Israeli Rabbis Divided on Morality of War in Gaza
Translated & summarized from Makor Rishon by baba
A debate is ongoing among Israeli rabbis regarding the morality of the war in Gaza, with some calling for total annihilation of the enemy and others emphasizing Jewish ethical principles and national unity. Rabbi Noam Vider urged soldiers to show no mercy, stating "everyone there is a partner" and "everyone needs to die." In contrast, Rabbi Yuval Cherlow stressed the prohibition against bloodshed, and Rabbi Yaakov Medan proposed that true revenge lies in Israeli unity and rebuilding. The article suggests the more extreme view is currently dominant in public discourse.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Some Israeli rabbis, like Noam Vider, have called for total annihilation of enemies in Gaza, citing biblical precedents.
- Other rabbis, including Yuval Cherlow, emphasize Jewish ethical principles and the prohibition against bloodshed.
- Rabbi Yaakov Medan defined revenge as achieving Israeli unity and rebuilding after the conflict.
- The article notes a division within the religious Zionist community on wartime morality.
- The author questions when a public discussion on the ethics of the war will occur.
- The more extreme, vengeful stance appears dominant in Israeli public discourse.
Following the October 7th Hamas attacks, a debate has emerged among Israeli rabbis regarding the spiritual and moral underpinnings of the war in Gaza. Some prominent rabbis, particularly within the religious Zionist community, have espoused a call for total annihilation of the enemy, drawing parallels to biblical narratives of divine retribution.
Rabbi Noam Vider, a Rosh Mesivta at Yeshivat Hesder "Brakat Yosef" in Alon Moreh, sent encouragement videos to his students fighting in Gaza. In one video from October 2023, he stated that Hamas had committed atrocities worse than the Nazis and urged soldiers to show no mercy, comparing the situation to the biblical plagues of Egypt. He asserted that "everyone there is a partner" and "everyone needs to die," because "parents give birth to children to be martyrs." This sentiment, the article notes, is echoed by "dozens of many hardal rabbis," from senior figures to younger instructors.
Conversely, other rabbis advocate for a more restrained approach to warfare, emphasizing Jewish ethical principles. Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, in a lesson to his students at Yeshivat "Orot Shaul" on October 9, 2023, and later in an interview on Kan 11, stressed that the prohibition against bloodshed is a cornerstone of Jewish thought. He argued that advocating for mass slaughter would be both non-Torah and immoral, stating, "The first moral principle is to win, but it is not the only one." He also cautioned about how Israelis would be after the war, urging them to be careful.
Rabbi Yaakov Medan, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion, speaking on November 9, 2023, proposed a different interpretation of "revenge." He suggested that the greatest revenge against those who attacked Israel would be the establishment of the State of Israel and that the true "revenge" now lies in overcoming internal divisions and uniting as a people. He stated that the enemy's actions exposed Israel's "nobility" and "beauty," and that the ultimate revenge would be to "join hands" and build a shared future, a feat that would be "terrible revenge" against their enemies.
The article concludes by observing that these two distinct moral viewpoints have been present since the early stages of the war. However, it suggests that the more extreme, vengeful approach, represented by the "hardal rabbis," appears to be dominant in public discourse, media, and social networks. The author questions when the appropriate time will be for a public discussion on wartime ethics and the spiritual and moral values being instilled in the younger generation fighting for Israel's future.