Israel has two different reputations to protect. We want one kind of reputation when it comes to the Western civilization and a different kind of reputation when it comes to the Middle East, especially the jihadist forces within the Middle East.
When it comes to the West, we want the West to see us as a country that protects human rights, that plays according to the rules. We always want to be loved by the west and loved by America. Maybe love is a too strong word - we want to be liked, we want to be appreciated we want to be seen as one of the good guys of the West. That's a reputation we want to protect and Jews in America are obsessed about that reputation: if you have a bad reputation, you have to look better.
The thing is there's also another reputation we need to protect and that's in the Middle East. And in the Middle East we want to be seen as unpredictable, as a little bit crazy, as people that have what it takes to go all the way to get what needs to be done, done. So let me put it this way: we want to be loved when it in the west we want to be feared in the Middle East. And if we ask an average Israeli after October 7th when he or she needs to fall asleep at night what emotion will protect us more love or fear, the love of the west or the fear of the Middle East, the answer is we rather be feared by the Jihadi forces in the Middle East than loved by different people in the west. But there's a problem here: there's a zero-sum game here. Everything that we needed to do and still need to do in order to make the Jihadi forces in the Middle East fear us those actions will make more and more people in the west turn their backs on us; and everything we will not do right in order to protect reputation in the west and keep the West liking us, will erode our reputation in the Middle East, it will block their ability to fear us again.
It's just fascinating to go back to that time, of course, because we have to remember that we were so loved on that day. Biden had just embraced us with the biggest bear hug possible, and Bono from U2 was singing songs about the people from the Nova Music Festival. We were so loved in the west but we were so not feared in the Middle East that the Jihadi forces were looking at Israel and they were saying: okay these people are weak and now hunting season is open.
I don't like the zero-sum game between love and fear, but there's a complicated relationship between deterrence and legitimacy. We need to deter the Middle East but we need legitimacy that comes from the United States of America and the West. And in order to deter the Middle East we need to go to war, and to go to the war, we need legitimacy from the West. The problem is everything we do to restore deterrence erodes legitimacy. So the big question is what's going to happen first: will we restore deterrence before we run out of legitimacy, or will we restore legitimacy before we run out of deterrence?
Philosopher Micah Goodman, in the podcast “The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing”, episode “A year to the Israel-Iran war”, aired on Sep. 29, 2024 available in all podcast platforms and on Youtube.
~ Do you agree with Dr. Micah Goodman that reputation is important? Why or why not?
~ What is legitimacy? Are there limits to what legitimacy can accomplish, in your opinion?
~ What is deterrence? Are there limits to what deterrence can accomplish, in your opinion?
~ Is it important for the State of Israel to look legitimate in the eyes of certain nations in the world? Which ones?
~ Is it important for the State of Israel to deter attacks from certain nations in the world? Which ones?
How does the court admonish the witnesses in giving testimony for cases of capital law? They would bring the witnesses in and intimidate them by saying to them: Perhaps what you say in your testimony is based on conjecture, or perhaps it is based on a rumor, perhaps it is testimony based on hearsay, or perhaps it is based on the statement of a trusted person. Perhaps you do not know that ultimately we examine you with inquiry and interrogation, and if you are lying, your lie will be discovered. The court tells them: You should know that cases of capital law are not like cases of monetary law. In cases of monetary law, a person who testifies falsely, can give the money to the proper owner and his sin is atoned for. In cases of capital law, if one testifies falsely, the blood of the accused and the blood of his offspring that he did not produce are ascribed to the witness’s testimony until eternity. The proof for this is as we found with Cain, who killed his brother, as it is stated concerning him: “The voice of your brother’s bloods [demei] cries out to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). The verse does not state: Your brother’s blood [dam], but rather: “Your brother’s bloods [demei].” This serves to teach that the loss of both his blood and the blood of his offspring. The mishna notes: Alternatively, the phrase “your brother’s bloods [demei],” teaches that that his blood was not gathered in one place but was splattered on the trees and on the stones. The court tells the witnesses: Therefore, Adam the first man was created alone, to teach you that with regard to anyone who destroys one [Jewish] soul the verse ascribes him blame as if he destroyed an entire world. And conversely, anyone who saves one soul [from the Jewish people], the verse ascribes him credit as if he saved an entire world. The mishna cites another reason Adam the first man was created alone: And this was done due to the importance of maintaining peace among people, so that one person will not say to another: My ancestor is greater than your ancestor. And it was also so that the heretics who believe in multiple gods will not say: There are many authorities in Heaven, and each created a different person. And this serves to tell of the greatness of the Holy One of Blessing as when a person stamps several coins with one seal, they are all similar to each other. But the supreme King of kings, the Holy One of Blessing stamped all people with the seal of Adam the first man, as all of them are his offspring, and not one of them is similar to another. Therefore, each and every person is obligated to say: The world was created for me. The court says to the witnesses: And perhaps you will say: Why would we want this trouble? Perhaps it would be better not to testify at all. But be aware, as is it not already stated: “And he being a witness, whether he has seen or known, if he does not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity” (Leviticus 5:1)? It is a transgression not to testify when one can do so. And perhaps you will say: Why would we want to be responsible for the blood of this person? But be aware, as it is already stated: “When the wicked perish, there is song” (Proverbs 11:10).
