A Soulful Journey

Why did Joshua, in ordering the sun to stand still, use the word "dom" (meaning silence) rather than "omade" (still).  The Midrash Tanhuma answered that as long as the sun continues to move it sings praise to God.  When it ceases to move, it ceases to praise. All nature sings to the Lord.  Even at this moment, praises abound, ascending toward the Holy One, blessed be He, from the most tender shoot to the cosmos.

Moshe rabbenu fixed the blessing for hazan ("sustenance" in the Blessings After a Meal) for the Jewish people when manna descended. Joshua fixed the blessing for ha-aretz ( "the Land" also in the Blessings After a Meal) when they entered the Land. David and Solomon established the blessing for Jerusalem (also in the Blessings After a Meal). -Talmud, Berachot 28b The Men of the Great Assembly (Anshay Knesset ha-Gedolah) established blessings, kiddish and Havdalah for us all.   -Talmud, Berachot 33a

The Talmud classifies two kinds of war. 1. Milhemet mitzvah .   An unavoidable conflict that demands to be fought.   Three examples of this kind of war are: a.      Joshua’s war against the seven Canaanite nations. b.       The war against Amalek. c.      A war declared against an enemy that has already launched its attack. 2. Milhemet Reshu t.   This category of war comes at the discretion of the Sanhedrin, authority of seventy judges charged with protecting the nation. It will never be fashionable to speak of war when talking about spirituality  Yet, to avoid the dark side of humanity is to ignore reality. Until the Mashiach comes, we will encounter evil.  Good must always be stronger and ever vigilant.