ויקרא, פרק כ״ו, פסוק ז׳

The promise of national security goes far beyond simply avoiding war. It expands into active military superiority, where the Israelites do not merely defend themselves but launch a decisive campaign against those who wish them harm. A natural question arises: if profound peace has already been promised within the land, why is there any need for war and pursuit? The answer lies in the location of the conflict. The pursuit will take place entirely outside the borders, deep within enemy territory [ספורנו, ביאור יש״ר]. True peace means that foreign nations will never dare to attack or cause destruction within the Land of Israel. Meanwhile, the Israelites will be able to pursue and eliminate their adversaries while their homeland remains perfectly secure [אור החיים]. This active pursuit allows the Israelites to take revenge on those who hate them [בכור שור]. Should any enemy dare to attack, their courage will instantly collapse, leading to a swift and easy defeat [רש ר הירש, רד צ הופמן].

These enemies are understood to be the wicked among the nations, whose hatred for the Israelites is so deep and fundamental that they are ultimately considered enemies of God [אור החיים]. A more specific view identifies these foes as the descendants of Amalek, the eternal enemy, whose destruction represents a central Commandment upon entering the land [שפתי כהן].

God's intervention in these conflicts operates on two fronts. He instills deep courage within the Israelites to pursue their foes, while simultaneously striking terror into the hearts of the enemy. This overwhelming fear ensures that the adversaries do not merely run away, but collapse in battle again and again, completely unable to recover [הטור הארוך].

The specific manner of the enemy's downfall draws significant attention, particularly the concept that they will fall on their own without direct combat. The primary approach among commentators is that the enemies will not actually be killed by Israelite weapons. Instead, in their panicked and desperate flight, they will turn on one another. To clear an escape route, they will strike each other down from behind, falling before the Israelites without a single Israelite soldier needing to touch them [רש״י, מזרחי, שפתי חכמים, בכור שור, גור אריה, משכיל לדוד]. A more spiritual perspective suggests that the enemies will fall by God's own sword or by the sword of an angel, achieving victory without any human combat, much like the miracles experienced by the Hasmoneans [ספורנו, אור החיים, שפתי כהן]. Others view this defeat metaphorically, explaining that the enemies will collapse as if struck by a sword, even if the Israelites hold no weapons at all [העמק דבר]. Finally, a straightforward reading maintains that the enemies will simply fall by the sword in conventional battle [רד צ הופמן].