Nazi rockets over Britain and Hamas rockets over Israel: Similarities and Differences

Guest post by RaP    Rocket warfare is frightening and unique, especially when used against civilian populations. As all Israelis have come to know first-hand facing the rocket barrages from Hamas in the south (and from Hezbollah in the north). This type of warfare first came into its own during World War Two (1939-1945) when armies began to deploy the new technology of launching missiles and rockets hurling them with devastating effect at enemies.

Rocket warfare was used by the Russians against the Nazis, the most famous of which was the "katyusha" rockets (also known as "Stalin's organ"). TheUnited States launched mass rocket attacks from US Navy ships against theJapanese. The Nazis used the world's first most precise rockets, the V-1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-1_rocket and V-2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-2_rocket , mostly against the British. When their planes could no longer fly far out the Nazis invented the world's first true ballistic sub-sonic and supersonic missiles with sophisticated guidance systems to reach their intended targets with deadly effect. The Iraqis used it against the Iranians in the Iran-Iraq Wars.

Obviously with the Hand of Hashem helping all the way and had Israel not had its "iron dome" ("kipat habarzel') anti-missile systems, something that the British lacked to the misfortune of their own civilians, and had the Hamas people not been so technically incompetent unlike the Nazis who had mastered murder by missiles down to a sick "science", Israeli casualties could very easily have equaled in four weeks what the British suffered in a year, not even talking proportionately just missile for missile Hamas rockets=Nazis rockets!

If the "iron dome" system would not be in existence, and the obvious Hand of God protecting Israel from major harm, then those rockets fired by Hamas would have caused proportionately as much and even greater bomb damage than the Nazi rocket attacks against the British. Like the Nazis, Hamas fires directly on civilian centers in order to terrorize the people. As the Israelis say, while Hamas uses civilians as "shields" to protect their rockets, Israel uses its rockets to protect their own civilians.

If one compares what happened to the British under Nazi rocket attacks to what Israel has had to endure under Hamas rocket attacks the comparisons are frightening as to what could have been but was miraculously averted.

Consider the following, according to Wikipedia: "The first V-1 was launched at London on 13 June 1944...At its peak, more than one hundred V-1s a day were fired at south-east England, 9,521 in total" and casualties were "22,892"!

Then: "Beginning in September 1944, over 3,000 V-2s were launched by the German Wehrmacht against Allied targets during the war, mostly London...According to a BBC documentary in 2011, the attacks resulted in the deaths of an estimated 9,000 civilians and military personnel, while 12,000 forced laborers and concentration camp prisoners were killed producing the weapons."

Thus in total over about 13,000 missiles were fired by the Nazis at Britain from 1944 to 1945 and the number of victims was about 32,000, not to mention damage to property.

According to current news reports, prior to the current outbreak of war, Hamas was in possession of a stockpile of at least 10,000 or more sophisticated rockets and missiles of various types and sizes many stored in underground silos ("tunnels") just as the Nazis hid many of their deadly accurate V1s and V2s underground, or on highly mobile launchers, and Hamas

fired most of their stockpile within four weeks.

Had Israel not had its "iron dome" anti-missile systems (something that the British lacked to the misfortune of their own civilians!) and had the Hamas people not been so technically incompetent (unlike the Nazis who had mastered murder by missiles down to a sick "science"), Israeli casualties could very easily have equaled in four weeks what the allies suffered in a year, not even talking proportionately just rocket for rocket and missile for missile!

Israel has a lot to be thankful to Hashem for and many should rightfully be bentching gomel!

Effort is very necessary for all good things

 Pele Yoetz (hishstadlus). Effort is very necessary for all good things whether mundane worldly matters or spiritual matters - even though everything is from G-d. In fact G-d has decreed that according to effort exerted will be the success. This is especially true regarding the great effort needed to be done in order to save the lives of those condemned to death. Many times we have seen or heard about cases where someone could have been saved easily but because of inaction and unwillingness to spend money and the price was raised considerably to possibly save the person from a horrible and painful death and sometimes the opportunity was lost. Therefore, everyone is obligated, especially the rich and famous, to quickly rescue all those that they can at the earliest possibility. It is widely known that the saving of life is a great mitzvah for which the observing of the Torah is displaced and a sefer Torah can be sold and clearly a person is obligated even to spend all his wealth. Our Sages say Saving a single Jew is equivalent to saving the entire world.

