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Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
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May 2006
The Torah on War

“Judaism is all about Peace; we would never have holy wars.” This sentiment, or something like it is a frequent theme of many in reaction to the increased militarism and radicalism of some in both the Christian and Moslem worlds.

In reality, the statement isn’t true. Judaism does have its own history of warfare and aggression. Our foundational Scripture is filled with examples of war – defensive, offensive, territorial, and other. The ancient Israelites are no less (nor more) warlike than the other peoples around them.

What is unique to our tradition, however, is that from the time of the Bar Kochba rebellion (135 BCE) to the creation of the modern state of Israel, there had not been a Jewish army fighting any Jewish war. Unlike the issues of marriage and family, business and economics, which have been constant sources of practical debate, warfare has remained a mostly theoretical area of study for the Jewish people. It’s hard to know what a Jewish ethic of conflict would be had we had access to power and arms all these years.

However, though sparse, the tradition does have something to say about the subject.

First of all, almost everything the Torah has to say on the subject of war is contained in Chapter 20 of Deuteronomy. Toward the end of the book, this passage is part of one of Moses’ speeches to the Israelite people. He is preparing them for entering Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel) where they will immediately have to fight against and displace the Canaanite people residing there.

Reading this chapter we learn a few important things about the Torah’s view of war. First, Moses tells the people not to be afraid, for God goes with them into battle. In other words, war is an expected part of the journey and is condoned (at least in some cases) by God.

Secondly, we learn that young men who are engaged but not married, who have bought a house but not yet dedicated it, or have planted a vineyard but not yet harvested are exempt from war. This teaching indicates that a war cannot come at the expense of the future of the Jewish people. Activities that will bring about a next generation or will ensure the future of the people cannot be interrupted for warfare.

Thirdly, the text tells us that before fighting, an offer of peace must be made. Only after a peace offering (or negotiations) are not successful can a war be fought.

And finally, fruit trees are never to be cut down in battle.

Instructions from another part of Torah add to this by saying that when an army besieges a city, it can only be besieged on three (of four) sides. One side must be open to allow escape of the citizens.

Taken together, these rules of warfare are both idiosyncratic and indicative of a general approach to war and warfare. Peace must be offered first and should be the goal at all times (“Seek peace and pursue it,” Proverbs says.) If war must be fought, it cannot be fought at the expense of society nor at the at the expense of the land or natural resources. Whenever possible – as demonstrated by the rules on sieges – care should be taken to ensure the safety of a civilian population.

Judaism is most assuredly not a pacifistic tradition. Our Torah values peace, but recognizes the inevitability of human conflict and warfare. In later discussions of war, the rabbis distinguish between two types of war: Milchemet Mitzvah (commanded war) and Milchemet Rechut (permitted war). A commanded war is a war that must be fought – it is considered a mitzvah to do so. Only wars against Amalek (the arch enemy of the Israelites and a figure intent on genocide); the Canaanite people and wars fought in self-defense are considered commandments. A Milchemet Reshut (permitted war) is one undertaken for the sake of territorial expansion or economic gain.

In their discussions, the rabbis go to extraordinary efforts to limit the possibility of war. First, they rule that Amalek and the Canaanites are extinct – the only commanded war that can be fought is one of self-defense. Next they say that a “Permitted War” – as a discretionary act – can only be undertaken by an army that has fulfilled every other commandment and is completely free from sin.

This ruling effectively destroys any notion of a discretionary war for territorial or economic gain.

In theory then, the only halachically permissible Jewish war is one of self-defense. Of course, this raises a whole host of other issues – what is self-defense? How immediate and credible must a threat be? Are pre-emptive attacks permissible? But again, it shows the general trend toward peace, while acknowledging the need, sometimes and when all else has failed, to fight.
So is Judaism a religion of peace? Certainly, it wants to be.

B’Shalom
Rabbi Elyse

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