Beshalach: endless war

Beshalach: endless war

 

What an ending!  the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. The war that never ends.

 

So what is meaning of the beginning of the parsha, , that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said: 'Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt.' ? 

 

 

How is the potential war against the Pilishtim different from the war against Amalek?  The Pelishtim are inhabitants of the promised land ( or the lands near it) Fighting the Pelishtim is fighting for the homeland, a war that can be avoided by abandoning Zionism.  The war against Amalek is not territorial, it is the  battle against antisemitism and cannot be avoided.  That war motivates Zionism in every generation.

 

last year ( long) http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zMTRjZGQ1bnZmYg&hl=en

last year ( short, personal)  http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zMTVnY2o4c3JncQ&hl=en