~ Are those sources known to you?
~ What do those two sources say about the basic dignity of human beings?
~ How do you think these sources help make the case for legitimacy?
~ Do you know other sources that make the case for legitimacy?
(20) They shall say to the elders of his town, “This son of ours is disloyal and defiant; he does not heed us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” (21) Thereupon his town’s council shall stone him to death. Thus you will sweep out evil from your midst: all Israel will hear and be afraid.
~ On a personal level, what are forms of deterrence that we are subject to, in our lives?
(1) When the Canaanite, king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negeb, learned that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he engaged Israel in battle and took some of them captive.
(1) וישמע הכנעני AND THE CANAANITE HEARD — He heard that Aaron had died and that the clouds of glory had disappeared and he believed that now he was at liberty to wage war against Israel, as it is related in Rosh Hashana 3a; Amalek was from olden times a whip for chastising Israel — always held in readiness to be God's agent for Israels punishment (Midrash Tanchuma, Chukat 18).
(2) Then Israel made a vow to Ad-nai and said, “If You deliver this people into our hand, we will proscribe* their towns.” (3) Ad-nai heeded Israel’s plea and delivered the Canaanites; and they and their cities were proscribed. So that place was named Proscription.
* - proscribe:
(1) The Israelites then marched on and encamped in the steppes of Moab, across the Jordan from Jericho. (2) Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. (3) Moab was alarmed because that people was so numerous. Moab dreaded the Israelites, (4) and Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will lick clean all that is about us as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, (5) sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor in Pethor, which is by the Euphrates, in the land of his kinsfolk, to invite him, saying, “There is a people that came out of Egypt; it hides the earth from view, and it is settled next to me. (6) Come then, put a curse upon this people for me, since they are too numerous for me; perhaps I can thus defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whomever you bless is blessed indeed, and whomever you curse is cursed.”
~ Was there deterrence?
~ What do you imagine is the reputation of the Israelites at the end of the book of Numbers, ie, just before entering the land?
(8) The spies had not yet gone to sleep when she came up to them on the roof. (9) She said to the men, “I know that GOD has given the country to you, because dread of you has fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land are quaking before you. (10) For we have heard how GOD dried up the waters of the Sea of Reeds for you when you left Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings across the Jordan, whom you proscribed. (11) When we heard about it, we lost heart, and no one had any more spirit left because of you; for the ETERNAL your God is the only God in heaven above and on earth below. (12) Now, since I have shown loyalty to you, swear to me by GOD that you in turn will show loyalty to my family.” Provide me with a reliable sign (13) that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.”
~ Is there deterrence, in the story of Jericho?
~ Is there legitimacy?
(1) By the time David and his men arrived in Ziklag, on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negeb and against Ziklag; they had stormed Ziklag and burned it down. (2) They had taken the women in it captive, low-born and high-born alike; they did not kill any, but carried them off and went their way. (3) When David and his men came to the town and found it burned down, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive, (4) David and the troops with him broke into tears, until they had no strength left for weeping. (5) David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail wife of Nabal from Carmel. (6) David was in great danger, for the troops threatened to stone him; for all the troops were embittered on account of their sons and daughters.
But David sought strength in the LORD his God. (7) David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring the ephod up to me.” When Abiathar brought up the ephod to David, (8) David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue those raiders? Will I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall overtake and you shall rescue.” (9) So David and the six hundred men with him set out, and they came to the Wadi Besor, where a halt was made by those who were to be left behind. (10) David continued the pursuit with four hundred men; two hundred men had halted, too faint to cross the Wadi Besor. (11) They came upon an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. They gave him food to eat and water to drink; (12) he was also given a piece of pressed fig cake and two cakes of raisins. He ate and regained his strength, for he had eaten no food and drunk no water for three days and three nights. (13) Then David asked him, “To whom do you belong and where are you from?” “I am an Egyptian boy,” he answered, “the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me when I fell ill three days ago. (14) We had raided the Negeb of the Cherethites, and [the Negeb] of Judah, and the Negeb of Caleb; we also burned down Ziklag.” (15) And David said to him, “Can you lead me down to that band?” He replied, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into my master’s hands, and I will lead you down to that band.” (16) So he led him down, and there they were, scattered all over the ground, eating and drinking and making merry because of all the vast spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. (17) David attacked them from before dawn until the evening of the next day;-b none of them escaped, except four hundred young men who mounted camels and got away. (18) David rescued everything the Amalekites had taken; David also rescued his two wives. (19) Nothing of theirs was missing—young or old, sons or daughters, spoil or anything else that had been carried off—David recovered everything.
~ What happened to David?
~ Why did his reputation not prevent the attack in Ziklag?
~ What other stories from the Tanach can you think of that bring about either deterrence or legitimacy, or both?
~ What are the concerns for towns at the border?
~ Is it possible to extrapolate for today?
~ Does deterrence always work?