Our Superpower and Our Kryptonite

There is an undeniable magic about the state of Israel. How a country of such meager resources could develop, survive and thrive to the level it is today is nothing short of a miracle. Sure, Jews are an industrious people. No water? They perfected desalinization. Unfertile land? We created new farming techniques and drip irrigation. A staggering economy? More intellectual property per person than any other country in the world. Yes, all of that is explainable. But fighting no less than five multi-front wars against enemies 100 times the size with infinitely more resources, and triumphing every time? That betrays the hand of G-d. 

So what happened here? How could a renegade group of monsters, who already made themselves known, amass and fire thousands of missiles (costing north of $100M), break through the walls and wander our homeland for hours leaving behind human carnage not seen in this land since the Romans?  After dominating and holding our borders for 75 years, amassing a military might and creating a legendary intelligence service, how could this happen? How is it possible that Israel was so asleep that they did not respond to warnings from Egypt about an oncoming attack? We can justify and heads will roll, but really, there is no answer. It is just not possible with modern cognizance. 

Unless we look at it differently.

The destruction of the Second Temple is generally attributed to “Sinam Chinat” or baseless hatred. Specifically, it is the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, where one Jew publicly embarrassed another Jew. What made the sin worse is that the humiliation happened in front of some of the biggest sages of the time and nobody spoke up. Nobody mitigated this Jew-on-Jew transgression. This is the event that precipitated the betrayal of the Jews to the Romans which led to the fall of Jerusalem, the massacre of thousands and ultimately the destruction of our beloved temple, banishing us from our homeland.

This event happened on the 9th of Av. 

So awful was this event that for 2,000 years we commemorate it with the only full 25-hour fast day in addition to Yom Kippur.  Not only do we fast, for  nine days before Tisha b’Av we change our diet, refrain from celebrations, and adopt a behavior of mourning. The goal is to heighten our spiritual awareness so that we can fully appreciate the gravity of our transgressions and the consequences of our actions.

However, this year, during the Nine Days, things were a little different. Our people were epically divided in Israel over a vote to change the judicial system. So intent was one party on pressing this issue that the Knesset voted on it during the Nine Days. I watched in horror on the 6th day of Av as a peaceful protest in front of the Knesset was met with water cannons. Jews were firing on other Jews. Watching, I had a feeling of dread. This is not good – and what’s worse is the timing.

As if this incident was not bad enough, during Yom Kippur, Jews from the opposite political persuasion violently interrupted public prayer in Tel Aviv, ripping down a mechitzah and stopping the prayers. Never in my lifetime have I witnessed such division among our people.

Israel’s military victories are nothing short of miraculous. There is a sort of heavenly protection inherent in those victories. The events specifically of ’67 and ’73 have an other-worldliness to them. Israel triumphed against all odds, against all logic and with limited casualties. In fact, the civilian casualties of Saturday October 7th were worse than any of those wars. And those wars had ARMIES. But here, a handful of renegade, homicidal butchers were able to enter our most closely guarded border and wreak havoc, with indiscriminate killing, rampage and wholesale butcher? How is it possible?

Unity is our superpower and divisiveness our kryptonite. We can see it throughout the Tanakh — when we are united, we are unexplainably powerful. And when we are fighting with each other, we are epically vulnerable. 

The Jewish people have a superpower, and we also have a kryptonite. Unity is our superpower and divisiveness our kryptonite. We can see it throughout the Tanakh — when we are united, we are unexplainably powerful. And when we are fighting with each other, we are epically vulnerable.

World Jewry has shown up in amazing ways. And once again, we are strong. 

The brilliant upside to this darkest of moments is our response: Unity. Within hours, all petty differences in Israel abated. War councils including opposition parties formed. And army reserves returned in droves. Three-hundred thousand troops were called, 350,000 showed up. World Jewry has shown up in amazing ways. And once again, we are strong. 

The lesson is obvious. 

This is not to state that Israel or even political division is responsible for the attacks. Nothing good comes from blame. However, when we sacrifice our unity and put personal and political agendas over the basic human civility, we give up the special protection that we have enjoyed from G-d. 

Thankfully, our present unity seems unshakable. 

I am chilled at the sacrifice of 1,300 souls. I pray that they are all in Shamayim. But I also think of them as martyrs for the cause of Jewish unity. The greatest way we can celebrate their lives is with Ahavat Yisrael.

Daniel Kaufman is a filmmaker and writer. You can follow his blog “Confessions of an Orthodox Sinner” at: https://www.facebook.com/orthodoxsinner