In a dark tunnels somewhere deep in the hells of Hamas’ Gaza, Israeli hostage Yarden Bibas made a choice that places him alongside the great heroes of Jewish history. His captors presented him with a bargain: convert to Islam and receive better treatment, or remain steadfast in his Jewish identity and suffer. His response was immediate and resolute: “I was born a Jew, and I will die a Jew.” For this declaration of faith, he was denied food for two days. His words pierce through centuries of Jewish persecution, reminding us that the battle between maintaining one’s identity under threat versus capitulating for physical comfort is as old as our sacred texts themselves.
What gives someone the courage to choose hunger and suffering over betraying their deepest convictions? And where in our sacred tradition do we find models for this kind of spiritual resistance?
The Hebrew Bible provides numerous examples of those who refused to abandon their faith despite tremendous pressure. Perhaps the most striking parallel comes from the Book of Daniel, where we meet three young Jewish menāHananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (better known by their Babylonian names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). These young Judeans were captives in Babylon, much like the hostages in Gaza today. When ordered to bow before King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden idol or face a fiery furnace, they refused without hesitation.
Their response echoes across millennia to Yarden Bibas’s personal hell:
Like Yarden, they faced a horrific choice: deny their faith and live comfortably, or remain true to who they were and face torment. They chose the latter without wavering. The king’s furnace was heated seven times hotter than usual, yet they emerged untouched by the flames.
This story teaches us that true faith isn’t measured during times of comfort but during moments of testing. When everything is taken awayāfreedom, dignity, safetyāwhat remains reveals who we truly are.
Another powerful example comes from the prophet Daniel himself. When King Darius was tricked into issuing a decree that anyone who prayed to any god or man other than the king would be thrown into the lions’ den, Daniel continued his practice of praying to the God of Israel three times daily. The text tells us:
Daniel refused to hide his faith even when it meant facing the lions. He chose to maintain his religious practice openly, even when it meant risking his life. For Daniel, compromising his worship was not an option, even temporarily.
King David, hiding in caves from Saul’s murderous pursuit, expressed similar steadfastness:
This unwavering commitment to identity extends beyond mere survival. The prophet Isaiah reminds us:
We are named. We are claimed. We belong to something greater than ourselves.
When Yarden Bibas declared, “I was born a Jew, and I will die a Jew,” it wasn’t an impulsive act of defiance He was recognizing that his Jewish identity isn’t just something external or changeableāit forms the very core of his being. To deny it, even for food and comfort while in captivity, would mean surrendering something far more essential than physical wellbeing.
His captors could control his body but not his soul. They could deny him food but not his dignity. They could imprison him physically but not spiritually. Like Daniel in the lions’ den, like the three young men in the furnace, like countless Jews throughout centuries of persecution, Yarden shows us what true faith looks like when it’s tested by fire.
His story reminds us that our commitment to who we are isn’t measured during celebrations and festivals, but during moments of testing and trial. May we all find such clarity about what matters mostāthe courage to say, when facing our own tests: This is who I am. This is who I will remain.
Curious what the Bible has to say about faith in hard times? Ever wonder what wisdom from the prophets we can use today? The Hebrew Bible contains 24 books of timeless wisdom, but studying it can feel overwhelming. Where do you start?
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