During the month of Shevat we read in the Torah úåøä the portions dealing with the Exodus and the Revelation at Sinai.
The distance between Egypt and the Promised Land is short. The easiest way is on the seashore from the Nile Delta, Sinai coastline and the coast populated by the Philistines, now known as the Gaza Strip. This route was not taken.
"It happened when Pharaoh sent out the people that God did not lead them by way of the Land of the Philistines because it was near, for God said, Perhaps the people will reconsider when they see a war and they will return to Egypt."
There was a fear that the newly liberated slaves, who had not experienced fighting, would be frightened meeting the fierce Philistine fighters and escape back to Egypt. It was necessary to lead them in a roundabout way to make it difficult to return to slavery.
As we can see, the southern seashore of our country was a dangerous area populated by the ancient Philistine warriors. When Joshua conquered the Promised Land, he did not occupy this land of ôìùúéí , Philistines and they remained a threat even in the days of King David.
The present inhabitants of the Gaza Strip are not the direct descendants of the Philistines, but they do not constitute less of a threat. For eight years they have rained rockets on peaceful towns and Kibbutzim in the Negev. Israel has tried to appease them, but the more we gave the more their bombardments increased.
Finally our army went into action. Our brave soldiers do not hesitate to go into dangerous territory; they know that they participate in an obligatory war.
Rambam explains that it is a war defending Israel from its enemies;
"In such a war there is no exemption from military duty for those who are engaged to marry, those who built a new home, but had not lived in it, every person has to participate"
Our people do not like war, we pray for peace and we hope to achieve it with all the sincerity of a people with a history of persecution and tragedies. At the same time we are heartened by the heroism of our soldiers, who go into battle to save our people from the enemy, who is determined to murder us.
Some went right after their weddings like Aharon Karov, a brave fighter who was badly wounded and we all pray for his recovery and the recovery of all the wounded. Our hearts go out to the families of the fallen soldiers and of the victims of the hostilities.
May this coming month of Shevat signal a revival of our land, a land of peace and hope.
May the words come true again:
"trembling gripped the dwellers of Philistine"
Miriam Hauer
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