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War in Jewish Law

By Shlomo Yaffe

About the Speaker

Yaffe, Shlomo
After flirting with rocket science and WWII history, Shlomo Yaffe turned his prodigious mind and booming voice to the mastery and teaching of Talmudic law and Chassidic philosophy. Today he lectures nationwide to appreciative audiences and serves as rabbi and spiritual leader of Congregation Agudas Achim of West Hartford, Connecticut

2 Comments Posted

By Shlomo Yaffe More articles... |

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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:

Posted: Nov 18, 2007

Alternate methods of conflict resolution

I would be in complete agreement with you if any of the above mentioned ideas were feasible and didn't greatly increase the risk of death to the on who would attempt to use them on a determined enemy.
As matters stand any military expert would point out that
a) These methods are not yet effective on the field of battle
b) they would end in the death of the one wielding them

History shows those bent on violence only change their human nature after military defeat -as in Japan and Germany after WW2, these countries then became pacifist

Posted By Anonymous, West Hartford, CT

Posted: Nov 17, 2007

Re. War in Jewish Law

There is no justification for war if you can convince your "opponent" that war is unjustified. How about the duty to convince the "enemy" that there is another way other than to kill? Are we not adept at using socio-psychological techniques to shift human behaviour towards life and peace? Moreover, why must one defend themselves through killing another - why can't we use stun guns, traps, tranquilizers, and other devices to capture the "enemy" and then imprison him with the goal of rehabilitating him so that he may see that violence and war are horid acts? War is never ever justified if human nature is such that it can be shaped and influenced in a peaceful and more positive direction. Advertising firms would not be profitable if human nature was fixed and if social change was an impossibility.

Posted By Anonymous, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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The Jewish perspective on war and the laws, principles and ethics associated therewith. (59:56)
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