Torah on War

The demand of the Haredi ultra-orthodox in Israel not to serve in the army has raised a myriad of social, political, economic, and religious issues. 

I participated in the recent large Haredi demonstration in Jerusalem. It was a very intense time. For one thing, among the approximately 250,000 protestors, I did not see even ONE Israel flag. (For that matter, not one female, nor one item of clothing with color!)

One of the many confusing issues on the Haredi agenda is the claim that for the sake of the Torah, they cannot serve in the army. Yet it is the very Torah of Moses that initiated the idea of an Israelite army! There were some counter protesters who actually held up signs with quotations of Torah verses with commands to serve in the army. 

The theological argument is quite contorted. 

For the sake of those of us who believe that the Torah is divine scripture, I thought it would be good to mention a few verses that would contradict the Haredi refusal to serve in the army. 

1. Abraham had his own army and fought to rescue his nephew Lot. 

Genesis 14:14

And Abram heard that his brother had been taken captive, he enlisted all of his trained men, 318, born of his household, and pursued unto Dan. 

בראשית י''ד

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה אָחִ֑יו וַיָּ֨רֶק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֜יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵית֗וֹ שְׁמֹנָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף עַד־דָּֽן׃ 

2. In the song of Moses after the crossing of the Red Sea, the children of Israel praise God for a military victory and call Him:

Exodus 15:3

YHVH is a man of war, YHVH is His name

שמות ט''ו:3

יְהוָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה יְהוָ֖ה שְׁמֽוֹ׃

3. After the Israelites came out of Egypt, they were attacked by the Amalekites. Moses commanded Joshua to lead a battle against them.

Exodus 17:9

And Moses said to Joshua, choose for us men and go out to fight against Amalek

שמות י''ז:9

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ֙ בְּחַר־לָ֣נוּ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְצֵ֖א הִלָּחֵ֣ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק

4. In the great moral law of Leviticus, in the same passage calling us to love our neighbor, we are also commanded not to let someone else be killed.

Leviticus 19:16

Do not stand by the blood of your neighbor, I am YHVH.

ויקרא י''ט:16

לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃

5. In Numbers, Moses angrily challenges the two and a half tribes east of the Jordan that they must fight together with the other tribes in the land of Canaan.

Numbers 32:6

Will your brothers go out to war, and you will sit here?

במדבר ל''ב:6

הַאַֽחֵיכֶ֗ם יָבֹ֨אוּ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאַתֶּ֖ם תֵּ֥שְׁבוּ פֹֽה׃

6. In the book of Deuteronomy, there are many laws concerning warfare. It is part of the Torah for the children of Israel to serve in the army.

Deuteronomy 21:10

When you go out to war against your enemies, and YHVH your God gives them into your hand, and you take captives…

דברים כ''א:10

כִּֽי־תֵצֵ֥א לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עַל־אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ וּנְתָנ֞וֹ יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ בְּיָדֶ֖ךָ וְשָׁבִ֥יתָ שִׁבְיֽוֹ׃ 

May God help us all to have a balanced, moral, and biblically based attitude toward military service.