Krav Maga Biblical Psychology
BY MOSHE KATZ 
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL

January 30, 2026, Israel

"And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said: 'The people might have regret when they encounter war, and they may want to return to Egypt.' But God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt." (Exodus, Chapter 13, verses 17-18)

יז  וַיְהִי, בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה אֶת-הָעָם, וְלֹא-נָחָם אֱלֹהִים דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים, כִּי קָרוֹב הוּא:  כִּי אָמַר אֱלֹהִים, פֶּן-יִנָּחֵם הָעָם בִּרְאֹתָם מִלְחָמָה--וְשָׁבוּ מִצְרָיְמָה.   .'יח  וַיַּסֵּב אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָעָם דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר, יַם-סוּף; וַחֲמֻשִׁים עָלוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.

The Hebrews, the Nation of Israel, are finally leaving Egypt, leaving slavery and degradation behind. They are on the road to Freedom, to their own Promised Land. They are being led by a man who did not want to be a leader, but was chosen by God, by fate, by destiny. He shall be known from now onward as Moshe Rabeinu, Moshe our Teacher, the Ultimate leader and Teacher, a combination of strength and humility, firmness and compassion. 

They have been slaves for a long time, downtrodden and abused, it is difficult to make the transformation to a free man so quickly. It is a process. And therefore, God does not use the direct route to the Land of Israel but rather a roundabout route. The text in Hebrew uses the words, Ki Karov Hu, for it is close, but that is not entirely clear. The word Ki can mean because of, or it can mean despite of, on account of. Thus the interpretations are; Although this was the shortest route, God chose a longer route in order to avoid the warlike Philistines. Or, it could mean this route was avoided Because it was close  and thus if the Hebrews encountered war, and feared this encounter, they could have regert about being free and decide to return to Egypt and take their chances as humble slaves. In other words, precisely because it was close this route was avoid, to avoid the option of return to Egypt. With the longer route, when and if they encountered war, which they did, they would be too far from Egypt to contemplate a return.

There is an important psychological message here. The next verse informs us that the Children of Israel left Egypt armed. We can thus assume that if they were armed, they were also trained in those arms. No one these days would enter battle with a rifle they have never fired before. Use of weapons requires expert training. So these men were armed and trained, and yet we are told they had to avoid war at all costs lest they fear this violent encounter and choose to run back to Egypt, to live as slaves, to give up on the dream. 

How can we reconcile these two passages? How can we reconcile these two concepts, on one hand armed and trained, on the other hand so afraid of war that God chooses a circumventive meandering route, that will take much longer, all to avoid any violent encounter.

The answer lies in the way we train in Krav Maga. 

Techniques are not enough, not even half the game. Without the mental psychological training the techniques will be so useless that you should do everything possible to avoid any encounter with violence, just as the ancient Hebrews did. Physical training, techniques, without understanding fear, shock, anxiety, is useless. The techniques become like tools locked in an electrician's toolbox, but the key has been lost. Those tools become utterly useless. 

The Torah/Bible is teaching us here that having weapons, tools, being trained in those tools, is essential, but without the proper psychological preparation, the understanding of combat, it is not enough. That is why battle-hardened troops are always preferable over new recruits, "fresh meat". In our Krav Maga training we must incorporate these psychological elements; we must become mentally "battle-hardened". 

Have a great Sabbath everyone. Shabbat Shalom.

Moshe2021

Moshe Katz, 7th dan Black Belt, Israeli Krav Maga. Certified by Wingate Institute. Member Black Belt hall of fame, USA and Europe.

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