One of the most beautiful and familiar Torah passages occurs in this week’s Parshah Naso, the priestly benediction (Num. 6:24-26). God is asked to bless Israel, to deal kindly with Israel, to bestow favor upon Israel and to grant Israel peace. This last, the desire for peace, permeates our texts and our liturgy. The Amidah concludes with “Sim Shalom,” a prayer for peace. The Birkat, the blessings after a meal, concludes with a request for peace. On Shabbat we sing “Shalom Aleichem,” welcoming the ‘Malachai haShalom,” angels of peace. The full Kaddish concludes with “Oseh Shalom,” a longing for God to grant peace. The Mishnah, the compendium of laws, concludes with a quotation from Psalms 29:11 that “the Lord will bless his people with peace.” It is fair to conclude that the desire for peace is one of the strongest themes of Judaism.