Parshat Lech Lecha  10 Cheshvan 5762, 27 October 5762

By Shlomo Riskin

This week's portion begins the history of the Jewish people by highlighting the life of the first Jew, Abraham. It opens with the Divine command that he "make Aliyah" to the land of Israel, describes in detail his religious discovery and his mission to teach ethical monotheism to the world, and we are told of his exploits as a great military hero. Indeed, we read of four kings who had placed a stranglehold on the other five nations of Canaan, and Abraham's success in freeing the region from terrorist invasions (Chapter 14).

Interestingly enough, the most dangerous historical enemy of the Israelites is not mentioned in this initial regional war - and that is the Philistines. Time and time again, in the Book of Genesis as well as in the later Biblical books of Judges, Samuel and Kings, we come upon Philistine invasions and battles. But here the Philistines aren't mentioned at all. Why not?

I believe the answer is to be found in the origins of this inveterately warring enemy of our people - even though I do not believe that the Palestinians of today cannot legitimately link themselves biologically to the Philistines, there is a great deal to be learned from the kind of people with whom we can make treaties and the type of people with whom we cannot. A study of their origins will tell us precisely why they are such dangerous enemies with whom any attempt at signing a peace-treaty is a mere act of self delusion.

At the end of last week's Torah portion, the Bible delineates the origins of the various nations of the world, each of them emanating from the only survivors of the Great Flood, one of three sons of Noah. In this context, the Torah informs us that the children of Ham were Kush (Ethiopia), Egypt, Pratt and Canaan (Genesis 10:6), "and that Egypt bore the Patrusim from whom 'went out' the Philistines" (Genesis 10:13,14). The expression "went out" is used only in this context; otherwise the Torah speaks of the founders of the various peoples as having been born. Rav David Kimchi, famous medieval grammarian and commentary (known as the Radak), explains that the Philistines were apparently born to Egypt and naturally lived within the land territory of Egypt; they went out of their natural borders and tried to establish themselves in the nearby Land of Canaan. Indeed, the very world palash (Plishtim = Philistines) means to invade, to act as an interloper. These Philistines who made an incursion into a land which was not naturally their own. Hence, they were not part of the four indigenous Canaanite nations who were constantly terrorizing the other five indigenous nations.

After this initial battle, however, the more constant enemy of Israel were the Philistines. We first come upon them in chapter 20, when Abraham and Sarah attempt to settle in Gerar (the southern Negev area of the Land of Israel); Abraham introduces Sarah as his sister, and the King Avimelech takes her into his harem. Avimelech and his servants then become struck with impotence. G-d explains the true relationship between Sarah and Abraham to Avimelech in a dream, Avimelech confronts Abraham in righteous indignation, and Abraham explains that when he saw the lack of Divine fear on the part of the Philistine leadership, he felt he had no other recourse. Avimelech returns Sarah to her husband, declaring to Abraham: "Behold, my land is before you; you may dwell in any part of it you desire" (Genesis 20:16). Take note of the fact that Avimelech, the Philistine invader, describes the southern part of Israel as "his land."

Our next encounter with the Philistines is when Avimelech and his military General Pikhol ask Abraham to take an oath that he will never act falsely towards Avimelech's descendants; apparently this meant to secure Abraham's concession that he would not take away the land Avimelech claimed was his. Abraham takes the oath - and then chastises Avimelech for having stolen his wells. Avimelech pleads ignorance, Abraham gives him seven ewes, and they make a treaty together (Genesis 21: 22-33).

The next incident is the most distressing of all. This takes place a generation later, when Abraham's son Isaac settles in Gerar, claiming his wife Rebecca to be his sister. Isaac becomes wealthy, the Philistines "are jealous of him," and they "stop up" the wells his father Abraham had dug, filling them with earth. Avimelech, adding further insult to the injury of the stolen wells, orders Isaac "to go out from Gerar, because you have become mighty by taking away our (wealth). " Remember that Avimelech had previously told Abraham that he could live wherever he chose - and certainly could dig wells! Isaac distances himself from where he had previously settled, digs more wells - and runs into further difficulties with the Philistines. Ultimately, Avimelech comes to Isaac in Beer Sheba, brings two generals this time, and again requests a peace treaty, after all, he says, "you ought do us not evil because we did not harm you, we only did good to you by banishing you peacefully." Isaac agrees to the treaty. (Genesis 26: 7-33)

Three times the Philistines make a treaty, and each time it is broken. The Rashbam even claims that the binding of Isaac comes as a punishment to Abraham for having agreed to a Treaty with Avimelech in the first place. (Genesis 22:1, Rashbam ad loc) What was Abraham's sin? Apparently, the Philistines claimed ownership over the Land of Israel - even though they were the invaders and had not right to the land. Avimelech only asked for a treaty when he became worried lest Abraham - who seemed to have special Divine protection - take the land away from him. He was never serious about the treaty - and he never kept any aspect of it either in the lifetime of Abraham or Isaac. The lesson is clear: when an interloper claims ownership over Israel, you cannot weaken your right to the land as the result of a treaty. The invader will only interpret your good will as weakness, will expect you to thank him if he merely banishes you and does not murder you, and he has absolutely no intention of allowing you to live in any part of the land or to develop its resources. Unless the other claimant is willing to relinquish at least part of his claim and recognize your rights - and as a moral position, not as a temporary tactic because he fears your reprisal - it makes absolutely no sense to enter into a treaty with him. Why do we constantly refuse to learn from history, even from the history of the Bible about which Nachmanides teaches: "The actions of the patriarchs is a foreshadowing of the happenings to their descendants."

Shabbat Shalom.

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