The war is not only between the IDF and Hamas; it is also not taking place only in the Gaza Strip. The war is taking place in the Heavens as well, between the Jewish People and the guardian angel of Yishmael up there.
In a few weeks we will read in the Torah about Yaakov Avinu who struggled with an angel until dawn. Chazal in the midrash say that Yaakov’s struggle was with “saro shel Eisav” – Eisav’s guardian angel.
Who is this guardian angel? Or what is it?
Every nation has a guardian angel in heaven that takes care of its interests. And when there is a struggle and a war between nations down below, in this world, it is actually an expression of a struggle and war taking place in the upper worlds between the respective guardian angels.
How crazy does this sound to you so far? Because there’s more, there’s more, and I totally believe in it.
There is no war down here that does not have a source and root up in heaven.
It is clear from the scriptures that when Amalek came to fight with the Jewish people in the wilderness, it was a battle that was really being fought in heaven: “And when Moshe raised his hand, Yisrael prevailed, and when he lowered his hand, the Amalekites prevailed.” Warriors were waging war, but actually everything was being run from above. Yehoshua chose capable people and went out to battle Amalek, and Moshe took the staff of G-d in his hand and went up to the top of the hill. What was the magic of Moshe’s hands? Why, when he lifted them, did the Jews prevail over the Amalekites? This is what the Gemara says in masechet Rosh Hashana: “Did the hands of Moses make war or break war? Rather, the verse comes to tell you that as long as the Jewish people turned their eyes upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they prevailed.”
The war is still being waged. Our dear, beloved soldiers are battling the Yishmaelites down below in this world, and the guardian angels of the Jewish People are battling the guardian angel of the Yishmaelites up in heaven. By the way, seeing the support of Biden, Sunak, Schultz and Macron for Israel, I have a feeling that saro shel Eisav is relatively on our side.
Nobody knows why the Holy One, Blessed Be He, authorized this horror. Holy Jews were murdered and injured; good, pure Jews were kidnapped; good, warm families were exiled from their homes. Ribbono shel olam (Master of the Universe)! Make an end to our troubles and may all the displaced return home!
Dear friends, we can help – wherever we are. Strengthening our faith, increasing unity and love of our fellow Jews, praying more and harder, learning more Torah and doing more mitzvahs. All of these things can help in our battle with saro shel Yishmael.
These are not taking away anything from what we need to do according to the way of the world, rather, they are in addition to what every person is contributing in whatever way he can – donating, serving in the army or volunteering.
And sometimes I just sit and wait for the child who will come to shul and cry out “Cockadoodledoo!” until this decree is no longer.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Zalmen Wishedski