24 Sep WARS AND WONDERS WHEN VICTORY HONORS HASHEM

As the war in
Lebanon has raged
on for nearly a
year, recent
explosions have
taken a significant turn, neutralizing
thousands of Hezbollah’s advanced
fighters and high-ranking commanders.
This blow to the terrorist group, which
poses a serious and immediate threat to
the existence of the Jewish nation, was
met with cheers from Jewish communities
worldwide. Today, we would like to
explore whether such events can be seen
as a Kiddush Hashem, sanctifying God’s
name, or possibly a Chilul Hashem, as
they cause suffering to many people, even
if they are the enemy.
Although actions like detonating pagers
and walkie-talkies and targeting houses
storing terrorist ammunition are necessary
for self-defense against those who intend
to harm us, clarifying the nature of such
actions helps us place our faith and trust
in the right place. If these acts are
considered a Kiddush Hashem, we can

take comfort in them, praise Hashem for
the success, and pray for continued
protection, b’ezrat Hashem.
It’s important to remember that when a
soldier goes to fight on the battlefield, he
must understand that he is not fighting a
personal war or even solely for his
country. He is fighting Hashem’s war, as
the enemies of the Jewish people are also
the enemies of Hashem, as stated in the
Torah.
After Midyan caused the Israelite men to
sin in the desert, Hashem commands
Moshe to take revenge on behalf of the
nation. However, when Moshe gathers
the men for battle, he instructs them to
avenge Hashem’s revenge. Why the shift
in wording? Rashi explains that there was
no change; rather, the nation’s revenge is,
in fact, Hashem’s revenge. The reason is
clear: the hatred toward the Jewish people
throughout history is not due to any
personal failing or physical characteristic,
like a crooked nose, horns, or spreading
diseases. The true reason for this hatred is
that we represent Hashem in the world.

As the chosen nation, we carry
Hashem’s divine message and
serve as a light to the nations.
Thus, the hatred is not directed
at us personally but at Hashem
Himself.
The idea that when we fight a
war, we are fulfilling
Hashem’s will, and that
victory in battle is considered
a Kiddush Hashem, is
mentioned in several sources.
פ״ז מהלכות מלכים)Rambam The
טו הלכה (, for example, states
that “when a soldier goes to war, he
should not fear but instead focus entirely
on achieving Kiddush Hashem”. It is
clear from his words that our fight is for
the purpose of honoring Hashem, and
thus a victory achieves that, while, G-d
forbid, a defeat results in the opposite.
This concept—that our victories over
enemies are actually Hashem’s
victories—is also found in various
psukim. In Tehillim(ח ,קו (, it says,
“Hashem saves us for His own sake and
to announce His powerThe Malbim
explains that when we are saved,
Hashem’s name is glorified, making our
victory His. Therefore, when we pray for
our soldiers, we don’t merely pray for
their success for our own safety and
prosperity but for Hashem’s honor. This
elevates the prayer to a higher cause and
places Hashem directly involved in the
war we fight. There are more psukim
indicating that Hashem saves us from the
enemy for His sake, such as the pasuk
(לד ,יט ב מלכים” (I will save this city for
Hashem) “שמואל א יב, כב) and” ,sake My
will not abandon His nation for the sake
of His great name.”
On the contrary, when our nation is
defeated in war, chas veshalom, it is
considered a Chilul Hashem (desecration
of Hashem’s name), as Hashem’s name is
dishonored. As the pasuk states, “The
Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the
land will hear of it, and they will surround
us and cut off our name from the earth.
And what will You do for Your great
King ,Similarly .)יהושע ו, ט) “?name
David pleads with Hashem (קטו תהלים(:
“Not to us, but to Your name give glory,
for the sake of Your kindness and truth.
Why should the nations say, ‘Where now
is their God?’”
Moshe Rabbeinu made a similar plea:

“Why should Egypt say, ‘With evil intent
did He bring them out, to kill them in the
mountains and to annihilate them from
the face of the earth?’” (יב ,לב שמות(. The
Or HaChaim explains that such statements
would result in a terrible Chilul Hashem,
as the nations would not only discuss it
among themselves but also spread this
belief to other nations, thus magnifying
the desecration of Hashem’s name. There
are numerous other similar examples in
Torah sources.
Therefore, the Rambam writes (Mitzvat
Asei 191) that before the people would go
to war, the anointed priest for war would
address the soldiers with words of
inspiration, reminding them that they are
risking their lives “to support the faith of
Hashem and preserve it, and to take
vengeance on those who undermine it,
damaging the integrity of nations.”
Precisely for these reasons, fighting such
a war is considered a milchemet mitzvah
(commanded war). The Rambam explains
that a milchemet mitzvah is a war against
those who come to assault our nation.
This means that if enemies attack Jewish
territories—whether by firing rockets or
through other means—it becomes an
obligatory mitzvah to fight against them
in order to protect and defend our people.
In addition, we are all familiar with the
Torah’s commandment: “If someone
comes to kill you, rise up and kill them
first.” This is a moral obligation in the
Torah. It applies whether the war takes
place within the borders of Eretz Yisrael
or anywhere else in the world. If an
enemy attacks, we are obligated to stand
against them and neutralize them by any
means necessary. Of course, using
strategy, deception, and surprise attacks
are essential components of warfare, as
the verse says, “With wise counsel, wage
.(בתחבולות תעשה לך מלחמה) “war your