Torah study makes you wealthy

 Rav Yaakov Emden)Migdal Oz): You won’t find a person who is engaged in studying Torah for the sake of Heaven who does not become great and wealthy. If you try refuting this with the verse in Koheles (9:11) that “the wise don’t have bread” – that is only referring to secular scholars. It is not referring to those who are accomplished Torah scholars. And this that we find that there are some of our holy scholars who are poor such as Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa…one should not make the mistake and say that they were unable to find a respectful livelihood – rather the reason that they were poor is because they didn’t want to benefit from their status as Torah scholars … This is quite obvious and certain. There is no question that if Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa and his colleagues wanted they could have been wealthy. They also did not want to interrupt their Torah study even for a moment in order to be involved in work or a trade because of their great love and desire for Torah. Therefore it was with their desire and free choice they bore poverty and lovingly accepted their suffering. However if they wanted to benefit then the option of enjoying wealth was always available and if they wanted to they could have avoided suffering. This of course is true only as long as they studied Torah purely for the sake of Heaven which gives merit to many things which are detailed in the 6th chapter of Avos.

Relying totally on bitachon and avoiding the world is not G-d's desire

 Rav Saadiya Gaon (Emuna V’De’os 10:15): Many people say that it is best to totally devote oneself to serving G-d. They view the ideal as to fast during the day and get up at night to praise and give thanks to G-d. In other words they believe that one should withdraw from the world and assume that G-d will provide sustenance, medicine and all other mundane needs. Despite the fact that serving G-d brings great pleasure…, nevertheless an objection must be raised against this approach. The problem is that they advocate exclusive devotion to this activity and not to be engaged in any other. In fact if a person doesn’t concern himself about food his body will not survive. If he weren’t concerned about having children, then that would end all service of G-d. That is because if everyone agreed to this approach, eventually there would be no people left to worship G-d. In fact serving G-d involves parents and their children and grandchildren (Devarim 6:2). Furthermore let me explain the critical issue which has eluded these people. We are obligated to serve G d with all the commandments - both the rational one and the religious statutes (Devarim 10:12–13). How can a hermit fulfill the commandments concerning honest weights and measures (Vayikra 19:36)? How can he fulfill the commandments concerning unbiased judging of civil disputes (Devarim 16:19)? What opportunity does he have to fulfill the commandments concerning what is permitted and forbidden concerning eating meat and the like?…What opportunity does he have to keep the laws of impurity and purity…? Similarly, one can ask about agricultural laws, ma’aser, oaths, charity and other such laws. Perhaps you might argue that it is sufficient that these righteous hermits learn Torah to instruct others how to keep the commandments? However, that would not solve the problem since it would the students who would fulfill the commandments and not the teachers. Furthermore, regarding their assertion that one should have bitachon (trust) that G-d will take of their mundane needs - that is definitely true. However, they are ignoring a critical factor in bitachon. G-d has established the manner in which one attains his needs. If these righteous hermits applied their concept of bitachon to everything - than they logically should have bitachon that G-d will provide for their spiritual needs and should attain the reward in the World to Come without doing the Divine service! Since it is agreed that it is impossible to acquire the spiritual perfection without the Divine worship it is also impossible without being involved in the world and working, getting married and other activities which can perfect man. While it is true that sometimes G-d does take of these things in a miraculous manner without man’s efforts - it is not the normal practice that He changes the order of nature.

Torah learning provides parnossa - sometimes

 Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz (Sichos Mussar 5731 - Bitachon): The Alschich’s students complained that he had told them that one does not need to work but instead should learn full time and have bitachon that G-d would provide all their needs - but it didn’t work. The only one who succeeded by having bitachon was the simple wagon driver. G-d had provided him with a trunk full of gold coins. In contrast the Alschich’s students failed to have their livelihood provided by their attempts at bitachon. The Alschich explained to his students that the approach of relying entirely on bitachon works only for those who have total faith without any doubts at all. Only the simple wagon driver had the pure simple faith needed for the bitachon to work. 

