Why Must We Fight for the Promised Land? A Lesson in Faith from Yaakov

"Enter with force, conquer, and clear the area." These words describe the stages of the IDF's offensive during the Swords of Iron War. Amid extraordinary displays of courage, determination, and heroism, we have also witnessed heartbreaking losses, with some of Israel's finest sons sacrificing their lives.

Against the backdrop of such profound pain, a difficult question arises: If Hashem promised the Land of Israel to our forefathers, why must the Jewish people pay such a devastating price to secure their promised homeland?

The Divine Promise to Yaakov

The foundation of this promise appears in Parashat Vayeitzei. As Yaakov flees from his brother Esav and journeys toward Charan, he stops to rest at Mount Moriah. During the night, Hashem reveals Himself to Yaakov and declares: "The land upon which you are lying, I will give to you and to your descendants" (Bereishit 28:13).

The Talmud explains that Hashem miraculously folded the entire Land of Israel beneath Yaakov, symbolizing that its conquest would be made easy for his descendants. This interpretation suggests that the Jewish people's ownership of the land was established through a Divine promise rather than military might. Yaakov was not required to conquer territory or demonstrate his strength. Simply lying upon the land was sufficient for Hashem to affirm that it would belong to him and his descendants.

If the land was given as a Divine gift, why has its possession involved so much conflict and suffering?

Why Was the Land Not Conquered Without War?

In one of his teachings, the Lubavitcher Rebbe addresses this question by explaining that the Jewish people originally possessed the spiritual potential to enter and conquer the Land of Israel without warfare. This possibility could have been realized during the generation of Yehoshua, when the Israelites first entered the land. However, according to the Rebbe's explanation, the sin of the spies prevented them from attaining that extraordinary privilege. As a result, the conquest required military struggle rather than unfolding effortlessly through Divine intervention.

This raises another question: If that opportunity was lost, does it mean the Jewish people must continue fighting and sacrificing lives to secure their homeland indefinitely?

The Rebbe's answer presents a different possibility, rooted in the power of unwavering faith.

The Power of Unwavering Faith

According to the Rebbe, when the Jewish people stand firmly and confidently behind their belief that the Land of Israel belongs to them by Divine promise, that conviction itself has the spiritual power to transform reality. If Jews everywhere were to express this belief with complete sincerity, communicating their confidence that Hashem granted the land to the Jewish people, the Rebbe taught that opposition to their claim would ultimately fall away.

In this vision, the fulfillment of the Divine promise would no longer require struggle or military action. Instead, the Jewish people's steadfast faith would help bring about the realization of their spiritual inheritance.

The Rebbe connected this possibility to the ultimate Redemption, when the coming of Mashiach will usher in an era in which the Land of Israel is fully restored to the Jewish people without the suffering and loss that have accompanied earlier struggles.

Faith in the Promise of Redemption

The central lesson is the importance of emunah peshutah—simple, wholehearted faith in Hashem's promise. Such faith is not always easy, particularly when reality appears to contradict what we believe. The pain of war, the loss of precious lives, and the uncertainty surrounding the future can make unwavering trust an enormous spiritual challenge.

Yet the Rebbe's teaching calls upon us to recognize the power of Divine assurance even when its fulfillment remains beyond our understanding. Rather than viewing the future solely through the lens of conflict and military strength, we are encouraged to place our trust in Hashem and the promise of ultimate Redemption.

The hope is that the Jewish people will one day live securely in their homeland, without further bloodshed, and that not one more Jewish life will have to be sacrificed. Wholehearted faith in Hashem's promise is what is asked of us. It may not be simple, but it is possible.

Hadas Franco is an attorney, mediator, and personal coach specializing in relationships, confidence, and personal and family development.