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Why does the Torah (תורה) say "when you go out" to war instead of "when you fight"? A Jew's nature is passive and merciful, not aggressive; war requires a fundamental psychological transformation. Even in military victory, the formulation "Hashem (ה׳) gives them into your hand" (not "Hashem gives you strength") teaches that Jews never become warriors—God delivers the victory while we remain fundamentally rachmanim and gomlei chassadim.
The shiur opens with a detailed analysis of the opening words of Parshas Ki Seitzei: "Ki seitzei lamilchama al oyvecha" (when you go out to war against your enemy). Rabbi Zweig asks why the Torah (תורה) uses the phrase "when you go out" rather than simply "when you fight" or "when you war." He explains that this language reveals a fundamental insight into Jewish nature: unlike gentiles who are naturally aggressive and always ready to fight, a Jew's essential nature is passive, merciful, and kind (rachman, gomel chesed (חסד)). War is completely unnatural for a Jew. The phrase "ki seitzei" indicates that a Jew must undergo a profound psychological transformation even to engage in war, even a milchemet mitzvah (מצוה) (obligatory war). This is not who we are inherently. Rabbi Zweig illustrates this point with a personal story from 1973, when he witnessed a massive military parade in Jerusalem on Yom HaZikaron, the 25th anniversary of the State of Israel. He describes feeling deeply disturbed by the display of military prowess—tanks, jets, thousands marching—as if military strength were a source of Jewish pride. He found it disgusting and disgraceful, reminiscent of Soviet May Day parades, because it represented an uprooting of 3,000 years of Jewish culture. Jews should never define themselves by military power; that is the way of Eisav, not Yaakov. He notes that Sadat, Egypt's leader, later said that observing this arrogance on that very day led him to decide to launch the Yom Kippur War.
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Devarim 21:10-11 (Ki Seitzei)
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