Enemy is a construct that automatically divides the world into two: us and them. This means that the specifics of any dispute are necessarily one-sided. Those that I have labeled evil, consider me the wicked enemy, and themselves emissaries of the light.
It is impossible to escape this bias, for everyone views the world from a unique vantage point. And from that angle, the world appears obviously this way. Whereas, from another angle, the same scene appears, just as obviously, that way. And to make matters worse, not every assertion is equally true. One cannot assume that a 50/50 formula applies to each dispute. There are liars and delusional people in the world. Some sides are 99.9% solid, while others have only a sliver of reality to them. The challenge of sorting through this tangle of claims and counterclaims is mind-altering. The goal is to find an expanded perspective that incorporates the truths of both sides, in their proper proportion. The labor itself wisens, deepens, and expands awareness. Eventually the heart-mind stretches enough that a whole new increment of consciousness enters, and a paradigm shift occurs. And then, behold, a totally unanticipated solution appears that suddenly becomes an obvious answer to the problem. Finally, now, there is the possibility of real peace…a peace that is founded on truth and not just avoidance of conflict. This process and labor can be applied on micro and macro levels. From interpersonal conflicts in our significant relationships, conflicts among larger issues in a community, or even on a global scale, just having the orientation to listen and consider realities beyond our perspective is essential to true peace.
I want to propose that the perception of an “enemy” is a foundational conceptual filter by which we view others, and deeply affects our ability to resolve conflicts and pursue peace. An enemy can be defined as an adversary who is working against our well-being; someone who is acting against our health, survival, values, vision or security; someone who is trying to undermine what we are building, or who is stealing something that belongs to us. The term, “enemy” is a subjective level that can apply to a whole range of phenomena, from interpersonal to international, and even to the hostile forces that lurk within our own psyches.
There are many types of enemies. They can be mortal foes seeking our demise or overly-competitive colleagues threatened by our success. They can be inconsiderate neighbors, a hurtful spouse, or a rebellious child. They can be rotten to their core or possess one rough edge. Either way, the enemy appears to us as a witting or unwitting agent of bad or even evil.
Enemies are real, in the sense that the Torah employs the term liberally. Conflict, war, antagonism, and hostility are well-documented in the Bible and comprise a major portion of its teaching tales. Nearly every saint and hero struggles with enemies, and is also true for the Jewish people as a whole. Enemies are a universal phenomenon. It is unlikely that anyone passes from cradle to grave without having to struggle with at least one of them. It is safe to say that character development and expanding consciousness are measured, largely, by our evolving capacity to deal with the hurt, frustration, fear and anger that get triggered by enemies.
It’s important to mention that Jewish law ascribes utmost value to peace, forgiveness, and compromise, but it doesn’t advocate pacifism as an unqualified ideal. Jewish law instructs people to resolve their personal disputes by talking things through, with a mediator if necessary. The just resolution of a conflict by an impartial court is a deep Torah values and the obligation to create an honest legal system is one of the Torah’s seven Noachide Laws that apply to all the peoples of the world, not just to Jews.
The obligation or attempt at a peaceful solution to conflict applies on a geopolitical scale as well. Maimonides writes, “We are not to engage in war with anyone unless we first proclaim peace to them…” But if resolution cannot be found, then war is an option and even at times, an obligation. Consequently, Jews are obligated to protect themselves at all costs, even if it means waging war through preemptive attack. The Talmud is clear: “If someone intends to kill you in the morning, wake up even earlier and kill him first.”
Jewish law charts a precarious path between pacifism and self-defense, for these two supreme values often conflict. The guiding question becomes: What is the most peaceful way possible to assure the survival of the Jewish people and the success of our mission. The Torah states clear guidelines for when armed conflict is permitted, and how to preserve one’s moral standards while engaged in combat. The question of when to shift from diplomacy to war is a complicated assessment that combines military intelligence, Torah principles, and Divine guidance. While Jewish law provides bountiful guidance on how to respond to an enemy on the level of action, each circumstance, each assault, and each enemy requires its own investigation to determine the most spiritually productive response to the threat.
The great 18th century spiritual master the Baal Shem Tov taught that even what we call ra or “evil” is an instrument of God to awaken our consciousness to the Divine Presence. To truly internalize this teaching is to effect our entire conception of “enemies,’ and how we relate to them. A 19th century Hasidic master – Rabbi Yitzhak Yehuda Yechiel Safrin, also known as the Komarna Rebbe, elucidated this teaching of the Baal Shem Tov and specifically applied it to how to spiritually work with enemies. In the words of Komarna Rebbe on the Baal Shem Tov’s teaching:
The most essential trait that a person needs in order to accomplish the purpose of his creation in this world is a pure heart and a true heart. And this virtue is only acquired by passing the tests that life brings. This means that the challenge and the challenger is also good, for it catalyzed the elevation and positive transformation of the soul, and for that it is rightly considered a good and holy angel. In this way, evil becomes a throne for good. The wayward impulse creates a challenge that, when overcome, turns its impure spot on the soul into a place where the Shekhina now dwells. The wayward and fallen desire can then be transformed into a single desire for the blessedness of God and the radiant light of the Shekhina. But if one’s soul is not cleaned of these bitter ailments, then certain enemies will rise up against a person. (Netiv Mitzvotecha)
If one recognizes the presence of enemies as a trigger to cultivate humility and be more honest about the isolation and separation within oneself, then there is the opportunity to elevate that evil within, which then has the potential to turn an enemy, in Hebrew oyev into a friend, ohev. If we open to the possibility that we are all part of each other’s souls, and we are committed to our own inner healing and transformation, then we can’t push our enemies and their delusions out of our hearts. Instead, we are asked to find a way to stay open to what our relationship has to teach us, at the same time, that we set the necessary boundaries to keep ourselves safe.
The Baal Shem teaches to pray for our enemies to be raised and released from the clutches of evil and illusion and to do Teshuvah. If the enemy has dimensions of soul that are still redeemable, then our prayer may have some impact in awakening hidden good within them. But if the enemy is corrupted beyond repair, then the same prayer for his or her Teshuvah will actually quicken their demise. It may be that speedy removal really is the best possible outcome for a hardened psychopath. Better that he should cut his losses, stop racking up spiritual debts, and begin the “involuntary” teshuvah process in the world of souls. Tzaddikim do not intend for their prayer to have this effect. They genuinely hope and pray for their enemy’s teshuvah and redemption. The decision of life or death rests with the One Who Sees into the hearts and minds of every creature. I hope to speak more about this spiritual approach to enemies on Yom Kippur.