Questions tagged [army-military-war]
Questions about armed conflict and armed services.
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Halachic ground for opening an voluntary war against other nations
Jews are Halachicly allowed to start a voluntary war to conquer and enslave other nations and to expand the Jewish kingdom (Rambam Melachim 5).
As the Halachah forbids both killing and robbing non-...
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Does Milchemet Mitzvah (obligatory war) require a King?
אֵין הַמֶּלֶךְ נִלְחָם תְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא מִלְחֶמֶת מִצְוָה.
וְאֵי זוֹ הִיא מִלְחֶמֶת מִצְוָה?
זוֹ מִלְחֶמֶת שִׁבְעָה עֲמָמִים. וּמִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק.
וְעֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּד צָר ...
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Rabbinic responsa on Remembering the fallen IDF soldiers
I know it is a heavy and very "politically" loaded question, but I'd try my best to formulate it in a most neutral way:
24 thousands of R' Akivah students allegedly died of their own sins some 2000 ...
12
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2answers
2k views
Historically, were women trained for obligatory wars? Or did they serve some other military function?
Sotah 8:7 says that for obligatory wars all go out to fight, "even a bridegroom from his chamber and a bride from her canopy". Historically, was this in fact our practice? Did women participate in ...
1
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1answer
39 views
Does any ongoing transgression exempt one from going to war?
We know from Devarim 20:8 that someone who is "fearful and faint-hearted" is sent home from battle (in optional wars) lest he demoralize others. In Sotah 8:5 Rabbi Yose the Galilean says this refers ...
4
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1answer
550 views
Were Kohanim forbidden from serving in King David's army?
The gemara in a couple places (Shabbos 56a, Kesuvos 9b) tells us that before leaving to battle, the soldiers in King David's army would give a conditional get to their wives in order to prevent a ...
4
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1answer
52 views
Who did the Jews fight on Purim if nobody could oppose them?
נִקְהֲלוּ הַיְּהוּדִים בְּעָרֵיהֶם בְּכָל־מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֳחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בִּמְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתָם וְאִישׁ לֹא־עָמַד לִפְנֵיהֶם כִּי־נָפַל פַּחְדָּם עַל־כָּל־הָעַמִּים׃ (Ester 9.5
...
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1answer
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Mordechay's decree: “kill women and children, AND/OR plunder their possessions”?
I'm a bit confused here, so maybe the title is not worded well.
Achashverosh let Mordechay write the letters to his own wording:
"ואתם כתבו על־היהודים כטוב בעיניכם בשם המלך"
And you may ...
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1answer
58 views
Does the mitzvah of eradicating Amalek supersede Shabbos?
The Sefer Chinuch 604 tells us we have a mitzvah to wipe out Amalek.
למחות זרעו מן העולם - שנצטוינו למחות זרעו של עמלק ולאבד זכרו מן העולם, זכר ונקבה, גדול וקטן, ועל זה נאמר (דברים כה יט) ''תמחה את ...
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Gedoley Israel's views on the army service in Israel
There are many Haredim who refuse to join the Army.
What are the opinions of Contemporary Gedolei Israel on Bachurei Yeshivot to join the Israeli army?
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87 views
When did a Jew last marry a woman captured in war?
What is the last recorded case of a Jew marrying a woman captured in war, as allowed by the Torah [Deut. 21:10-14]? Anybody more recent than King David, as mentioned in Sanhedrin 21a and Kiddushin ...
3
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0answers
45 views
What is the Halacha on collateral damage in a time of war?
Hypothetically, if the IDF was a “halachically run” military force; what would be the Halacha against killing innocents?
For example, there is a famous case of the ל"ה troops during the Israeli war ...
8
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3answers
153 views
Did any rabbis address the theological possibility/implications of nuclear extinction?
During the Cold War, plenty of people were aware (I think?) that detonating enough nuclear bombs could lead to human extinction. Did any rabbis address whether the belief that Moshiach will come mean ...
0
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1answer
118 views
Pretty woman - is it a test or a Mitzvah
The sources talk a lot about the procedure of "אשת יפת תואר" (like Rambam Melachim 8,2 and on).
So for the soldiers, is the Pretty Woman allowed but "bad" (like "Patur but Ossur", see Rashi's ...
2
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1answer
32 views
Roles of the Cohen and Judges involved in speaking to the people prior to war
In Devarim 20:2-4, the Cohen speaks to the people and gives an general comment not to fear the enemy.
Then, in verse 5, the judges speak to the people and exempt 4 groups of people from the army, and ...
