In this difficult “October 7th” year, when our singular focus is the ongoing existential reality of war and the trauma that accompanies it, it’s important to remind ourselves of the broader vision of our Jewish identity and that of the State of Israel. As challenging as that may seem at this time, the Torah and our tradition demand of us never to forget who we really are. We are soldiers by necessity, and it’s a great privilege to defend our land and our people; but we are much more than that.
In his powerful description of the greatness and strength of God, Moses reminds us of our greater purpose and mission as Jews:
“For your God is God supreme and Lord supreme, the great, the mighty and the awesome God…” (Deuteronomy 10:17).
If one were asked to fill in the blanks for the rest of the verse, and the verse that follows, they might think it should describe God’s wartime powers and ability to crush enemies. Yet here is the rest of the verse, and that which follows:
“…who shows no favor and takes no bribe. Who defends orphans and widows and loves the stranger by providing food and clothing for them.”
The true power of the “great, mighty and awesome God” is defined by God’s care and love for the underprivileged and vulnerable members of our society.
The Talmud teaches that we must “imitate God’s traits of charity and loving kindness.”
For Rabbi Uziel, our greatest opportunity to “imitate God’s ways” is to define Israeli society by the very terms in which Moses describes God:
“Our national character is not to be defined by power, weapons and war, rather by our ability to repair the world, improve the quality of life on earth, and promote the values of truth, justice, charity and ethics. The State of Israel is the Holy Land, and as such, it is the place where the light of holiness is illuminated by our building a society based on peace and love, charity and justice, loving kindness and mercy.”
During these dark days of war, it’s hard to see beyond the smoke screen of bombs and the threat of more attacks. Rabbi Uziel’s vision for Israeli society is our light beyond this darkness. He reminds us of why we live here, giving us the hope to rise above our enemies – not just as soldiers, but as warriors of light, charity and justice.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Daniel Bouskila is the international director of the Sephardic Educational Center.
