How Attacking Iran Changed Parshas Zachor Forever

I had a feeling that Israel would attack on Shabbat morning (to be fair- I also thought it would happen for several weeks already). As the son of a historian, Netanyahu lives and breathes history as seen in his speeches and the names he gives (or is involved in giving?) to military operations. According to Amit Segal, Netanyahu sees the world as his father does- that the Holocaust didn’t start in 1939 and didn’t end in 1945- it’s one long story of anti-Semitism. I was therefore convinced that he would attack during Parshat Zachor because how incredible is it that the modern state of Israel would avenge its enemies who threaten to wipe us out just as we read about it in Shul?

And that’s exactly what happened. Except I was wrong.

According to reports, Parshat Zachor was not the reason behind Bibi’s decision of when to attack. It was due to a meeting happening at an opportune time to take out Khomeini and other high ranking Iranian officials. It was about surprising them by attacking in the morning, rather than at night. It was because Trump gave his final OK on Friday morning because he accepted Iran was playing games with their negotiations. Yes, Bibi spoke last week about it being before Purim, and Persia and Haman. Bibi spoke yesterday about it being the anniversary of Trumpledor’s death and the symbolism. But the decision of when to attack seems to have had little to do with us reading Zachor.

And yet, hearing the words of Zachor read in shul yesterday as we heard loud planes flying overhead on their way to Iran to attack the modern day Amalek of Iran who has threatened and acted to wipe us out was one of the most powerful moments I could ever imagine. And it wasn’t even planned with that in mind!

Khomeini chose to meet with Iranian officials, setting his own death trap, thinking himself invincible while Jews across the world woke up in the morning to listen to the age old words that we will never forget what Amalek did and continues to do and we will erase their name. We will always defend ourselves. (Not to mention נצח ישראל לא ישקר in the Haftorah).

Nothing in modern day Israel is ever far removed from Jewish history and tradition, even when it isn’t explicitly planned that way.

Listening to Channel 12 news (a very secular station) last night was so inspiring as they effortlessly noted historic and Jewish connections as part of their news broadcast. Upon hearing confirmation that Khomeini had been killed, Danny Cushmoro said with a smile that 2,500 years after Haman was killed in Persia, today our own enemy of the Jews was killed and: ליהודים הייתה אורה ושמחה וששון ויקר. Upon asking why did Khomeini have this meeting despite the warnings that Israel and America were going to attack, he responded, ויכבד את לב פרעה. One of the other commentators added, it was בידי הקל- Hashem’s hands. Some of them are very secular people. There is no such thing though of a wholly secular person in Israel.

This is what it is to live in the modern state of Israel during one of the greatest miracles of our time.

As we read Zachor yesterday- a moment I will share with my grandchildren, I couldn’t help but think and take pride in the words: בארץ אשר ה אלקיך נותן לך נחלה לרשתה. In the land that Hashem is giving you as an inheritance. We who have chosen to make the land that Hashem gave us as an inheritance as our home have merited to see miracle after miracle and to be a part of this amazing part of history. We have merited to see the words of Tefilla and Kriyat haTorah and history jump off the pages and have infinite meaning in the present.

Even while sirens wail (and worse- the scary warning sound on the phone that can give you a heart attack on its own) and missiles fall, there is nowhere else we would want to be. And with the skies of Israel once again closed for the 5th(?) time since 2020- this is yet another reminder to the Jews of the Diaspora to come home. Israel is not something that can be taken for granted. It’s a gift, it requires sacrifice but offers the greatest of meaning to make it home.

May we continue to witness miracles. May Hashem continue to protect the IAF, the IDF, the American forces and all of Am Yisrael living here in Eretz Yisrael. May we merit to see Geula.

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