Change enemies into friends

Our tradition teaches never to rejoice over the death of the enemy, not even of the Egyptians’ experience at the sea. It is written:

בִּנְפֹ֣ל א֭וֹיִבְךָ אַל־תִּשְׂמָ֑ח וּ֝בִכָּשְׁל֗וֹ אַל־יָגֵ֥ל לִבֶּֽךָ׃

If your enemy (MT ketiv: אויביך your enemies) falls, do not exult;
If he trips, let your heart not rejoice.

True heroes change enemies into friends, it was said. The death of an enemy must be lamented. During the seder of a Pesach celebration many years ago, the Rabbi paused during the reading of the plagues list: “This is a time to mourn for the people of Egypt.”

In Christian writings Jesus of Nazareth is attributed the proverb: “Love your enemies.” A profound statement we should admit. After Anwar el Sadat and Menahem Begin signed the peace accords a group of Israelis marched saying: “What they need is love.” Peace accords without “love” (for example mutual respect) is not peace at all. Love is the power that can change how we respond to the enemy. Islamic thinkers have often argued that the same way God (Allah) is full of compassion and mercy, so every Muslim should be toward others.

The horrible stories of warriors and violence in our Sacred Writings, even praised as heroes in the Christian writings (Hebrews 11:34), cannot set the norm for who we are today and how to respond to the enemy. The Prophets vision of a world of peace is our goal. The understanding of a God who created every human being and loves humanity, is enough for us to seek true peaceful solution to conflicts instead of rushing to the use of violence.

Let us build the world on the foundation of the Divine Instruction found within the Torah (and other sacred books), and honouring God by showing compassion to humanity.