What Got Into Putin?


What got into Putin?

Some people are saying that he’s gone mad.

Others say he’s just in the next phase of his plan from decades ago.

I always thought he was the ultimate pragmatist.

Maybe he still is.

But his tactics have definitely changed drastically.

There are two kinds of wars.

Putin used to engage in type A wars.

I think this one is a type B war.

So, what are these two kinds of war?

“Type A” is a war of cost-benefit analysis.

A neighboring country has resources that the king wants.

So the king “runs the calcs” to see how much the war will cost and how much the prize of resources is worth.

If the numbers make sense, he goes for it.

If not, he leaves it for another time.

“Type B” war gets to the essence of the king.

The king has his way of life.

His principles.

And he wants other countries and peoples to accept his system.

And operate how he wants them to.

If the neighbors don’t accept it, he goes to war.

This “type B” war gets to the essence of the king.

So he’ll give anything to win.

In this type of war, the king will even “empty the treasury”.

Priceless treasures that have been amassed for generations become worth nothing to him.

All that matters is winning the war.

So he lets the military take whatever they need.

This idea (type A & B war) is an idea taught in Chassidus.

Last time I was teaching this idea (just a few months ago), I gave Putin as an example of a “Type A” warmonger.

He took Crimea because no one said boo.

But now, he doesn’t appear to be the same guy.

He’s willing to go for broke!

Because Ukraine running his way gets to his core.

What’s the lesson?

This war game analysis is a parable.

G-d is the King.

The world appears to be the “neighboring country”.

We are the soldiers.

G-d has ideals and principles He wants the world to operate with.

He created a world that doesn’t automatically subscribe to those ideals.

The world appears to be a “separate kingdom”.

G-d wants us to conquer the world and transform it into a home for Him.

So that the truth of His existence is apparent everywhere.

Even right here.

This is a “Type B” war.

Winning this war gets to the “essence of G-d”.

Which is why He’s willing to “empty the treasury” for us.

The treasures are the soul each of us have (Otzar shel Yiras Shomayim to be exact).

And indeed we’ll win.

And conquer the world.

As we say in our daily prayers

“And G-d will be King of the entire earth. On that day G-d will be one and His name will be one.”

Which is Moshiach.

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