Fighting in National Armies 79
Our nineteenth century emancipation, however slow, was welcomed and hailed by every Jewish community. The Jewish condition of an oppressed, semi-autonomous community was slowly replaced by citizenship in the lands in which we lived. It was welcomed, but along with it came fundamental changes in every aspect of our life as Jews . We were happy with the freedom and new status and sought to make adjustments as a religious community operating within the limits now placed by the nation state. The all encompassing Judaism with its broad jurisdiction over a total way of life was surrendered. Discussions of matters formerly within the religious purview were abandoned whether out of fear of the national authorities or in deference to the communal desire for the new freedom. The traditional community built fences around what was left; its rabbinic leadership focused on synagogue ritual rather than fundamentals. The Reform community sought to change the traditions to accommodate the new situation and then to redefine Judaism . Questions of a more basic nature were left undiscussed. Among them were the relationship with the nation state and its limits over the lives ofits citizens. This included military service as well as pacifism, and a good deal else.’
We need to place the issue of military service into a historical framework. How did the Jewish attitudes toward warfare develop through the centuries. There were radical changes as well as long quiet periods and we should be aware of them.
THE BIBLICAL PAST
Our biblical past presents a record of endless wars and conflict’ it is the history of a small embattled nation, not too different from that of modern Israel more or less constant strife. Ecclesiastes “a time for war and a time for peace”(3:8) is appropriate with its emphasis on war. God is depicted as warrior in the Song at the Sea (Ex 15.3) and warlike(Ex 17:16, Jud 5:13; Ps 24.:8;) with the holy ark of the covenant accompanying the troops into battle(I Sam 4:4; II Sam 11:11 ff.) in the earlytimes. However God also destroyed the instruments of war(Ps 76.4; Hos 1:7; 2:20) and brought an end to war (Is 2:4). Yet, the books of Joshua, Judges, I and II Kings, I and II Chronicles record centuries of virtually continuous warfare. This pattern continued through the period of the Maccabees and Herod