From Parsha to Halakha – Lekh Lekha: “Do not fear”

 

After Lot leaves Avraham for the greener (and eviler) pastures of Sodom, God appears to Avraham and tells him to walk the land, because God will give it to his plentiful offspring. As Avraham travels the Negev, the text switches to regional politics – telling of four Mesopotamian kings who waged war throughout Canaan and its environs, eventually confronting five local kings led by the king of Sodom, looting the cities’ possessions and food, taking Lot and his family among the captives.

“The escapee came and told Avram HaIvri… Avram heard that his kinsman was captured vayarek (and he mustered) chanikhav (his trainees), those born in his household, three hundred eighteen and pursued them…”

When Avraham hears of Lot’s capture he reacts swiftly, mobilizing his household to go to battle and rescue the captives.^[1] There is no hesitation, only preparation and pursuit.

Who are these people that join him in battle? Among the many answers, a few focus on the word “chanikhav” – normally used to mean pupils or disciples, from the term chinukh – education or apprenticeship. Many commentaries explain that these are Avraham’s disciples in Torah and mitzvot; Ibn Ezra teaches that they were trained in warfare. Chizkuni seems to combine the two, explaining that they needed to be retrained to go to war.

Commentaries also question the strange term “vayarek,” many explaining that Avraham had to convince his people to go out to war. Some midrashim say he bribed them with gold or jewels, others say that he acted in accordance with the Torah’s rules for preparing for war, which included encouraging them that God is with them so they should not fear.^[2]

Command or advice?

Indeed, in Sefer HaMitzvot Rambam counts a prohibition against fearing the enemy. Based on the verse, “You shall not quiver [in fear] before them because the Sovereign, your God, is in your midst, a great and awesome God,” he explains:

“We are commanded not to fear the enemies in a time of war, and not to flee before them. Rather, we are obligated to strengthen [ourselves] and stand and hold strong before another nation. And anyone who retreats and flees has already transgressed…”^[3]

Ramban disagrees with this reading. He teaches that the verse is not a commandment but a promise – God promises to be with them so there is no reason to fear. The specific verse can be read either way, as it’s included within a list of things God has done and will do to protect Israel from its enemies. But within the larger context, Moshe repeatedly tells the people not to fear the enemy, “which you now fear,” but to remember all that the Eternal has done for them and rely on God’s protection and salvation.

Ramban mentions that he opposes Rambam’s reading because it does not align with a passage describing preparations for battle in Parshat Ekev. Once again Moshe tells the people they will soon see war, but they should not to fear their enemies because God is with them:

“When you approach the battle the priest shall come forward and speak to the people. And say to them: Hear oh Israel, today you advance to battle with your enemies; do not let your courage (hearts) go soft, do not fear and do not panic and do not cower before them. For it is the Eternal, your God, that goes with you to fight your enemies for you, to save you.”^[4]

After the priest’s reassurances and calls to faith, the officers ask a series of questions “Has anyone built a house and not dedicated it? Let him go back to his home and dedicate it lest he die in war and some other will dedicate it … Has anyone planted a vineyard and has not yet harvested it? …” The final question is, “Is anyone afraid and weak of heart? He should go and return home so as not to dishearten his fellows with [the fear in] his heart.” ^[5]

It should be noted that some explain that even though these people do not see battle they also do not go home; they contribute behind the lines, like today’s homefront. Nevertheless, as the earlier dispensations from battle are all due to mitzvot or positive actions – how could Rambam claim that someone is excused from battle because of their fear – if such fear is a sin?

Why are the fearful excused?

Based on a more detailed description in Sota, Rambam seems to differentiate between people who are afraid before the battle – who have not sinned and may leave – and those who express their fear and flee during the battle. The latter’s wrongdoing is beyond that of a lack of faith; their retreat hurts morale, may lead others to flee, and can ultimately cause death and defeat.

According to Ramban we are commanded to have faith in God and such fear may be due to a lack of faith – but there is no specific prohibition against it. The speeches and questions before war are designed to prepare the army. The priest’s job is to boost the people’s resolve. As a religious leader, he encourages the people’s faith and assures them that during a milkhemet mitzvah, an obligatory war, God fights for them and protects them.

Isn’t it detrimental to then have officers tell some people to go home?

The officers are political, military, civilian leaders. They too must have faith, but that does not mean they can rely on miracles. They must prepare for a customary battle without open miracles, and in the normal course of events even those who are ultimately victorious sustain losses. Therefore, Ramban explains that those people whose minds are not on the battle but on their homes, vineyards, or wives will be the first to flee and should not go out to battle.

Building on Ramban, it seems the Torah does not tell people who are thinking about home to go back, but rather people who are worried they will not return home to finish what they started. It’s not’ if you built a house and haven’t dedicated it,’ but ‘if you built a house, haven’t dedicated it, lest you die and someone else does.’ Therefore, the final category of people relieved of duty are those who are unable or unwilling to heed the priest’s calls to cling to faith in God, and are still “weak-hearted.”

Drawing on a dispute in Sota, Ramban explains that it’s possible that fear does not stem from a lack of faith. Rabbi Akiva says someone “weak hearted” is too sensitive for war – this is not a lack of faith or a sin, just a character trait. Rabbi Yossi and Rabbi Yossi HaGalilee teach that such a person does not lack faith in God but rather in themselves – they know that they have sinned and are not sure God will protect them. Indeed, such humility is important, and reminiscent of Avraham in this week’s parsha.

“Do not fear, Avraham, I will protect you”

After returning from battle God appears to Avraham and tells him not to fear, God protects him, and his merit is great. Why does Avraham fear after battle?

The midrash gives several explanations – he feared retribution from the enemy, he feared he had used up his merit with this miraculous win, or he feared that he had inadvertently killed a righteous person. God assures him that none of these are true.

The timing here is essential. None of these fears were mentioned before or during battle – Avraham just rallied his people and ran into battle. The same fears exist in our day as well, but these can’t concern soldiers as they head out to battle. They are questions of halakha and military strategy to be discussed when planning strategy and tactics as well as evaluating the aftermath.

Like Avraham going to save Lot, our soldiers know that they are protecting Israel and doing what is necessary, righteous, and just. Whether Rambam is correct and there is a mitzvah not to fear the enemy, or Ramban is correct and it is a Divine promise that God will be with us and we will not fear, we see that the soldiers of Israel and People of Israel live and breathe this Torah – clinging to faith in God and faith in the strength of our People. May we merit to see our captives returned and the fulfillment of the verse “For it is the Eternal, your God, that goes with you to fight your enemies for you, to save you.”

[1] Shadal tries to understand why the escapee went to “Avram HaIvri” specifically, and offers several suggestions – perhaps the people of Sodom were so despised he thought only a foreigner could have mercy on them, perhaps he connected Lot’s foreignness with that of Avraham, hoping they were kinsman and that Avraham would come to save him. We can add it’s possible the escapee was aware of Avraham’s character and therefore sought him out.

[2] Rav and Shmuel in TB Nedarim 32a.

[3] Sefer HaMitzvot, Lo Ta’aseh, 58. Based on Devarim 7:21 and 3:22.

[4] Devarim 20:1-4

[5] Devarim 20:5-8