Israel’s Highest Court Strikes Down Controversial Law to Curb Its Power

 https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israels-highest-court-strikes-down-controversial-law-to-curb-its-power-89430e6e?mod=hp_lead_pos1

In a decision that could have wide repercussions, the court also ruled 12-3 that it has the right to strike down a basic law in “unusual and extreme cases” when it goes against the core principles of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.

“This is really an unprecedented decision because it is the first time in the history of the state where the court strikes down a basic law” that is equivalent to a constitutional amendment, said Yaniv Roznai, a law professor at Reichman University in central Israel.

The court had never before struck down one of the basic laws, but had opined in various decisions that it had the authority to do so if the laws would alter the basic democratic character of the country.

G-d doesn't answer the prayers of someone who makes no effort to help himself

 Bava Metzia (75b) There are three who cry out and are not answered, as they are responsible for their own troubles. And they are: One who has money and lends it not in the presence of witnesses, and one who acquires a master for himself, and one whose wife rules over him.  One who acquires a master for himself, what is it? There are those who say that it is referring to one who attributes his property to a gentile. He falsely claims that his possessions belong to a gentile in order to evade his obligations, thereby inviting the gentile to take advantage of this declaration. And there are those who say that it is referring to one who writes a document bequeathing his property as a gift to his children in his lifetime, as he becomes financially dependent on them. And there are those who say that it is referring to one who has bad fortune in this town but does not go to a different town. He is consequently responsible for his own misfortunes.

Age of sex education

 Novominsker Rebbe once said to me

"this was about 40 years ago after he gave a  gemora shiur I asked him about sex education. Noting that Rav Yaakov told my brother that education in these matters should be at age 16

"Eight year old children today know more about these issues than I do."

Daas Torah om Marriage

 

I just republished my sefer on Marriage. I was told the previous title was not politically correct and some found it inappropriate to have in their home

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CR82BLXH/ref=sr_1_14?crid=3PCU647447HZJ&keywords=eidensohn&qid=1704039883&sprefix=%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-14

Tucker Carlson: Ben Shapiro, other pro-Israel voices don't care about America

 https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-780172+

Tucker Carlson, the populist pundit who led Fox News’s evening lineup until his ouster in April 2023, said in an interview this week that Ben Shapiro of the Daily Wire “[doesn’t] care about the country at all,” accusing him and other pro-Israel voices of being “focused on a conflict in a foreign country as their own country becomes dangerously unstable.”

Freed hostage Mia Schem: ‘I experienced hell. There are no innocent civilians in Gaza’

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/freed-hostage-mia-schem-i-experienced-hell-everyone-in-gaza-is-a-terrorist/

“It’s important to me to reveal the real situation about the people who live in Gaza, who they really are, and what I went through there,” she told Channel 13 news. “I experienced hell. Everyone there are terrorists… there are no innocent civilians, not one,” she said. “[Innocent civilians] don’t exist.”

Eilu V'Eilu by Rabbi Hershel Schachter

 https://www.torahweb.org/torah/2017/parsha/rsch_shoftim.html

The Talmud, as well as later rabbinical literature, is replete with halachic disputes. The halacha has had to decide which opinion should be followed. Should we assume that the rejected view was mistaken and simply incorrect? The Gemara (Eruvin 13b) states regarding the many disputes between Beis Shamai and Beis Hillel that, "eilu v'eilu divrei Elokim Chaim - both opinions are the words of the Living G-d." although in the overwhelming majority of cases we have not accepted the views of Beis Shamai, this does not mean that they were wrong; one who spends time learning the views of Beis Shamai is in fulfillment of the mitzvah of Talmud Torah. Beis Shamai were also basing their opinions on middos she'ha'Torah nidreshes bohein; they were following the principles and the rules of the Torah She'b'al Peh, just that they came to a different conclusion than Beis Hillel. Therefore learning their opinions would also constitute a proper fulfillment of the mitzvah of Talmud Torah. To use the terminology of Rav Soloveitchik, their views also constitute a cheftza shel Torah.

Standardization of the Chareidi mind

 I was reading about Sinclair Lewis and his concern with conformity in middle America. I realized the same dynamic applies to the Chareidi world.

