top of page
Search

When Commentary Becomes Collusion: A Rebuke to the Unrestrained Among Us

by Ram ben Ze’ev


When Commentary Becomes Collusion: A Rebuke to the Unrestrained Among Us
When Commentary Becomes Collusion: A Rebuke to the Unrestrained Among Us

It is an unfortunate necessity that I find myself writing a follow-up to my earlier piece, How Public Talk of Terror Strengthens Our Enemies. That article warned against the harm done by those who, often with the best of intentions, amplify the horror of our enemies’ attacks by turning tragedy into content. Today, I must now address a different but related behaviour: the incessant play-by-play commentary—online and public—by members of our own community about the ongoing defensive actions by the IDF and the Israeli Air Force, particularly in response to the open and advancing aggression of the Iranian regime.



Let me be clear: when the IDF acts to eliminate nuclear threats from a government that has vowed to wipe Israel off the map, it is not for public consumption. This is not sport. This is not theatre. It is war. And war demands discretion, not discussion.


Yet some persist—posting maps, announcing every airstrike, analysing every blast crater like amateur tacticians. Who is this for? Certainly not the enemy, who has their own intelligence. And certainly not for G-D, before Whom we should be pouring out our prayers, not likes and comments.


This behaviour is not neutral. It is not passive. It is not helpful. It is harmful.


As we read in ספר ויקרא (Sefer Vayikra – Leviticus) 19:16:לא תלך רכיל בעמיך – “Do not go about as a talebearer among your people.”The Rambam explains this includes those who publicise what ought to remain hidden, particularly if the sharing brings no benefit and can bring harm.


And what could be more harmful than energising the spiritual forces of evil? As the Holy Zohar, in פרשת שמות (Parashat Shemot), teaches: speech is creative—דיבור בורא מציאות—speech creates reality. When a Jew speaks, especially about war and death, they are not merely commenting; they are, chalilah (חס וחלילה / G-D forbid), feeding energy into that very darkness. The sitra achra (סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא – the “other side,” i.e. the forces of impurity) thrives on attention and emotion. Your excitement, your hashtags, your commentary—they are nourishment for it.



The Tanya, in איגרת התשובה (Iggeret HaTeshuvah), explains that a soul’s spiritual energy can be misappropriated when directed toward evil or even meaningless pursuits. Imagine the compounded effect of thousands of Jewish souls pouring their divine speech into commentary about explosions, targets, and casualties. It is not aligned with the Divine Will. It is not Torah.


Instead, we are taught to restrain our words. In משלי (Mishlei – Proverbs) 17:28:גם אויל מחריש חכם יחשב – “Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise.” If you cannot elevate the conversation—if you are not contributing tefillah (תפילה / prayer), tzedakah (צדקה / charity), or action—then silence is the holier path.


There is also an arrogance in this behaviour, as if our opinions are necessary or even relevant in the realm of military planning. Do we know the intel? Do we bear the responsibility of the chain of command? Or do we just refresh our apps and pretend we are part of something sacred? We are not. And pretending to be so only profanes the real sacrifice made by those who defend us.


This is a call to our people: stop feeding the fire. If you love Am Yisrael, then protect her. If you care about Eretz Yisrael, then guard your tongue. If you want to stand with the IDF, then do so in prayer, not in posts. Speak less. Do more.



Let your energy fuel a mizmor (מזמור / sacred song) not a media cycle. Let your words inspire teshuvah (תשובה / return), not retweets. Let us remember that even one whispered tefillah in sincerity reaches higher than a thousand shouted opinions in pride.


Because when our words are not with G-D, they are, by default, with the enemy.


>>>> BUY ME A COFFEE <<<<


###


bottom of page