         Placing our Fear of G-d above our Fear of Man 
                     by Gary M. Cooperberg
                        August 14, 1994

     My good friend, Rabbi Shalom Gold, spiritual leader of his community in Har Nof,
Jerusalem, recently delivered a shiur on Parshat Vayishlach.  One of the observations
elucidated by Rav Gold is especially worthy of both repetition and expanding.     The subject
was the abduction and rape of Dina, by Shechem, and the subsequent "negotiations" which
followed.  While the point of Rav Gold's lecture was the concept of "violence", I would like
to concentrate upon the concept of negotiations with enemies of the Jewish people.     As Rav
Gold pointed out, Chamor, the father of Shechem, came to "negotiate" peacefully with Jacob
and his sons.  He spoke glowingly of a wonderful future of peaceful relations, economic
ties, and trade.  It would seem that Shechem wanted "peace" so badly that he even offered
b'nai Yisrael an open check.  "Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I
will give." (Genesis  XXXIV, vs. 11)
     On the surface it would seem that a window of opportunity for real and lasting peace with
the Hivites had opened up.   Were only there an American President to invite them to a
ceremony on the White House lawn!  How beautiful the words.  How noble the dream: 
peace; friendship; cooperation; commerce; and normalization of relations.  Dare anyone speak
out against such a worthy call?  
     But wait a minute.  There are a few factors which blacken this otherwise beautiful picture. 
The most obvious one is the outrageous crime committed against the daughter of Yaacov. 
While one might consider the possibility that it was a crime of passion for which Shechem and
his father sought to repent, nowhere do we hear words of remorse or apology.  Further, even
as the "negotiations" are taking place, Dina is being held hostage and no talk is heard about
returning her to her family.
     On a slightly less obvious point, Rav Gold points out a difference in nuance in the words of
Chamor when speaking to b'nai Yisrael and then when speaking to his own people, on the
same subject.  One of the offers made by Chamor is that of intermarriage.  When he first
speaks to b'nai Yisrael he suggests: 
     "You may give us daughters of your choosing for marriage, and take from us
daughters of your choosing unto yourselves." (Genesis XXXIV vs. 9).  Yet just a bit later in
the same chapter, in verse 21, when Chamor addresses his own people, he tells them exactly
the opposite of what he just told b'nai Yisrael, "We will take from them girls of our choosing,
and give to them girls of our choosing."
     Today, in place of Chamor and Shechem, we have Hussein and Arafat.  Arafat has "raped"
Israel and longs to possess her.  He thus talks sweetly to Rabin.  Hussein, on the other hand,
didn't actually commit the atrocities of Arafat, but he justifies and identifies with them. 
Further, he too seeks to possess Eretz Yisrael.  Hussein, much like Chamor, speaks sweet
words and talks of the treasures which peace will bring.
     So while Peres and his cohorts fly somewhere in the clouds and spurt forth claims that we
have reached a new era of peace on earth, let us recognize the fact that these Jewish "leaders"
clearly have little knowledge or understanding of Jewish history, or authentic Jewish values. 
     B'nai Yisrael had no intention of falling for the deceit of Shechem and his father.  In fact,
they decided to outfox the foxes. As it states very clearly, in verse 13 of the same chapter:
"And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Chamor, his father deceitfully..."
     While some might suggest that Shimon and Levi out stepped their bounds by not merely
rescuing their sister, rather massacring the entire city, there are others who feel that vengeance
is required for such a brutal crime against Israel.  There is even a source which tells that
Shimon and Levi, upon entering the town, were pelted by stones thrown at them by Hivite
women.  Rather than fire in the air to frighten them away, or shoot tear gas and rubber
bullets, they slew three hundred women.  I daresay they succeeded in stopping that intifada in
its tracks.
     Judging by Jacob's remarks after the fact, it seems to me that Shimon and Levy knew
exactly what they were doing and were well justified in what they did.  Just as in the past,
when he heard that his brother, Esau, was approaching with huge army, Jacob was
afraid.  He let his fear interfere with his better judgment.  Rather than confront his brother with
pride and confidence, he  separated his family into two camps; offered tribute to his
brother; and bowed before him.  
     Here he is faced with an act of outrage against his daughter, and Jacob seems to, once
again, have succumbed to fear.  He doesn't tell Shimon and Levy that what they did was
wrong or immoral.  What he says, as we read in verse 30 of the same chapter, is: "... they
shall gather themselves together against me and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my
house."  
     Does a Jew go to battle against enemies greater than he in fear that he will be destroyed? 
It seems that our father, Jacob, had a terrible complex.  He refused to climb the ladder to
heaven for fear of falling off.  He was afraid of his brother, even after HaShem directed him to
go home.  And now, rather than avenge the violence committed against his daughter, it seems
that he would have preferred to have clandestinely rescued her and sneaked quietly out of
town.  Shimon and Levi may well have suspected this reaction from their father and decided to
preempt such a decision by acting on their own... not just for the honor of their sister, rather
for the honor of Am Yisrael who would have been looked upon with contempt by any self
respecting nation had they acted otherwise.  
     It was precisely because of the brutality of their vengeance that all the other nations which
opposed them backed away in fear when confronted by Jacob and his sons.  Had they not
acted in such a manner, the opposite would likely have occurred.  The nations would have said
that Jacob can be attacked with impunity, and then he really would have been prey for his
enemies.
     One never gains respect and "peace" by degrading himself.  It is a normal human trait to be
afraid.  We saw that trait in the desert when the spies looked at the giants living in the land and
felt as if they were tiny grasshoppers in their eyes.  In submission to their fear of Man, they
shied away from following the command of G-d.  
     Time and time again we are taught in our Torah, that a Jew is required to fear G-d above
all else.  It is only when we conquer our fear of very real dangers, and make that fear
subservient to our fear of the Creator of the Universe, that we will be well on our way to
fulfilling our role as Jews.
     I doubt that even Shimon Peres really believes that Arafat and Hussein want to live in
peace with an Israel of any size.  But he is afraid that Israel will not be able to withstand an
eventual attack by enemies greater in number than we.  It is in reaction to our fear of Man that
we lie to ourselves and believe the lies of our enemies.
     It is the obligation of every Jew to accept the yoke of heaven upon him despite any physical
threat.  The G-d of Israel has begun to gather us together from among the nations of the
world.  He has begun to return us home to Eretz Yisrael.  He has begun to return Jewish
sovereignty to our ancient homeland.   
     This is not a process that is subject to our whims or desires. It will not be slowed down,
and certainly not stopped.  The redemption of the world, via the Jewish People, has already
begun.  The G-d of Israel has given us one more gift to utilize as we will. He has given us the
opportunity to prove our faith in Him.  If we conduct ourselves as proud Jews, we will see a
beautiful and glorious redemption.  If, instead, we bow to our enemies and deny our birth
right, we will fail to see the obvious and live in constant fear until the redemption is
completed.  Every day brings new opportunities for Jews to demonstrate our faith in G-d.  If
we fail, we only fail ourselves.  But the redemption will continue to completion.