Faith in 2023 by 1967’s Light

Since that fateful Simhat Torah on October 7th, Jews across the globe, and particularly in Israel, have grappled with the scores of religious and ethical questions that often arise in times of war. Much like the discourse surrounding the Six Day War, questions of faith in times of war, the apparency of God’s hand, the media’s double standards, and the tension between anticipating the Messianic age and the threat of pseudo-messianism have arisen as a result of the current conflict that has overtaken and devastated Israel for almost two months. The enlightening symposium on the Religious Meaning of the Six Day War, with contributions from Rabbis Walter Wurzburger, Norman Lamm, Shear Yashuv Cohen, and Profs. Michael Wyschogrod and Pinchas Peli, provides valuable insight into the religious and historical ramifications of Israel battling its enemies once again. When we hold a mirror to the past, we may find that the present reflects a myriad of parallels we never would have expected.

The symposium, the first featured in the pages of this journal, apeared in TRADITION 10:1 (Summer 1968), a year following the miraculous victory, and can be accessed in our archives.

The Six Day War and our current conflict each created a vacuum in which Jewish faith was simultaneously challenged and intensified, facilitating significant revelations about human nature and the ability to cling to faith in times of hardship. Rabbi Lamm raises the idea that the Six Day War was an illuminating event, “a revealing to man’s consciousness of the unsuspected reservoir of religious faith within him” (7); while the seemingly miraculous victory of the Six Day War allowed many Jews to discover the strength of their faith, it seems to me that during the contemporary conflict, the same discovery has been facilitated by the sheer atrocity of the war. Rather than feeling abandoned by God, many Jews are expressing their distress through religious channels by committing to recite supplementary prayers and taking on extra mitzvot, conversing with God instead of turning away from religion in the face of tragedy. They are taking the opportunity to plead for God’s support, rather than presuming that the Creator has abandoned the Jewish people. Similarly, instead of falling prey to an overwhelming sense of fear or division, Jews across the globe have taken this opportunity to strengthen their faith and unite as a nation in order to survive the war together, whether they are here in Israel or at a safe remove abroad. Jews the world over are banding together to express a strong desire to help their country through performing charity and volunteering, instituting days of prayer and Psalm recitation, and organizing rallies. Rabbi Cohen additionally states that “[a]lthough it may sound illogical it did not occur to me for one single moment during the crises that Israel’s destruction was imminently possible. This is not logical; but neither is emunah… Judaism is going to prevail,” exemplifying a deep sense of faith that will sustain Israel and the Jewish people through this devastating war, just as it did during the earlier conflict (18). In a similar vein, Prof. Peli remarks that “the question should not be whether God is now on our side, but, whether we are on God’s side, to fulfill His will and blueprint,” conveying a similar notion about the importance of maintaining faith in God throughout difficult times in Jewish history (12). Though Peli’s comment was initially made in reference to the Six Day War, it is as if he peered 56 years into the future to provide words of encouragement to our generation. It is incredibly easy, and perhaps justified, to feel abandoned by God at a time like this; however, Peli’s lens is a useful one with which to reframe our perspectives on this war, for it is essential to remember that the ultimate question is not whether God is on our side, but whether we are on God’s side. The fact that God always does what is best for the world is unquestionable, and humanity must learn to trust in the infinite wisdom of the Creator, even when events seem incomprehensible to the human mind. It is easy to become lost in a sea of musings on why a good God would bring devastation and atrocity, but it is important to maintain a baseline of faith even as these questions are asked.

​While our stunning victory in the Six Day War revealed God’s hand in the world, the current conflict can illuminate similar ideas when examined with a close eye. While this war has entailed many tragic losses and immense suffering, the fact that Israel is able to defend itself and hold strong after being attacked with no warning is almost miraculous, in and of itself. Rabbi Lamm raises the concept of “hester panim,” the idea that humanity is not in direct contact with God, in comparison to “nesiat panim,” the resumption of the dialogue (7). This divine dialogue was revealed by the Six Day War, and will potentially be strengthened through the current battle. While it is easy to recognize God’s hand during joyous occasions, tragedies also reveal His presence; even if the dialogue is negative, it is far better than silence. Instead of viewing the massacre as God abandoning His post, it can instead be perceived as God’s personal reminder that despite atrocities, the Jewish nation will be protected. Though no one can predict the outcome of this war with full certainty, nor can anyone but God lay to rest the question of why terrible things happen to innocent people, we have to maintain faith that the war will eventually end in victory for Israel, and that the Jewish people will emerge stronger than before. If we wish to stay afloat in a vast sea of questions on why bad things happen to good people, we must try to believe that God has a plan and that the tragic losses incurred are not for nothing. It is a difficult question that we will likely spend our lives grappling with, but Rabbi Lamm’s insights can serve as a framework to invite God into the conversation, rather than allowing questions to harden us against religion. Peli similarly asserts that “the belief that God is inseparably involved in shaping human destinies and that He is concerned with their triumphs and failures, does not, however, necessarily imply that we can… decipher and spell out correctly every single move in history,” further enforcing the notion that the mere occurrence of historical events is proof of God’s involvement in the world, despite the ability of humankind to comprehend the aforementioned events (10). Rabbi Cohen interjects with the assertion that “it is the first time in nineteen centuries that we have Jerusalem under Jewish dominion and a Jewish government controlling the Holy Land. Now it is possible for every Jew to visit or live in Eretz Yisrael. It did not happen before in history. It is this change in Jewish history that cannot be ignored,” reinforcing the importance of both the Six Day War and the current conflict (16, 17). Israel is currently fighting to preserve the rights obtained in the War of Independence and expanded in the Six Day War, to allow Jews to continue living freely in Israel and the territory gained in the latter war. The fact that these conditions fell into place and remain so at both of these times in history is no coincidence, rather it is yet another piece of dialogue with God, a dialogue that was revealed by the Six Day War and intensified by Israel’s modern battle against Hamas.

