A Formula for Peace
by Velvel "Wally" Spiegler

I, like most other Jews, am a peace loving person. We have a heritage of peace that is elucidated in our holy literature. For example, in the priestly blessing, recited in the synagogue every Shabbat, we hear these words, “The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace (Numbers 6:26)

 There are literally dozens of references of peace throughout the Torah. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace (Exodus 18:23). And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land (Leviticus 26:6). These and all the commandments to sacrifice peace offerings to the Lord confirm that peace is built in to our consciousness.

The sixth of our Ten Commandments insists that we must not kill. Tradition goes on further to teach that nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore (Isaiah 2:4). They shall sit, each one under his vine and his fig trees and none shall make them afraid (Micah 4:4). And, One person alone was brought forth at the time of creation in order to teach us that one who destroys a single human soul is regarded as the destroyer of the whole world, while one who preserves a single human soul is regarded as the preserver of the whole world (Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5). Jewish holy literature transcends all the persecution we’ve suffered through the centuries.

What does peace really mean? I think many of us believe peace implies some sort agreement or armistice, while others imagine it to be a state of harmony and serenity. I think both are right depending on what your specific interest is regarding peace. There is peace that is maintained when nations agree to lay down arms against one another. But there are other kinds as well. There can be peace between feuding parties: friends, family members. There are disputes in business, national and international affairs and within a community, similar to the disputes between the Jewish denominations. What is most disconcerting, in my view, is the lack of peace people have within themselves.

The Kabbalah, the teachings of Jewish mysticism, demonstrate that peace is a byproduct of “devekut”, the state of higher Jewish consciousness. Peace is one of the blessings that issue from the Divine source; it is a gift of God, and the negotiations of politicians, military officers, or peace activists are nothing more than vanity. It is reckless to accept that the words of Torah provide guidelines for Jews on political and military decisions, as so many are prone to believe. It is easier to think out loud than listen to the murmuring of the heart. The Torah is a allegory of how life in general evolves towards perfection under the guidance of the Holy One of Being, and these verses that seemingly command us towards victory represent conquest over our inner failings.

Have wars ever created peace? Certainly military engagements have never created a lasting peace. Consider the Cold War of the 70’s and 80’s that arose in the aftermath of World War II. It took over 30 years for the Soviet Union to collapse before they had the sane judgment to end hostilities, but you never know when conflict can resume again. You also never know when political allies can become enemies.
War does not necessarily have to be fought on the battleground. Protests and peace marches, even though a good deal more civil, represents a war of ideologies, where no one has ever emerged victoriously.

Everyone talks so much these days of the dangers of war and the pollution of air and water, that peace and ecology are the most fashionable words on people's tongues.  These problems we face lie in the destruction of the equilibrium between man and nature as a result of the modern materialistic conception of and an impure attitude towards the environment. Most people are reluctant to perceive that peace in human society and with nature is possible only through peace with the Divine order. To be at peace with the Earth and its inhabitants we must be at peace with ourselves and this is not possible without being at peace with God. The entirety of Jewish tradition gears us to that single objective. Every Shabbat candle we kindle, every prayer we recite, every page of Torah we study, we declare peace with God.

If we remain at odds with ourselves, we bring nothing less than strife and dispute into every choice of life. If we live in a world where we’re distanced from ourselves, we cast a vote for war and retaliation. When we turn towards Judaism as our spiritual path, we enact peace. The choice for peace that is well thought out, carefully reasoned with concerns over future consequences is not an option for peace, but a result of fear. Peace and harmony are not conscious decisions; they derive from a pure heart, developed by spiritual commitment. As we grow towards mental and emotional maturity, every step we take along the way is a vote for peace. Peace is a state of consciousness rather than an intellectual decision.

What’s the sense of peace marches and rallies, while we’re still angry with those who deny peace? As we become more peace-conscious, our newfound attitude will spread among others, and eventually effect world leaders whose present intention is to sugarcoat our most pressing problems. There is so much redundancy and long-winded essays, in the media and on the Internet, to convince readers the legitimacy behind in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Wouldn’t it make more sense to put a lid on most of the rhetoric and put our efforts into spiritual accomplishments?