Parashat Shoftim: Midrash
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Devash: Midrash

Midrash מִדְרָשׁ

Our parashah contains the mitzvah to offer peace even when Benei Yisrael would be at war with a city (Devarim 20:10). What can we learn from this?
דברים רבה ה׳:י״ב
"עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו" (איוב כה:ב)—אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ מִיכָאֵל כֻּלּוֹ שֶׁלֶג, וְגַבְרִיאֵל כֻּלּוֹ אֵשׁ, וְעוֹמְדִין זֶה אֵצֶל זֶה וְאֵינָם מַזִּיקִים זֶה אֶת זֶה. אָמַר בַּר קַפָּרָא וּמָה אִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם לֹא קִנְאָה וְלֹא שִׂנְאָה וְלֹא תַחֲרוּת הֵן צְרִיכִין שָׁלוֹם, הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים שֶׁכֻּלָּן שִׂנְאָה וְתַחֲרוּת וְקִנְאָה עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁהֵן צְרִיכִין שָׁלוֹם.
רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי תֵּדַע לָךְ כַּמָּה גָּדוֹל כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל שָׁלוֹם אֲפִלּוּ הַמִּלְחָמָה שֶׁאֵין אָדָם יוֹרֵד לְתוֹכָהּ אֶלָּא בַּחֲרָבוֹת וּבִרְמָחִים, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּשֶׁתִּהְיוּ הוֹלְכִים לַעֲשׂוֹת מִלְחָמָה לֹא תִהְיוּ פּוֹתְחִין תְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא בְּשָׁלוֹם, מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בָּעִנְיָן כִּי תִקְרַב אֶל עִיר.
Devarim Rabbah 5:12
״God makes peace in the highest places” (Iyyov 25:2)—Reish Lakish said: The angel Michael is all snow, and the angel Gavriel is all fire, and they can stand next to each other without harming one another. Bar Kappara said: The angels up high, who have no jealousy, hate, or competition, still need peace. So how much more so do people down ?below—who have so much hatred, competition, and jealousy—need peace
The Sages said: This teaches how great is the power of peace. Even at wartime, when people go into it ready to fight with swords and spears in their hands, the Holy Blessed One says: 'When you go to fight a war, always start with peace.' How do we know this? From the words in our parashah, “When you come to a city to wage war with it, offer peace” (Devarim 20:10).
  • If angels don’t have jealousy or hatred, why do they need peace? What is peaceful about the angel of snow and the angel of fire being able to stand together?
  • Why might it be hard to ask for peace once you’re already holding a sword in your hand and you’re all ready to fight? What does this teach us about what God wants our top priorities to be?
  • Why is it important to always start with peace first? Can you think of ways to do this in your life?
  • Try it! In tefillah, when you hear or say the words עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו (oseh shalom bimeromav, God makes peace in the highest places), think about how God helps make peace for angels up high, and how God can help make peace for people down below. Who are you praying for when you ask God to help make peace?