The Torah is our Greatest Weapon

One of the most powerful images I remember from the early days of the war was a video that circulated widely on social media. In the midst of the chaos, there was a quiet moment where soldiers carefully packed Torah scrolls (the Hebrew Bible) into a special storage room, preparing to bring them with them into battle. This scene struck me profoundly. The Torah, with its delicate parchment and handwritten script, was being brought into a war zone. On the surface, this seems almost illogical. The Torah isn’t a piece of tactical gear, a special weapon, or years of military training. It’s a scroll, made of words. And yet, these soldiers recognized that those words carried more power than anything else they could bring with them.

In the Torah, there is a commandment regarding battle, one that is easy to overlook but holds immense significance.

This commandment encapsulates the spirit of bringing the Torah into battle. It’s not about the physical presence of the scroll itself but the values and the divine guidance it represents. The Torah contains within it the moral compass that has sustained the Jewish people for millennia, guiding us through the darkest moments of history. And in those moments, our greatest weapon is not our physical strength but the values and principles that the Torah embodies.

When I think about Simchat Torah (October 7 2023) last year, I think about two things: the overwhelming joy of the holiday, and the piercing pain of the war that broke out soon after. It’s been 365 days filled with immense sorrow, loss, and uncertainty. The intensity of the war wasn’t just on the battlefield; it extended into the digital realm, where misinformation and hatred spread almost as quickly as the violence itself. Yet, amidst this pain and chaos, I also think about the heroes who have emerged. These heroes were not just fighting for survival; they were fighting for something much deeper. They were fighting for the values that the Torah instills in each of us—the call to protect life, to seek justice, to uphold kindness, even in the face of destruction.

The Torah isn’t going to physically save someone from an enemy’s weapon, but what it represents—the values of life, justice, compassion, and resilience—is what drives our soldiers, and indeed all of us, to endure. It is those values that empower the Jewish people to stand firm in times of crisis, to protect the vulnerable, and to resist fear. The Torah is a reminder that we are not just fighting a physical war; we are fighting a moral one. And it is in this moral war that the Torah’s words become our most potent weapon.

One of the most profound parallels in Jewish law is how we treat a damaged or worn-out Torah scroll. When a Torah can no longer be used, we don’t discard it. Instead, we bury it with the same reverence and sanctity with which we bury a person. This ritual highlights the Torah’s inherent holiness, but it also underscores something deeper—the connection between the Torah’s words and human life itself. The Torah is not merely a book of laws; it is a living document, one that speaks to the essence of what it means to live a moral, just, and holy life.

In moments of war, when life feels fragile and uncertain, this connection between the Torah and the sanctity of human life becomes all the more meaningful. Just as we honor the Torah by burying it with dignity when it is no longer usable, so too do we honor life by protecting it, even in the face of great danger. The Torah’s values teach us that every life is sacred, and that the ultimate goal of our battles, whether physical or spiritual, is the preservation of life and dignity.

Simchat Torah is a day of celebration, where we rejoice in the completion of the yearly cycle of Torah readings and immediately begin anew. It is a day filled with dancing, singing, and the uplifting of the Torah scrolls in joy. But this year, as we approach the one-year anniversary of the war, the joy of Simchat Torah, and commemorate the English anniversary of October 7th, our celebration is tinged with the pain of loss. As we lift the Torah high, we are reminded of the weight of the past year—the lives lost, the sacrifices made, the sorrow endured.

And yet, in the midst of this sorrow, there is also resilience. The heroes of this past year have shown us what it means to live by the values of the Torah. They have demonstrated courage, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to justice and life. They have reminded us that the Torah’s teachings are not confined to the synagogue or the study hall; they are lived out in the real world, in the midst of battle, in the choices we make every day.

Let us honor the heroes who have embodied the values of the Torah in the most profound way. Let us remember that the Torah’s power lies not in its physical form but in the values it imparts—the values that have sustained our people through every challenge, from the ancient battles described in Shoftim to the wars we face today. These values—justice, compassion, courage, and faith—are what make us strong. They are the greatest weapon we have, and they are the source of our resilience.

As we lift the Torah scrolls high and dance in celebration, let us also reflect on the year that has passed. Let us remember the pain and reaffirm our commitment to living by the values of the Torah. In doing so, we carry forward the eternal legacy of our people, rooted in the divine wisdom of the Torah, and strengthened by the knowledge that its words continue to guide and protect us in every battle we face.

Into the Fire: Stories of Heroism from October 7th reveals the heart-wrenching and inspiring true stories of ordinary Israelis who became extraordinary heroes on October 7, 2023, as they faced unimaginable terror. This powerful narrative not only chronicles their bravery and resilience but also challenges readers to reflect on their own capacity for heroism in times of crisis—don’t miss your chance to be inspired. Order your copy today.