Photo © RicGator

The world is playing a game of chess. Pawns are being activated and pieces are put into play, yet no critical moves have been made as of yet. America and its allies have an army stationed in Iraq. That army and the Iraqi populace are absorbing a steady flow of attacks in what could be called the beginning of a civil war or the continuous and reckless venting of anger. Iran and Syria fuel that fire, making sure it continues to burn. Iran wants to become a regional power and Syria seeks to maintain political control over Lebanon. The Arabs are militarizing the Gaza Strip. The Iranian backed Hezbollah has rearmed and reasserted its power in Lebanon. Turkey feels threatened by the Kurds. Russia is regaining its confidence. Egypt is slowly establishing a military presence in the Sinai Peninsula. The Israeli economy continues to grow.

Israel is faced by two immediate risks. The first risk is that Iran develops nuclear weapons. If Iran becomes a nuclear power it will likely boost its efforts to radicalize and dominate the Shiite Muslims in Iraq, and step up pressure in Afghanistan, in an effort to drive America out and gain control of the region. As a nuclear power it would feel confident to do these things without risk of being invaded by America as in the case of Iraq. Once the conquest begins it would only continue to gain confidence. Iran might then activate the Hezbollah, along with the Arabs in Gaza and the rest of Israel, in order to heat up a regional conflict. The difference between this scenario and the conflicts of the last 20 years is that Iran's archrival, Iraq, is out of the picture. Now with the American forces gone there would be nothing to keep them in check. Furthermore, the existence of a nuclear backed Islamic regime with regional power could rally up the Islamic world into a formidable force.

The second, and far less severe risk, is that Israel or America attack Iran and greatly damage its ability to develop nuclear weapons. In this case Iran would retaliate by reigning down missiles upon Israel, from north to south, activating terrorist cells, and trying to maximize the damage upon Israel and American forces in the region as much as may be done without over exaggerating and risking an American invasion of Iran. This scenario would be good for Israel, assuming we have leaders who know how to lead armies. It would force Israel to destroy the Hezbollah and reoccupy southern Lebanon and to regain and reassert our rule over the Gaza Strip.

It is only logical that whenever Israel conquers, the Arabs retreat, but whenever Israel retreats the Arabs aspire to continually attack us until we are conquered. Or perhaps the Arabs will always attack us whatever we do, until they are completely destroyed. What is important though is that we never show weakness, never allow them to amass forces and missiles on our border, and never give them a window of opportunity, as is the case today. When the nations say we are a fierce and militant nation, it brings a smile upon my face. Thank God that He has put the fear of us in the hearts of our enemies so that they should have to complain and whine about how powerful Israel is, for know that if they could they would send their forces out to destroy us.

Know that while there has been quiet since the last war in Lebanon, there has been a lot of noise generated in diplomacy. In the game of chess that is being played, we may be reaching a critical stage. Although our leaders are unskilled and may not even know how to play chess, our Leader is King in the heavens and on earth, and if we follow Him He will lead us through stone walls and iron doors. God will lift us up from dire straits and smash open our enemies' gates, if we only follow him and uphold His Commandments. What is it that God wants from us in order that He perform miracles on our behalf? He wants us to be an upright nation, loving truth and upholding justice. Our Leader wants us to be a wise and discerning nation in the eyes of the nations, so that the world might see the Greatness of Israel and understand the Magnificence of Justice.

Who ever heard of someone teaching a person to be good and honorable and then rewarding him with greatness? That's like two gifts in one. First he teaches the person the most noble way to live, and then he rewards him with prestige and power. An evil man would charge fortunes for the insight we are given and would destroy us rather than grant us greatness. God seeks to make us great and then multiply our blessings. What fool would reject such an offering?

A week and thousands of years ago God freed us from slavery in Egypt, with great and awesome Deeds, in order that He should grant us this gift, and make us a great nation in Israel. Since then we have constantly repudiated these gifts and cursed ourselves with a miserable existence. Is there any way to explain this? It is like refusing to eat cake so that you may eat ashes instead.

This last week we ate matzah, bread of affliction, to commemorate the exodus when there was no time to let the bread rise, for we had to leave Egypt with haste. We also wandered forty years in the desert, where God tested us and punished us as a consequence of our rebelliousness. Since then we have also been tested and punished for our rebelliousness. We were exiled twice from Israel and suffered greatly over the ages. Not long ago our people walked through a holocaust. We have it easy today. We are not slaves. We don't have to wander for forty years in the desert. We are not oppressed. We live securely in Israel, a Land truly flowing with milk and honey. It is so simple, like choosing life. We are Offered wisdom, knowledge, and a life of peace and justice, and in turn we will be honored and distinguished from among all the nations, who will bless themselves by our name, if we only accept this gift from God.

Are there any questions? Could there possibly be any complaints? נעשה ונשמע (Naaseh VeNishma). We will do and obey!

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