Parshas Bichukosai: Rav Yehonoson Eibushitz - The Fear Of War
In the Brachos, the Torah promises us that when we keep the Torah and Mitzvos, "V'Cherev Lo Sa'avor B'Artzichem; No sword will pass through your land." (Bichukosai 26:6) Rashi says, "Even a friendly army will not travel through Eretz Yisrael to fight someone else." What is so terrible with giving a right of passage through our land? Isn't that what we requested of the nations surrounding Eretz Yisrael when we were in the Midbar?
Rav Yehonoson Eibushitz explains that even a friendly army is quite threatening looking. The sight of them would keep us on the path of Torah and mitzvos, lest we face an enemy like the one we see. Then. we would do mitzvos out of Yirah or fear rather than Ahava or love. Hashem promises us that He will let us serve Him with love, peacefully, without tainting our minds with frightful visions and lowering our level of avoda from ahava to yirah.
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