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2answers
35 views
Apparent wrong arrangement of war instructions in Devarim 20:1-9
While reviewing the instructions that the Cohen tells people prior to going to war, as shown in Devarim 20:1-9, there seems to be an incorrect order of statements. In particular:
Verse 3 - The Cohen ...
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5answers
148 views
What is the connection between “sword and … bow” (Genesis 48:22) with “prayer and … supplication” (as rendered by Onkelos)?
What is the connection between "sword and ... bow" (Genesis 48:22) with "prayer and ... supplication" (as rendered by Onkelos)?
Verse:
וַאֲנִי נָתַתִּי לְךָ שְׁכֶם אַחַד עַל אַחֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר ...
2
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0answers
62 views
Jew Vs Jew in non-Jewish war
We know that throughout recent history, Jews were conscripted into non-Jewish armies. Are Jews allowed to join those armies or at the very least are they allowed to fight in those armies battles - ...
4
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0answers
39 views
How did the Shofar announcements work?
In this week's Parsha - יִתְרוֹ - we have the first occurrence (AFAIK) of the Shofar blast announcing something. בִּמְשֹׁךְ הַיֹּבֵל הֵמָּה יַעֲלוּ בָהָר. When you hear the long shofar sound, you may ...
4
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1answer
54 views
Why were the Jews commanded to destroy fruit trees when attacking Moav?
In 2 Melachim 3:24-25 it says
They entered the Israelite camp, and the Israelites arose and attacked the Moabites, who fled before them. They advanced, constantly attacking the Moabites,
and they ...
0
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1answer
34 views
Explanation of Gemara on why the Jews were only commanded to attack Midian and not Moav
In Bamidbar 25:16-18, Hashem commands Moshe to take revenge on Midian for having caused the Jews to sin at Shittim, discussed at the beginning of the chapter. Yet v. 1 seems to indicate that the Jews ...
0
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1answer
44 views
Explanation of Kli Yakar on why the Jews were only commanded to attack Midian and not Moav
In Bamidbar 25:16-18, Hashem commands Moshe to take revenge on Midian for having caused the Jews to sin at Shittim, discussed at the beginning of the chapter. Yet v. 1 seems to indicate that the Jews ...
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1answer
346 views
The Halachic Reasoning Behind the Neturei Karta
The Neturei Karta is a group of Haredim who believe that the creation of the State of Israel is against Torah, claiming that Jews are forbidden to have their own country until Moshiach comes.
They ...
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2answers
105 views
Was there ever a prophet in Tanach that was both a prophet and a military commander
Was there ever a prophet in Tanach that was both a prophet and a military commander?
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83 views
How is yefas to'ar fair to the woman?
At the beginning of Ki Seitzei (Devarim 21:10-14), the Torah permits a soldier at war to take a woman from the captives as a wife, but only after he shaves her head, grows out her nails, removes her ...
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1answer
101 views
Why do we fast on Taanis Esther in particular?
I am aware that according to the Avudraham, the fast commemorates the war in the Purim story.
According to this answer, why is Taanis Esther unique that we fast in memory of the war, when there are ...
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1answer
76 views
The Great War in Contemporary Acharonic Thought
I've recently acquired a book (rather a large pamphlet) about the Great War (1914-18) entitled "The War and the Bible" by HG. Enelow (then head of the Reform Temple Emanu-el in NYC). However, this ...
16
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1answer
299 views
Tisha b'Av and the First World War
There is a curious idea floating around, that World War One commenced on the 9th day of the month of Av. (For example, here, and here, and here.)
I call it curious, since it takes a fairly creative ...
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49 views
If don't aspire to be a general cannot be a simple soldier
I believe I read this saying (originally said by Napoleon) by one of the Gedolim (torah leaders) with respect to one's religious service. Could be it was the Chafetz Chaim. Looking for a source.
the ...
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2answers
105 views
Did the Jewish soldiers fast before war?
The Mishna Berura in תרפו, ב talks about how in the days of Mordechai and Esther the Jews must have fasted because it was a time when they needed mercy just like when the Jews went to war against ...
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0answers
79 views
Why will Moshiach fight in wars?
According to Prophet Isaiah of blessed memory when Moshiach comes there will be no more wars but according to the Rambam of blessed memory one of the ways to know if somebody is Moshiach is if he ...
5
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1answer
126 views
Question on Magog son of Yefes and Gog uMagog
Is the nation of Magog(who descend from Yefes) the same Magog as the Magog in Gog uMagog? I know that sound complicated, but read that again 2-3 times and you'll get it.
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David's Amalekites [duplicate]
In I Samuel 15, it records that King Saul wiped out all of Amalek, besides the king who was killed after a short period of time.
Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and ...
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1answer
703 views
Nebuchadnezzar II failure to conquer Egypt
Ezekiel 29:19 states the G-d will give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar II.
Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will carry off ...
2
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1answer
125 views
Shaved or Trimmed
וַהֲבֵאתָהּ, אֶל-תּוֹךְ בֵּיתֶךָ; וְגִלְּחָה, אֶת-רֹאשָׁהּ, וְעָשְׂתָה, אֶת-צִפָּרְנֶיהָ.
In Deuteronmy 21:12, the JPS translates גלחה as “she shall trim her hair”. The entire verse translated in the JPS ...
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Why is there a Sephardic belief that eating seuda shelishit would in part protect you from the goings on at Gog and Magog?
I read this in a siddur at a Sephardic Shul yesterday. The women around me agreed wholeheartedly with the statement, stating that it's Halacha.
I don't see the connection, other than the idea that ...
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1answer
42 views
where do we learn about the importance of Ahavat Yisrael?
I'm looking for two specific sources related to this topic.
where is it written that when the Jews were all "keeping TORAH" but didn't have Ahavat Yisrael, they lost all battles.
where is it ...
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2answers
135 views
אשה יפת תואר- BiZman HaZeh?
In the beginning of Parshas Ki Seitzei we learn about the topic of אשה יפת תואר (Deutoronomy 21:10-15).
My question is: does this passage apply (in any way) to us nowadays ?
4
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1answer
113 views
Source for story about the Maskilim's play mocking what the “orchei hamilchama” would look like according to chazal
Does anyone know of a reliable source for the story about how the Maskilim made a play to mock what a milchama would look like according to the torah/chazal, in which they depicted only the Chofetz ...
4
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2answers
169 views
Does the book of Daniel accurately date the war with Babylon?
According to Wikipedia:
The introductory verses tell how, in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim (606 BCE), Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the young Jewish ...
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27 views
Why does Avraham's Torah protect before battle reaches him more than Yaakov's g'milas chasadim?
In the Haamek Davar on Lech L'cha 12:17, the author tells us
a rule you should understand for all the subsequent sections of Genesis, the "book of the upright", Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: that it ...
1
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1answer
226 views
What do our Rabbis say about wearing a poppy in the button-hole on Armistice Day?
The British Legion appeals for funds (called the Poppy Appeal) around Armistice Day (11 November) each year. People donate to the activities of the Legion and are given a paper/plastic poppy to wear.
...
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1answer
67 views
What did King David do to the people of Ammon after he captures the city in Shmuel 2 at the end of Chapter 12
What does this actually mean?
Was it that King David put them to work or he literally tortured them?
where it says:
31.
And the people that were therein he brought forth and he put them under saws, ...
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1answer
136 views
Sources for Milchemet Mitzvah at this time
I heard recently a certain rabbi say that "nobody disagrees that [our "war" to conquer Israel] is a milchemet mitzvah."
What sources are there, either way, for conquering Israel today being milchemet ...
4
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1answer
160 views
How far out will Israel's borders reach at the time of Mashiach?
In Genesis 15:18, God promises Avram (Abraham) that his offspring will be given the land from the river of Egypt (it is disputed which body of water this refers to) all the way until the great river ...
2
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1answer
797 views
Vilna Gaon, Gog and Magog war and Hoshana Rabba
1) I read on Soul Mazal, the following:
"...The Vilna Gaon on the Mechilta (Shmos 14:20) says that the Gog U'Magog war shall begin three hours before "Hanetz Hachama" (crack of dawn) on Hoshana ...
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1answer
89 views
Can a person break an oath to G-d to save a life?
Can a person break an oath to G-d to save a life?
For example, if someone in the army made an official oath to serve the army and obey the commands always, but one day the person saw his commander ...
7
votes
2answers
417 views
Why was Joshua allowed to break Shabbat in attacking Yericho?
In Joshua 6 the Jews marched around Jericho, thereby attacking it.
Why was Joshua allowed to break the Shabbat e.g carrying their weapons in a public domain when attacking Yericho?
Surely this ...
1
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1answer
71 views
Where did the king's horses come from?
It's written in this Torah portion that a king isn't allowed to acquire any horses for himself, because it will cause people to go to Egypt and buy them, and it is forbidden to return to Egypt.
...
3
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1answer
153 views
What is the modern Jewish attitude towards the Zealots and Sicarii?
One of the leading factions in the Jewish Revolt of 66-70 was the Zealot movement, and its splinter group, the Sicarii. I would imagine that the attitude towards them is somewhat complicated, or at ...
