After the War

In the time of Abraham, war began among the Kings of Canaan.  Abraham led his Troops to rescue captives. The battle went “well.” The prisoners were rescued. But, Abraham needed a long-term plan to live in a dangerous region.

Today, most Israelis want nothing more than peace with their neighbors.  Sadly, peace will come to Israel only after a devastating war. There also needs to be a plan for coexistence. Torah offers ethical behaviors and tangible goals for coexisting after a conflict.

After Abraham arrived in Canaan, a regional war began.  During that war, Sodom was seized, and Abraham’s nephew Lot was taken captive. Abraham mustered troops from within his “household.” They overwhelmed the enemy, rescued property taken from Sodom, saved Lot, and freed all the captives.

After the war, the King of Sodom offered Abraham the recovered property.  Abraham took not a “thread nor a sandal strap.” Abraham demonstrated that the Torah values human life over property. Had Abraham taken any property, the integrity of his mission would have been impugned.

King Melchizedek came to Abraham, bringing wine and bread from Salem. Melchizedek blessed Abraham, saying,

“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,

Creator of heaven and earth.

וּבָרוּךְ֙ אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן אֲשֶׁר־מִגֵּ֥ן צָרֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֥וֹ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ר מִכֹּֽל׃

And blessed be God Most High,

Who has delivered your foes into your hand.” And [Abram] gave him a tenth of everything.

Israel’s neighbors are unlikely to bless Israel’s success as Melchizedek did.  Yet, Melchizedek’s blessing reminds us to welcome partners for peace.  Abraham appreciated Melchizedek’s gesture of blessings and responded in kind with tangible gifts. By his sharing, Abraham demonstrated the need to be generous with Israel’s neighbors.  Among them might be a Melchizedek. Moreover, the Torah teaches us not to be revengeful but to find ways to share blessings with our neighbors. Israel will have to find better ways to share the blessings of the land with the Palestinians.

We long for the day when Israel breaks bread and drinks wine with its neighbors. We pray that Israelis and Palestinians someday coexist in peace, each regarding their neighbor the way Abraham and Melchizedek honored each other.

Rabbi Evan J. Krame