You probably noted that from Tanach through the Rishonim the most obvious feature is the constant disagreement and variety of opinions about everything. This has famously been pointed out by the gemora that concludes Ailu v'eilu. All views are correct as the word of G-d

Rav Yakov Kaminetsky decided he wanted to go to learn in Kelm. Instead of simply asking permission from the Alter - the masgiach of Slobodka so he simple deviated from his normal behavior. He took a different path to the bathroom. That deviance was enough for the Alter to call him over and tell him to go learn in Kelm where he would acquire consistency.

Someone raised a question in a gemora shiur from a tosfos which directly contradicted the rebbe's hypothesis. The rebbe responded "There is no such Tosfos!" His students asked him whether he in fact knew every Tosfos. He replied I don't know every Tosfos but i I know Tosfos doesn't think that way it had been claimed

Institutional education attempts to provide a standardized mind - the core curriculum

However Rav Hutner noted that the ideal is not yeshiva learning but father to son learning

My rebbe once said that he thought most creatively when he had to commute from Williamsburg to Far Rockaway. His mind was free while he was driving. 

Today the ideal is to listen 24/7 to shiurim or reading a sefer

Today we use Ramchal and Maharal, Artsroll. Daf Yomi, Bina magazine and Mishpacha Magazine to ensure a standard way of thinking. Apparently, a large part of the content is from Mussar and Chassidus

The Raban and Shulchan Aruch are major tools for standardization.

The Gerrer Rebbe once chastised some chassidim who had sinned. "I  am not criticizing you for sinning since you are human beings with a yetzer harah. I am upset that you had the spare time to sin!

Rav Kook noted that each individual needs to develop his own haskofa from the variety of views while Rav Dessler noted we have an inner voice to listen to for guidance.

Bottom line is whether to strive for standardization or individualization.

A Call for Hamas to Surrender by Rabbi Shalom C. Spira

          .The Gemara, Eruvin 45a, establishes that the Sabbath must be desecrated in order to defend the borders of a Jewish state from enemy incursion. That casus belli standard was [more than] adequately met this past Oct. 7, 2023. Hence, as elaborated by R. J. David Bleich, Be-Netivot ha-Halakhah, I, pp. 77-84, the Israeli Defense Forces enjoy moral authorization to wage a war termed “ezrat Yisrael mi-yad tzar” (rescuing Israel from the oppressor, a termed coined by Rambam, Hilkhot Melakhim 5:1). This means there is no guilt whatsoever for collateral damage caused by the IDF in its legitimate war of self-defense against Hamas. 

      In my opinion, Rabbi Bleich is supported by Tosafot, Yevamot 114b, s.v. zimnin, who write that it is the nature of war for projectiles to be launched from a large distance, with the combatants not knowing who will actually be hit by those projectiles. Ergo, we can extrapolate from Tosafot that once the Torah authorizes the Jewish army to engage in ezrat Yisrael mi-yad tzar, it means that the Jewish army is granted immunity from guilt over collateral damage. [And that which the Gemara, Gittin 56b, speaks of “removing the threatening snake with tongues while protecting the barrel of honey” is specifically referring as a critique against Vespasian’s invasive attack on the Temple in Jerusalem, a fundamentally different situation.]  

      In an effort to verify that my proof from Yevamot 114b is dispositive, I touched base with posek ha-dor Rav Bleich. On Nov. 18, 2023 [after havdalah], he responded by e-mail as follows: 

 

“The reference in the Gemara is to milchamah ba-olam. That doesn’t sound as if there was Jewish involvement. If so, Tosafot is describing conduct of non-Jews before the Geneva Convention.” 

 

      Nevertheless, even granted Rabbi Bleich’s caveat, the bottom line is that Tosafot seem to demonstrate that the nature of warfare is to precipitate collateral damage. Ergo, while warfare may well be forbidden to Noahides [as per my previous article at <https://daattorah.blogspot.com/2022/06/a-cri-de-coeur-for-russian-army-to_30.html>], when the same concept of warfare is suddenly authorized for Jews under the rubric of ezrat Yisrael mi-yad tzar, collateral damage should presumably become justified. 

