Mandatory war
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Mandatory war (Hebrew: מלחמת חובה; milḥemet ḥovah), or compulsory war, is a technical term found in Hebrew classical literature and denoting a war that requires the entire nation of the Jewish people to rise-up and to become actively engaged-in[1] because of an existential threat to the Jewish nation. The aim is to thwart the enemy advances against the nation of Israel, without the necessity of enslaving and exterminating the enemy, or of annexing the enemy's territory. It is to be distinguished from a "voluntary war" (מלחמת רשות; milḥemet reshūt), that is to say, a battle waged of free choice, which requires the approbation of the Sanhedrin.[2] It is also to be distinguished from a "religious war" (מלחמת מצוה; milḥemet mitzvah), which is restricted to those nations mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, such as Amalek and the nations of Canaan.[3][4] The biblical command, in the case of the Canaanite inhabitants, was to exterminate them and to annex their territory,[5] whereas others who made peace with Israel could be enslaved and forced to pay tribute.[6]
General overview
Specifically relating to the
The Hebrew expressions, Milḥemet mitzvah (religious war) and Milḥemet ḥovah (mandatory war), are sometimes used interchangeably, since they include the reactive defensive wars when Jewish habitations were attacked.
Rabbinic discussions
[When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, etc. (Deut. 20:1–ff.)] What is being spoken about here? Said Rabbi Yehuda: 'The matter concerns a religious war (milḥemet mitzvah). However, in a mandatory war (milḥemet ḥovah), all go forth [into battle], even a bridegroom from his room and a bride from her bridal-chamber.' Our Mishnah [in Soṭah speaks of] when you go out to war against your enemies. The writing [in Mishnah Soṭah] speaks about the voluntary war (milḥemet ha-reshūt) [fought at Israel's own discretion].[13]
One of the fine points arising from the rabbinic discussions on the subject is that, whenever Israel voluntarily wages a battle of free choice against another nation, unto Israel would apply all the conditions mentioned in the
See also
- Armed conflict
- Declaration of war
- International humanitarian law
- Jus ad bellum
- Just war theory
- Law of war
References
- ^ Hanschke 1980, p. 191, citing the Jerusalem Talmud (Soṭah, end of chapter 8).
- ^ Mishnah, Sanhedrin 1:5
- ^ a b c d Meiri 2006, p. 24 (Sanhedrin 16a)
- ^ HaLevi 1958, p. 318 (section no. 527), P. Shofṭim
- ^ Maimonides 1974, pp. 183–184 [92a–92b] (Hil. Melekhim 5:4)
- ^ HaLevi 1958, pp. 318–319 (section no. 527), P. Shofṭim
- , Sanhedrin 1:5)
- ^ a b Danby 1977, p. 303
- ^ Maimonides 1974, pp. 183–184 [92a–92b] (Hil. Melekhim 5:2)
- ^ Ben Alexander 1985, p. 22
- Babylonian Talmud, Soṭah 44b
- OCLC 233346011. (reprinted from 1909 Jewish Theological Seminary of America edition)
- ^ Sifre on Deuteronomy 20:1
- ^ "War—In Rabbinical Literature JewishEncyclopedia.com". www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
- ^ Tosephta 1970, p. 309 (Soṭah 7:20)
- ^ Josephus 1981, p. 101 (Antiquities 4.8.41.)
- ^ a b c Obadiah of Bertinoro 2011, p. 126 (Soṭah 8:7)
- ^ HaLevi 1958, p. 318 (section no. 526), P. Shofṭim
Notes
- ^ Rabbi Yehuda's view on this subject is discussed in the Jerusalem Talmud (Soṭah, end of chapter 8). The account is as follows: "Said Rabbi Johanan: 'The difference between them (i.e. between the anonymous rabbi of the Mishnah and Rabbi Yehuda) is semantics. Rabbi Yehuda calls a voluntary war by the name religious war (i.e. since, in the final analysis, it is a war waged for Israel's benefit), but when it comes to a mandatory war, everyone goes out [to fight], even a bridegroom from his room, and a bride from her bridal-chamber.' Said Rav Ḥisda: 'There is a dispute between them (i.e. between the anonymous rabbi of the Mishnah and Rabbi Yehuda). As for the rabbis, they say that a religious war is the war of [King] David [which he waged against the Philistines and against Ammon], whereas a mandatory war is the war of Joshua [which he waged during the conquest of Canaan]. Rabbi Yehuda would call it a religious war, such as when we go out against them (i.e. against an enemy that has not physically attacked Israel, yet, one which bears animosity towards Israel), but [he would call it] a mandatory war, such as when they come out against us.' (End Quote)[12]
Further reading
- Grunblatt, Joseph (1968). "Violence and Some Aspects of the Judaic Tradition". Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought. 10 (2). Rabbinical Council of America (RCA): 42–47. JSTOR 23256251.
- Kimelman, Reuven (2023). "Judaism and the Ethics of War". The Cambridge Companion to Religion and War. ResearchGate. pp. 215–240. .
Bibliography
- Ben Alexander, Uri (1985). "Violence and the Jewish Tradition". European Judaism: A Journal for the New Europe. 18 (2). Berghahn Books: 17–27. JSTOR 41442841.
- ISBN 0-19-815402-X
- OCLC 762447043.
- Hanschke, David (1980). "Abbaye and Rava — Two Approaches to the Mishna of the Tannaim". JSTOR 23595080.
- OCLC 122758200.
- ISBN 0-8254-2951-X.
- OCLC 181631040.
- OCLC 233395867.
- OCLC 13717538. (first printed in Berlin 1899)