All of Parashat Shoftim (Deut.16:18-21:9) resonates with Moses’ admonition to Israel that they appoint leaders who will, “Judge the people according to judgement and justice.” These officials must have a clear-eyed assessment of their task, viewing the accused without consideration of social or economic status. That responsibility falls to the nation’s Kings, Judges, Priests and Prophets. In Hebrew, the first letter in those titles: Melekhim, Shoftim, Kohanim and Nev’im spells out Mishkan—the Tabernacle.
All Torah laws are anchored in the holiness of the Sanctuary. It does not separate Justice from Belief in HaShem and His Torah. It infuses Justice with sanctity. The duties and even the pitfalls of these offices are outlined in Parashat Shoftim.
Moses tells Israel,“ Pursue, Justice, Justice so that you live and possess the land which your God is giving you.” Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch, commenting on Parashat Shoftim expresses a hope that Israel will have a firm stake in the political future of the nation and will gain honor. The nation must promulgate the Torah idea of justice. That view is bolstered in the above verse that promises the nation, "You will live." Rav Hirsch states that this is a, “Monumental truth: "...the Jewish State must take possession of the Land, ever anew, through the full realization of Justice.”
This doesn’t ignore the ugly reality of geopolitical players who hate the God of Israel. For this reason, the Talmud calls the Torah, “The Book of Wars” (Moed Katan 25b) because wars against the Jewish People are also wars against HaShem. Thus, it's appropriate that this same parsha concludes with how to prosecute the wars Israel must fight to reclaim their land.
There are two kinds of wars, milchamah mitzvah and milchamah reshut. The former is a war to defend the nation and requires every able-bodied man to fight. The latter is a voluntary war. When we read Deuteronomy 20:1- 20:9, we see a list of exemptions offered to those going to war, however, the exemptions are only applicable if the war is a milchama reshut.
The modern IDF is known for being one of the most humane fighting forces in the world. The same can be said of ancient Israel's army. Probably no military in antiquity upheld such progressive ideas as not cutting fruit trees down during sieges and only felling other trees for defensive purposes.
There is also a requirement, in this parsha that, before going to battle, Israel must make an offer of peace to its enemy. The opposing forces most submit to Israel and pay tribute. They also had to accept the Sheva Mitzvoth, aka The Seven Noahide Laws. When Joshua crossed the Jordan River, any of the seven tribes living in eretz Israel could have remained in their towns and villages had they simply accepted those terms.
There have been wars since the beginning of society. According to Chazal, Nimrod was the first king after the Flood. He wasn't a benevolent dictator, waging conquests until he ruled the known world. This is apparent from the Biblical narrative, however the first time anyone is actually described, in the Torah text as going to war is the peace-loving patriarch Avraham. He took up arms when his nephew Lot was taken hostage during the Battle of the Four Kings who stormed down from the North to extract the annual tributes the five kings in Caanan refused to pay.
"Now, when King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim made war on King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar." - Genesis 14:1
The four monarchs represented the primal nations that later developed into the empires of Bavel, Persia, Greece and Rome; the same Four Empires that would trouble the people of Israel, through the ages. They show up in Jacob's dream of the spiral ladder to heaven, as well as the prophecies of Daniel. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 95b) suggests that this dust up is a prophetic template for the future War of Gog U Magog when Iran (Persia) and very likely, Russia and Turkey join forces along with UN forces to attack Israel.
Could Israel's current hostilities with the savages called Hamas be a hint that the epic war just mentioned is actually beginning? We know Persia and even Russia are backing Hamas and Hezbollah. The players involved do resemble those in the Battle of the Four Kings. And, like Avraham's heroic contest against the Four Kings, this current war even started with hostages being taken.
Comments