Countless times we hear the statements "We are a strong people," "We have a strong army." But what exactly is strength? What makes a people 'strong' and what makes an army 'strong'? Is it the size of soldiers, tanks, planes, and missiles, or perhaps something else that is not measured in material terms?
Look at the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. On the eve of the war, all military commentators determined that if Russia decided to invade Ukraine, it would conquer it within hours or days. The Russian army is considered one of the strongest in the world, while the Ukrainian army is weak and small. In practice, we all see what happens when the element of spirit and determination comes into play, and how much it changes the entire face of the campaign.
Stop apologizing.
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In the section "My statutes," the Torah clarifies what gives strength and power to the people of Israel – "If you walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments and do them.” When the people of Israel walk in the right way and live out of loyalty to the covenant that God made with them at Mount Sinai – they are guaranteed to be a strong people.
See the explicit promises: "And I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid." If it becomes necessary to confront the enemies, they will flee from us in panic: "And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase a thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you in battle." The elements of Jewish power conclude with the promise: "And I will lead you in rebellion," which means "with an upright standing.".
The parsha also clarifies what will happen if, God forbid, the people of Israel do not fulfill their role and destiny. One of the manifestations of the decline is the loss of strength and genius, and the takeover of weakness and lowliness of stature: "And I will bring a spirit that will melt their hearts... and the voice of a driven one will pursue them.".
In such a situation, advanced aircraft and orders of magnitude of soldiers and weapons will be of no use. The enemies will quickly smell the weakness.
A strong country does not apologize for the death of a journalist who decided to enter a battlefield.
In the modern era, when journalists appear in battle scenes, they understand that this is one of the risks of the profession. They can be harmed just as soldiers can be harmed. In all modern wars, journalists have been harmed, and no sane country would apologize and stammer.
To become spiritually stronger
A strong country does not tie the hands of its fighters, nor does it force them to wage surgical war, at the risk of the lives of its soldiers.
Earlier this week, we laid to rest the veteran Noam Raz. This is the terrible price we pay as part of the attempt to be 'beautiful' and 'cautious.' Does it help us? Of course not. So why, for God's sake, do we continue in the crazy effort to avoid risking the enemy and prefer to risk the lives of our soldiers?! This is the miserable fear of 'the sound of a fallen leaf'!
A strong nation would not allow European countries to send octopus tentacles here in the form of all kinds of associations, whose goal is to undermine the country's Jewish identity. And in fact, these things are intertwined.
The more we strengthen ourselves spiritually, by expanding our study of Torah and observance of the commandments, the more we will become a people of strength and uprightness, and we will merit all the blessings detailed in the parasha.
