoav, the peace of the people, and the 'peace' of the 'war, there is certainly no reference intended to the cessation of the war. This war was still very much in progress. David merely asked Uriah whether these people or affairs were all well and proceeding according to plan. The word 'peace' in that context describes that there was a common bond between the people or the animals described. A city of people who do not quarrel with one another, who tolerate each other's idiosyncrasies, cannot be said to be at peace with each other if they do not share a common purpose or goal. Furthermore, when there is no bond joining people, there is a degree of separateness which may eventually lead to disintegration, decay etc… Peace, i.e. harmony, is the fruitful interaction of the various energies of different bodies, elements.

Perhaps Moshe's intention in calling out for 'peace', knowing quite well there would be no literal peace here, was to send a message to the nations of the world, that all conflicts that develop, both personal and global, are part of the masterplan of the Divine Presence who created a world that must and is destined to discover peace, the 'silver thread' that will unite us all into one integrated world of harmony. 

We struggle to create harmony amongst our own inner battles. We fight to uphold the banner of justice against enemies that seek to quash the truth inherent in the descendants of Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov, that summons man towards self-perfection rather than questing for 'material' success, or freedom to indulge in temporal purposeless pleasures.

This world is a product of the blueprint of Torah that compels us to discover the harmony of life, through mindful choices inspired and directed by the principles of Torah, amidst a chaotic world of conflict and dissension.

The naming of this location as Wilderness of קדמות — literally translating as 'preceding', is instructive. As Rashi explicates its referring to the Torah that preceded this world, and to G-d, the author of Torah, the Master Planner Who writes each detail in the script of our lives that bring us closer to Him.  

The Baal HaTanya write: Just as it is impossible for any creature in the world to comprehend the Essence of the Creator and His Being, so it is impossible to comprehend the essence of His knowledge, which is One with G‑d Himself; [it is possible] only to believe, with a faith that transcends intellect and comprehension, that the Holy One, blessed be He, is One and Unique. He and His knowledge are all absolutely one, and knowing Himself, He perceives and knows all the higher and lower beings, i.e., the beings in the higher and lower worlds, He and His knowledge are all absolutely one, and knowing Himself, He perceives and knows all the higher and lower beings, i.e., the beings in the higher and lower worlds, including even a שלשול קטן — small worm in the sea…  (שער היחוד והאמונה פ"ז)

There is a plan that descends from upon High that includes every detail of life and experience even to the lowliest creature the שלשול.

It has been suggested that this little entity is thus called because the verb של alludes to an item removed and dropped, as when Moshe is told in his encounter at the Burning Bush, של נעליך — remove and drop or lower your shoes to the ground.  A chain is called a שלשלת, representing a item that is connected to something higher but lowered down.

This seemingly inconsequential little being is also a player in the hands of The Infinite One.

One who grabs on to this chain of purpose can access moments of שלוה — tranquility, even as one's world seems to swirl around him.

But to achieve full inner harmony one must be ever conscious, accessing in all our trials an awareness of our constant and inspiring bond to G-d that brings us שלום — an infinite, continuous, and complete connection to Hashem.  (נוקב מרגליות, הרב אלדד נקר)

The Jewish nation has been assaulted, demeaned, taunted and vilified for being the seekers of truth and pursuers of peace — the conscience of the universe.

We are a thorn on the side of those who don't want to be bothered by the truth.

But we have maintained an inner harmony that is the secret to our success. Even in the face of torture and death, we have held on to the chain that links us to the Almighty, infusing us with true 'peace' and harmony.

On Tisha B'Av we relive our grief. But in that endeavor, we grasp on with even greater strength as we await and sense the glory that will soon be ours, living in peace for eternity.

באהבה,

צבי יהודה טייכמאן