Holy War vs. Moral War

If the Hezbollah put down their weapons today — there would be no more violence. ~~

If the Jews put down their weapons today — there would be no more Israel. ~~

Q: Hezbollah indeed has a militant wing, but it also does a lot of good. They are responsible for social programs, educational projects and humanitarian work in South Lebanon. By destroying Hezbollah, Israel also destroys all the good they do. Isn’t that demonising a group that is not all bad?

A: If a serial killer also happens to volunteer for his local hospital, has donated money to an orphanage, and looks after his ailing grandmother, he is still a serial killer, and should be treated as such. The danger he poses far outweighs the concern for any good he may do.

Q: By using violence, how is Israel any better than its terrorist enemies?

A: That is as ridiculous as saying that a woman who fights off an attacker is no better than her attacker. Israel seeks to live in peace with its neighbours; Hezbollah and its allies seek to destroy Israel, no matter what Israel does. For Hezbollah, war is holy. For Israel, war can never be holy. War may be necessary, like when your citizens are being attacked unprovoked; war may be moral, like when innocent lives are being threatened; but even then, war is never holy.

There is a world of difference between a moral war and a holy war. A moral soldier fights reluctantly, while holy warriors glory in the fight. A moral soldier is burdened by the obligation, while holy warriors delight in the pain inflicted on the enemy. A moral soldier fights when there is no other option; a holy warrior seeks violence as a way of life. A moral soldier takes measures to limit innocent casualties; a holy warrior seeks to maximise them.

A holy warrior fears times of peace, because then he has no purpose. A moral soldier dreams of a time when peace will reign.

Then, the Israel Defense Force will be made joyously redundant, as “one nation will not lift a sword against another nation, and they will no longer learn to wage war.”

Written by Rabbi Moss
rabbimoss@chinuch.com.au