The Gospels offer the world many words of wisdom. One of these is, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces” (Matthew 7:6).
Yesterday, the Times of Israel reported that Hamas terror chief Yahya Sinwar threatened Israel, “If ventilators are not brought into [Gaza], we’ll take them by force from Israel and stop the breathing of six million Israelis.”
On the face of it, especially with Israel providing whatever equipment they can to help make up for Hamas’ medical incapacity on account of the Palestinian Authority’s crippling sanctions on Gaza, this might seem like a case of extreme ingratitude. From a moral human being’s point of view, it is. When the dogs and swine “trample your pearls under their feet,” it could be a simple matter of ignorance of what they’ve been given. It could also be a case of despising you for presuming their need.
But when they “turn and tear you in pieces,” it is no longer about them; then it is about you, and has nothing to do with giving. The desire to turn and tear you in pieces has always been there, festering, seething and waiting for an outlet such as your giving has just provided. But Hamas’ hatred for Jews and intention to destroy Israel are common knowledge. Yet this is not merely dogs and swine turning and tearing you in pieces. It is much more sinister than that. When Sinwar says that they will “stop the breathing of six million Israelis,” he has chosen his words very deliberately. Every Muslim will have understood that he had invoked the gas chambers.