The Torah introduces the laws concerning prisoners of war by stating assuredly, “When you go out to war against your enemy, then Hashem, your G‑d, will deliver him into your hands, and you will take his captives.”
This verse also alludes to the battles we wage against our internal spiritual enemies—the physical desires of the body and the selfish tendencies of the animal soul, which constantly challenge our devotion to G‑d. The goal is not to destroy these enemies, but to redirect their energy and passion toward fulfilling our G‑dly mission in this world. Yet this effort is also a war, for the body and animal soul fiercely resist such transformation.
Despite the difficulty of this battle, the Torah guarantees us certain victory—even before we enter the thick of the war. “If you go out to war,” says the Torah, meaning, “If you set yourself to the task and ‘go out’ on the mission to transform your inner enemy,” you are guaranteed that “Hashem, your G‑d, will deliver him into your hands.” And not only will you vanquish your enemies (and not be vanquished by them, G‑d forbid), you will even “take their captives.” By redirecting the energies of the body and animal soul toward your G‑dly mission, you will succeed in extracting the sparks of Divine purpose that lie dormant in the physical world to an even greater degree than you were capable of previously.
—Likkutei Sichos, vol. 2, p. 384
