A popular Israeli influencer and entrepreneur says driving his son to school after bandaging the boy’s finger cut created an opportunity for encouragement over the ongoing war with Hamas. Hillel Fuld posted the following to LinkedIn today.
They say everything happens for a reason. But does it? Is that even true? I believe it is.
For the past few days, like many people, I’ve been burnt out. I do what I can to recharge my batteries but day by day, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to see the light.
Please don’t judge me but the weakness has begun to enter my thoughts. “Maybe we should just take any deal we can get so we can get our hostages back and end this horrible war.”
I know, I know, weakness. The doubts started to seep in…
But then something happened.
Nadav cut his hand pretty badly yesterday. He’s ok.
What does that have to do with anything?
Fantastic question. I thought you’d never ask.
Racheli brought him to get stitches last night and I brought him to the Dr. this morning to bandage the wound.
“Still don’t see where you’re going with this…”
Patience. I’m getting there.
The Fuld family. Photo: courtesy.
So we bandaged the wound, I bought him some food for breakfast, and then I drove him to school.
On the way to school, we started talking about the world and specifically antisemitism.
My 13 year old son solved my dilemma so clearly!
He told me that in school, his rabbi had a whole lesson on why people have always hated the Jews. He gave the kids a few possible explanations.
But then Nadav blew my mind.
He said, indeed antisemitism is a constant but you know what else is a constant? Jews thinking they can appease the antisemites. “If only I did this, they won’t hate me.” “If only I would act like this, they won’t hate me…”
In other words, if we just act weak, they’ll stop bullying us.
Then Nadav says to me, “But Abba, that’s just so wrong. You want peace? You want the hatred to stop? Only strength will accomplish that.”
Cool. Nice thought.
But then he dropped a huge one on me.
“Don’t we say a verse every day in our prayers that proves this?”
I asked him which verse.
“יהוה עז לעמו יתן יהוה יברך את עמו בשלום”
“God will give strength to His nation and then (and only then!!!) will God bless His nation with peace.”
I’ve read that verse about a zillion times in my life and literally never thought about this incredible insight.
Nadav taught it to me.
You want peace? You need to be strong, not weak. Real peace is achieved from a place of strength, as this verse states clearly.
Blew my mind.
We did something very right with this kid.
Nadav, thanks for teaching me this lesson. I guess I should start calling you Rabbi Nadav.
Anyway, I’m not saying that him cutting his finger is a good thing but all I’ll say is that I needed this lesson this morning, and I needed it badly. Had he not cut his finger, I wouldn’t have driven him to school and I’d probably never learn this super important insight.
So no, no amount of aid or appeasement will achieve peace. Our enemies know one language and one language only, strength!
It’s time we internalize this. Thanks Nadav!
–Hillel Fuld is a global speaker, tech columnist, and startup marketing advisor. He lives in Israel with his family. This is reprinted from Fuld’s LinkedIN account.