      It is true that Siftei Chakhamim to Genesis 32:8 comments that Jacob was distressed at the prospect of defending himself in war against Esau, lest Jacob execute collateral damage. However, there the issue appears to be emotional discomfort experienced by the patriarch, rather than identification of moral transgression. Assuredly, any war represents a monumental tragedy, and so Jacob desperately yearned to avoid it. But it remains the case that a military campaign of ezrat Yisrael mi-yad tzar – once necessitated by enemy attack – is ethically correct. [And see R. Chaim ben Atar, Or ha-Chaim to Genesis 34:31, who comments that it would have been collective self-endangerment for the family of Jacob had it failed to rescue Dinah from Nablus.]

      Furthermore, in my capacity as the author of [what appears to be] the only halakhic prenup that is actually effective in [at least somewhat] alleviating the agunah problem [as recently publicized at <http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2023/07/tishah-be-av-and-agunah-problem-by.html>], I contend that it is wrong for Hamas to prolong this conflict and thereby risk creating agunah cases among the wives of IDF soldiers. Rather, Hamas should recognize that “wisdom is better than weapons of battle” (Ecclesiastes 9:18), and surrender. 

            In attempting to appeal to the conscience of Gazans, the key issue at hand is how to properly channel the spiritual yearnings of Gazan society in a halakhically correct way. Rambam, Hilkhot Melakhim 10:9-10 rules that Noahides must not invent their own religion. Rather, Noahides are commanded by the Holy One, Blessed Be He, to observe the Seven Commandments identified by the Gemara, Sanhedrin 56b. If a Noahide seeks further spiritual enrichment, then he is welcome to choose to volunteer to perform any additional mitzvah [that would normally be directed to Jews alone] that he seeks, and he will receive reward as a volunteer for that mitzvah. The only exceptional mitzvot which Noahides cannot volunteer to observe are Shabbat and Torah study, as per the Gemara, Sanhedrin 58b-59a. [If a Noahide truly desires to observe even the latter two mitzvot, he enjoys the option of applying to a qualified Beth Din for consideration for conversion to Judaism.] 

            Now let us halakhically analyze the ways of many religiously fervent Gazans. They reject idolatry, insisting instead on worshipping the One and Only Master of the universe Who revealed Himself to Abraham. This represents a most impressive achievement, because it fulfills one of the Seven Commandments. Gazans also pray with devotion in Arabic, perhaps as much as five times a day. That’s wonderful, because prayer is a mitzvah that Noahides are either obligated or at least allowed to observe [-see Encyclopedia Talmudit, s.v. Ben No’ach], and prayer can be performed in any language, as per the Mishnah, Sotah 32a. Furthermore, when Gazans pray, they announce that “the Holy One, Blessed Be He, Is Great.” Well said: the Holy One, Blessed Be He, Is indeed Great, as per Deut. 10:17 [-a verse incorporated into the first paragraph of every Jewish amidah prayer for the past 2,400 years, as per the Gemara, Yoma 69b]. And the way that a Gazan should show that he truly recognizes that Greatness, is that the Gazan should observe the Noahide Code. Keep it at that, and thereby keep the peace.  

            Some confusion appears to have arisen from the fact that Gazan married ladies are scrupulously diligent to perform the mitzvah of kisui rosh (head covering). This may have led Hamas to the regrettable (mis)impression that it can therefore attack Jews. [To that effect, a recent statement by Agudath Israel, dated 17 Kislev, 5784, specifically asks all Jews (in the Hebrew version, though not directly translated in the accompanying English version) to strengthen themselves in kisui rosh. See <https://hamodia.com/2023/11/30/statement-from-moetzes-gedolei-hatorah-of-agudas-yisrael-on-yerushalayim-terror-attack/>.] 

