A Nation of Heroes
An article in The Jerusalem Post:
My comment:
Beautiful article.
In truth, the greatest heroism is still ahead of us.
Our greatest sages wrote that a “hero is one who overcomes one’s instinctive inclination” — the inherently selfish, egotistic, and exploitative human nature, so at least one does not cause intentional harm to others.
And the “hero of heroes” is the one who makes his enemy — our inherent nature — his friend, meaning the one who becomes able to use even one’s inherent ego and nature to help, support and serve others.
Only true heroes — according to the words of our sages — can build and keep unity and mutual guarantee even when there is no external danger, existential threat, or collective grief to force us together.
Because this is something we have to achieve and strengthen above and against our inherent nature, we need to relearn and practice the unique “Jewish method” our sages left for us.
Then, when we succeed to constantly overcome the instinctive “unfounded hatred” that awakens again and again by choosing and nurturing “brotherly love” instead, we will become truly invincible and capable of things we could not even dream of before!
Moreover a “Nation of true heroes” can exert and unstoppable positive influence on the world, which will turn even our doubters and enemies on our side!