Article in The Times of Israel by Andy Blumenthal: As I watched through the window of the synagogue, the people practicing their boxing, I remembered when I was young and learning to fight. It took an enormous amount of training, hard work, and practice, and still at the end of the day, the realization always that we are but the foot soldiers for G-d. We must be the best prepared in every way that we can (“Never again!”); however, it is G-d who not only leads us, but also fights for us.

1. 6/25/22, 5:58 PM Not by Chariots or Horses | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
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THE BLOGS
Andy Blumenthal
Not by Chariots or
Horses
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2. 6/25/22, 5:58 PM Not by Chariots or Horses | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
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Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal
Another strange happening today in synagogue. We were davening the Musaf
for Shabbat and I looked out the window, and out of nowhere across the way is
group of people outside practicing their boxing on a hot Summer day.
So, as the people in shule are shockeling (swaying) back and forth in prayer, the
people right outside the window are bobbing and weaving side to side practicing
their fighting. Of course, not everyone swings to the same tune, but this was
really sort of comical to watch the back and forth and side to side of the Jewish
and gentile practitioners.
I couldn’t help thinking that while we depend on the Almighty L-rd, they look to
their own strength and skills. And I remembered from yeshiva day school many
years ago, when we used to sing (Psalms 20:7-8):
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we remember the name of the
L-rd our G-d. They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen and stand
upright.”
“

3. 6/25/22, 5:58 PM Not by Chariots or Horses | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/not-by-chariots-or-horses/ 3/5
Moreover, this tied so perfectly to the Torah portion this week of Shelach, where
the Israelites sent a dozen spies to surveil the Promised Land, and ten of them
come back with frightening reports that the cities are fortified and great and
concluding (Number 13:31):
Unfortunately, they forgot that it is not by our own mortal power and thinking
that we succeed, but rather it is by the will of Hashem and through his
outstretched mighty arm. Only Caleb and Joshua of the spies had faith in G-d
and said that we can prevail over the nations of Canaan, and we will inherit the
land according to G-d’s word.
In Chabad’s L’Chaim newsletter this week, in an article from the teachings of
the Rebbe, it asks: What were the spies’ sin? They were asked to surveil the land
of Canaan and they came back and reported what they saw, so what did they do
wrong? The Rebbe answers that their job was to report back how to best capture
the land, not if we can conquer it. Those spies not only lacked faith in Hashem
but also, they committed a grave sin in slandering the Promised Land to the
people of Israel. Hence, it was a huge chillul Hashem (desecration of G-d’s
name) in front of B’nei Israel.
These spies were immediately punished and died by a plague that G-d brought.
Further, the Israelites who followed the slander and then wailed about their fate
and said they wanted to return to Egypt rather than be defeated by the
Canaanites were punished to wander the desert for forty years to die out, along
with their generation’s slave mentality, so the next generation could then be fit
and meritorious to enter and inherit Israel.
As I watched through the window of the synagogue, the people practicing their
boxing, I remembered when I was young and learning to fight. It took an
We will not be able to ascend against the people, for it is stronger than we
are.”
“

4. 6/25/22, 5:58 PM Not by Chariots or Horses | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/not-by-chariots-or-horses/ 4/5
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andy Blumenthal is a dynamic, award-winning leader who writes frequently about Jewish life,
culture, and security. All opinions are his own.
enormous amount of training, hard work, and practice, and still at the end of
the day, the realization always that we are but the foot soldiers for G-d. We must
be the best prepared in every way that we can (“Never again!”); however, it is G-
d who not only leads us, but also fights for us. In the Prophets (Joshua 6), we
learn that Hashem literally brought down the walls of the great city of Jericho
simply by having Joshua and the Israelites march around it, blow the Shofar,
and yell a great shout. So too may G-d continue to fight for us against the
enemies in our time and speedily complete the final redemption.
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