The media has exploded with hateful rhetoric directed towards Israel and Jews, vehemently riddling every platform. In parsing concerns about casualties accrued in order to secure the independence of the Israeli state, Dr. Wyschogrod’s musing that he wants “to preserve for the Israel Government the right under certain circumstances, which we pray will never happen, to act as any other secular political entity does. Without that we are on a track from which there is no getting off” reflects the disproportionately high moral standard to which Israel seems to be held (19). While this may be mistaken for a contemporary phenomenon, similar rhetoric was evidently disseminated during the Six Day War. Israel continues to be held to a high moral standard the likes of which other countries are not judged by during times of war. Just as Dr. Wyschograd laments, Israel is not given the same liberties as other countries to act as any sovereign state would, for the world scrutinizes our every attempt to defend our country. In a world where the media defends Hamas’ vicious acts of terror, as a legitimate “militant, revolutionary uprising,” Israel’s every move is scrutinized to an impossibly exacting degree. While the Israeli government is certainly not infallible, it seems that the media is and has been ready to critique every single action, in a way that is not equally applied to other states throughout history.

Finally, Israel’s war against Hamas has reawakened the discourse of Messianism in contention with pseudo-messianism that surrounds every great Jewish tragedy and victory alike. Just as the rabbis and scholars of the symposium questioned whether the miraculous victory of the Six Day War was an indication of the Messiah’s impending arrival, the current conflict is enshrouded with a similar discourse. Peli believes that the Six Day War provided many indicators that the Messianic Age was nigh, including the cultivation of the land and establishment of Israel, claiming that “[i]t is all part of one story, one saga—the beginning of the re-establishment of Eretz Yisrael and the return of the exiles either out of their free will or of being forced to do so” (12). The atrocities of the current conflict in the Middle East, such as the hostage crisis and devastating war, can easily be chalked up to the decimation that will precede the Messiah. Peli does not necessarily view the Six Day War as an apocalyptic Gog u-Magog war, instead asserting that continuing to establish and defend Jewish life in the Jewish State is another step towards geula, and a similar line of reasoning can be applied to the contemporary situation. Contrastingly, Rabbi Lamm passionately asserts that “the Messiah according to the interpretation of our Sages, will come only be-hesech ha-daat (by distraction). The more we talk about him, the less likely he’s going to come” (15); his musings are an essential reminder that perhaps this obsessive calculating of when and how the Messiah will arrive is precisely what deters him from a swift arrival. Society must not fall into a place of complacency by expecting that the Messiah is on the way and therefore no more effort need be exerted, but rather must continue to strive towards strengthening nesiat panim. Furthermore, attempting to label events as Messianic can lead to dangerous pseudo-messianic movements, with potentially harmful consequences such as that of the Sabbatians. While the current conflict may perhaps be a step towards the Messianic age, the discourse of Messianism can easily raise and shatter delicate hopes. Optimistically framing this war as a step towards Messiah’s arrival while maintaining a sense of realism in regard to the timeline can bring a sense of comfort during trying times. Labeling the war as a hopeful step towards the Messianic Era can make the fighting feel less futile and ensure that the losses incurred were not for naught.

Reflecting back upon this symposium, well over five decades later, the discussions of faith during times of war, the sense of God’s presence, the media’s double standards, and discourse around Messianism in contention with pseudo-messianism in the wake of the Six Day War impeccably mirror positions advanced and challenges posed today. The insights revealed in 1968 continue to ring true for us and can provide an intelligent framework through which our perspectives on today’s crisis can be shaped. It is astounding to observe how enduringly pertinent the themes of the symposium remain during the contemporary conflict.

Hannah Shapiro, of Hollywood, Florida, is studying at Midreshet Amudim in Jerusalem, and is an intern at TRADITION.