            The reality that Arab civilization excels in kisui rosh was already known two millenia ago to the Sages of the Mishnah, as recorded in Shabbat 65a. Actually, the mitzvah of kisui rosh is primarily directed to Jews [as per the Gemara, Ketubot 72a-b], although one could hypothetically argue that it has bears a measure of relevance even to righteous Noahides, regarding whom we have an oral tradition that following the Deluge, they accepted upon themselves an enhanced dimension of respect for the sanctity of marriage. [See Rashi to Genesis 34:7 and Numbers 22:5, as well as Maharsha, Chiddushei Aggadot to Yevamot 63b, s.v. limsokh. And see Eruvin 100b which seems to indicate that Eve covered her head.] In any event, even if Noahides are not formally commanded in kisui rosh, a Noahide who volunteers to perform an extra mitzvah will certainly receive reward [as per the aforementioned Rambam, Hilkhot Melakhim 10:10], and so the Gazan married ladies deserve congratulations for their kisui rosh. Yet, at no time does the Talmud suggest that Arab civilization can therefore persecute Jews. On the contrary, Arab civilization – like all of humanity – is expected to seek spiritual excellence by specifically observing all commandments of the Noahide Code, and these commandments include refraining from murder and refraining from kidnapping.   

            Arguably [and as possibly reflected in the aforementioned Agudath Israel statement], there may be room for Jewish improvement regarding kisui rosh. Although R. Moshe Feinstein, Iggerot Mosheh, Even ha-Ezer, II, no. 12 allows a wig, his responsum is challenged by a lengthy monograph of R. Nehorai Yosef Ohana, Zahav Levushah (Jerusalem, 5774), available online at <https://hebrewbooks.org/56098>. To summarize the hundreds of pages of refutation: Rabbi Feinstein claims that since a gentlemen can presentably groom his face with a scissors-like kosher shaver [despite his thereby becoming visually indistinguishable from someone who grooms his face with a forbidden razor], therefore we should extrapolate that a married lady can also don a wig [despite her thereby becoming visually indistinguishable from a single lady.] Alas, the extrapolation is questionable (with all due respect to Rabbi Feinstein) because the two cases are dissimilar in terms of how they apply in situations of life-preservation. Specifically, piku’ach nefesh indeed allows a gentleman to shave with a normally-forbidden razor [as famously occurred, for example, to R. Michoel Dov Weissmandl and the Stropkover Rebbe when they were hiding in a Bratislava bunker during the Holocaust; see the cleanshaven photos of them in Artscroll’s The Unheeded Cry, ch. 13], whereas even in a situation of piku’ach nefesh, a gentleman has a mitzvah to look away from a lady [other than for a purely functional recognition], as per the Gemara, Sanhedrin 75a. Ergo, it is logical to surmise that kisui rosh should operate with a more rigorous standard [and not be fungible with a wig], so as to visually distinguish the married ladies from the single ladies. Nevertheless, even granted this argument against Rabbi Feinstein, the forum for implementing this improvement is the Beth Din system which supervises conversions to Judaism [and hence can make a demand of prospective converts to accept upon themselves kisui rosh, as one can discern from <http://www.beisdinofsouthflorida.com/%D7%92%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA-conversion/>]. That is to say, this argument against Rabbi Feinstein [while valuable in its own right] does not exempt Gazans from their paramount obligation to uphold the Noahide Code, which includes refraining from murder and refraining from kidnap. 

            My late mentor R. Joshua H. Shmidman (previously showcased at <https://daattorah.blogspot.com/2021/05/daas-torah-and-legacy-of-rabbi-joshua-h.html>) would introduce the recitation of the sacrificial order within the Yom Kippur mussaf service with the following insight. The spilling of blood in animal sacrifices, when orchestrated in the manner prescribed by the Torah, serves as a kosher outlet for the worshipper to escape the inclination to spill human blood. As such, I would recommend for Gazans to read R. Binyamin Fuss, Torat ha-Bamah (Jerusalem, 5766), available at <https://hebrewbooks.org/47849>, a detailed Noahide Code treatise on how all humans [other than Jews] can bring animal sacrifices today. In other words, although Jews are barred from offering sacrifices until the Temple will be rebuilt in the messianic era, Noahides can indeed offer sacrifices today as a matter of practical Halakhah, following the guidance in this publication. This will afford Gazan society [and indeed any other Noahide society that so opts] an opportunity to spill animal blood as part of religious observance, without ever engaging in violence against human beings. 

      May we indeed see humanity embrace the Noahide Code, and thereby usher in an era of global harmony. And the first step in that direction is for Hamas to surrender. 

 

Rabbi Spira works as the Editor of Manuscripts and Grants at the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, a pavilion of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada.