The Watchman’s Prayer: “Please God, let it not happen on my watch!”
Part 1:
This week, my shifts were, thank God, uneventful. I would love to report that I singlehandedly held off a squad of RPG-wielding terrorists, or that I rescued 17 kids from a raging flood. However, standard military duty is a lot of routine. Mostly boring. Somehow, whatever happens, happens at some other time or place.
Many people, especially those in key positions of responsibility, recite the Watchman’s Prayer: “Please God, let it not happen on my watch!” We know that bad things do happen... So if it is going to happen, says the watchman, at least let it happen NOT on MY shift.
King David knew this too, which prompted him to pen:
“My soul yearns for God even more than the watchmen watch for the morning.”
“Nafshi l’Hashem m’shomrim l’boker shomrim l’boker” (note the clever homonymous phrase)
"נפשי לה' משומרים לבוקר שומרים לבוקר"
But can I actually prevent said event from occurring on my shift, or will it just happen when it happens?
One of the reasons that no one attacked my city (or me) this week is because we initiated a preventative policy. We stand vigilantly on guard. We’ve added vehicular patrols with flashing lights. We’ve been on the defensive and offense. Standing like a shloomp invites an attack. Looking sharp and at-the-ready will encourage any attacker to seek another opportunity or target.
Well, maybe, you could suggest, that my Arab neighbors do not plan on attacking. That would be nice. But our intelligence tells us otherwise. Already our forces dispersed a huge mob marching toward our city. To enhance this point, those who wish to do us harm do not live 10,000 miles away. They live a mere 200 yards away. Literally. (You can see on this Google
map).
However, there is a built-in challenge to this success. It stems from a basic, if counter-intuitive law, regarding processes in strategic affairs:
"Any preventative policy that succeeds, is doomed to be condemned."
I know. It takes a moment to digest this. Let me explain.
Let’s say you want to prevent buildings from collapsing from earthquakes. You implement a policy of regulatory code – which naturally costs a lot of money, or at least more money than a non-to-code structure. An earthquake occurs and no buildings collapse. Wonderful for the building and those inside them, but bad for the policy and those who promoted it. “See,” say the detractors, “no buildings fell, so why did we need that extra precaution!”
The same process happens when a global pandemic occurs and government policies advocate for administrating vaccines. If this succeeds in preventing an even higher death toll, the preventative policy is doomed for condemnation.
I am not expressing an opinion on these policies’ value – only stating a cause and effect.
Back to "Josh's War," what is the point of our practices and actions...? Clearly, nothing is happening, so why bother?
Part 2:
Hanukah.
I’m sure that this year you will be hearing and reading many comparisons between the Hanukah story and our war of 2023. I’m going to go for a more spiritual (no shocker), esoteric (again, no shocker here), and less known version (thrice non-shocker…) of Hanukah’s origins.
The Midrashic text relates an episode of Adam and Eve as Hanukah’s origin story. According to some, Adam and Eve were created on Rosh Hashana. From their experience, the world came from darkness and chaos, and God reversed this by creating light and order. As the fall season of year 1 turned to winter, they noticed the days getting shorter and the nights longer. It made sense. They understood that the world was returning to its original state of darkness and chaos. The end of the world is nigh!
Winter solstice coincides with Hanukah's dates. The day after the solstice, they observed that the nights were again shortening, the days lengthening, and with this, a new understanding of the universe’s rhythm was born.
To celebrate this event, they lit candles and continued doing so every year, commemorating the rebirth of the world, at the time of year when the end seems imminent.
This midrash does not relate to the historical event of the Jewish Macabean wars. It does not speak of the Jewish Temple’s rededication, nor a delayed Succot holiday. It doesn’t even connect to anything specifically Jewish at all!
That’s why I love it. It is so human. So all-encompassing. It is as beautifully naïve as the “newborns” Adam and Eve.
I find it incredibly poignant.
Part 3:
Tying these two parts together, I find a challenge and its solution. The challenge emanating from "Part 1" is not about the challenge of failure, but rather the challenge of unseen, unquantifiable success.
In the framework of “Josh’s War,” does my guard duty effort really affect the country’s safety? Am I really part of the war effort? The condemnation of successful policies and actions doesn’t always come from outside sources. Doubt gnaws. Self-doubt may lead to self-condemnation.
That’s where the lesson of the “first Hanukah” comes in.
Adam and Eve observed, what they thought to be, the entire universe reverting to total darkness. Their response, I believe was not just commemoratory. It was a combination of commemoration and an action-based preventative measure. It was an educational, imitable action. To prevent the world from plunging into darkness, they would need to create a sun. Lacking that ability, why bother doing anything? But they did. They did what was in their power. They lit a small candle with the power to chase away tremendous darkness. In my interpretation of this midrash, their commemorative action of lighting candles didn't come from passively becoming cognizant of lengthening daylight hours. In my view, their "Hanukah" started with a decision to actively make the world a better place. This totally changes the understanding of their role in this story!
That is my understanding this year connecting “Josh’s War” to Hanukah, and providing me with meaningful answers to my questions.
I have also seen many others across the globe follow in this vein.
Senators and congress-people demanding answers from top university professionals regarding anti-Semitic rhetoric and action gone rampant. From institutions that replaced truth with moral vacuums and open-mindedness with open-mindlessness.
Over 2000 Jews have made Aliya since October 7th!
Thousands of volunteers are helping Israeli farmers.
Pro-Israel people around the world are speaking up and speaking out.
Each one of them might feel insignificant. But they are not. They are the lights of humanity. The lights of Hanukah. They may never know of their positive influence. They will never know exactly how much they prevented in their policies and actions. That’s the challenge. And the solution, as I’ve expressed here, is in the belief of becoming a small, yet powerful, Hanukah candle!
Back to where we started… it is no wonder King David expressed this sentiment not just in an analogy of watchmen, but specifically watchmen who have experienced the fear and uncertainty of the dark night, and deeply anticipate the dawn’s first rays!
May we all merit to be a part of these Rays of Dawn, Hanukah Lights, and Rays of Hope!
Shabbat Shalom to all and a very happy and meaningful Hanukah!!!
