PEOPLE OF THE LAND
Selections from classical Torah sources
which express the special relationship between
the People of Israel and Eretz Yisrael

GIDEON -
THE NUMBERS THAT COUNT

When the Jews in Eretz Israel faced an invasion from a coalition of their enemies - Midian, Amalek and the Bnei Kedem - it was Gideon who was designated by Hashem to lead his people to victory. His call to arms brought him 32,000 soldiers from four tribes in his region.

But this was too great a force, Hashem informed him, because it might create for the people the illusion that they achieved victory through their own power rather than through Divine intervention. Only after this army was reduced by a couple of selection procedures to a mere 300 was Gideon given permission to go to battle with a Divine promise of success.

Divided into three sections of a hundred each, Gideon's tiny army attacked the enemy camp with a ram horn and a torch in the hands of each solder. The ram horns were sounded and Hashem caused confusion to seize the enemy who fled in disarray, pursued by the triumphant Jewish forces.