Kinyan 40 Ma'amido Al HaSholom - Why Do Jews Always Fight?
The Rov of a Shul I davened in once asked the famous question, "Why do Jews always fight?" "Do you know why", he thundered, "because they care". Much of the world really deeply cares about very little outside their personal space. Does anyone really, really care about who is a better player or even the whales or the rain forests? Who are we fooling? Even fights about religion and politics usually boils down to money, the one thing that people people really do care about.
Considering this, it would stand to reason that the closer you get to kedusha the more heated and passionate the fights and arguments become. If we, who only mildly care about things that are only peripheral to the real issues, argue incessantly, what about those involved in real torah battles. And surely those who lead the generation and are responsible for the continued viability of Am Yisroel and the mesora of the torah to the next generation are even more vehement and passionate. You are talking about kind and compassionate tzaddikim with sterling character traits, transforming into roaring angry lions!
When it comes to Torah, the gemara tells us (Kedushin 30b) that a Rebbi and his closest talmid or even a father and his son, draw their swords and become "Oivim BaShaar", enemies at the gate (Tehilim 127:5). They fight for the truth. There is no room for compromise since it is not their personal battle to concede to anything but the truth. Is this a contradiction to Sholom? Hashem Elokeichem Emes, Hashem is the perfect truth with no compromise. Yet we know that Hashem's name is Sholom.
As long as all our "Jewish fighting" is L'Shem Shamayim, peace will ultimately reign supreme. We may not agree at the end and the differences will not be resolved but the gemara does tell us "Es Vaheiv Basufa" at the end there will be love and respect (Chukas 21:14). Eilu V'Eilu Divrei Elokim Chaim" and Kiddush Shem Shamayim and torah will fill the world.
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