Tenth of Tevet-War!

The world is full of strife. There are wars between the great world powers. There are conflicts involving different localities. There are feuds between families. There is discord between neighbors. There is friction within a household, between man and wife, between parents and children.

Life is short, and people die every day. The day that has passed will never return, and death comes closer every day. But people still fight and never once remember their goal in life.

All strife is identical. The friction within a family is a counterpart of the war between nations. Each person in the household power allows a world power, and their quarrels are the wars between those powers. The traits of each nation are also reflected in these individuals. Some nations are known for their anger, others for their bloodthirstiness, each having its own particular trait. The counterparts of these traits are found in each household.

You may wish to live in peace. You may have no desire for strife. Still, you’re forced into conflict and dispute.

The same is true of nations. A nation may desire peace and make many concessions in order to achieve it. But no matter how hard she tries to remain neutral, it can still be caught up in a war. Two opposing sides can both demand its allegiance, and it is thus drawn into war against its will.

The same is true in a household. Man is a microcosm, and his essence contains the world and everything in it (Zohar III, 33b). A man and his family encompass the nations of the world, including all their battles.

When the Messiah comes, all war will be abolished. The world will then have eternal peace, as it is written, “They will neither hurt nor destroy (Isaiah 11:9).” [Sichot HaRan 77]

Application for the days leading to, and the day of, the Tenth of Tevet:

Make a special effort to avoid all forms of conflict, and create an environment of peace that reflects the peace that will arrive with the Messiah, speedily, in our days.