Judaism & Holy War (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note

What is a Holy War?

• A holy war is a war declared or waged in support of a religious cause

• For many people, the idea of a holy war seems to be a contradiction

  • They think that no activity that involves killing in large numbers can possibly have any religious inspiration or justification

• In Judaism, a Holy War is a war fought for a religious purpose, often commanded by God in the Torah (Jewish scriptures)

Types of Holy War

• There are two different types of Holy War within Judaism

  • Milchemet Mitzvah (Obligatory War) is a war that must be fought, usually for self-defence or fulfilling a divine command

  • Milchemet Reshut (Permitted War) is a war that is not required but can be fought with approval from a religious authority

Jewish Teachings about Holy War

• Although Holy Wars are permitted within Judaism, peace should always be the priority

  • Deuteronomy 20:10 teaches that before attacking, peace should be offered

• Many Jews believe that Holy Wars are permitted because they are the will of God

  • Some wars in the Torah were commanded by God (for example, Exodus 17:16 – war against Amalek)

• Jewish teachings state that if a Holy War takes place, then innocent people should be protected

  • Jewish law stresses that civilians and the environment should not be harmed unnecessarily

• A Holy war is permitted if it is in self-defence 

  • Pikuach Nefesh allows Jews to fight in self-defence if lives are at risk

Jewish Teachings about War and Peace

• Judaism strongly values peace and teaches that it is an ideal to strive for

  • ‘Shalom’ is a central Jewish belief 

    • The word Shalom means more than just peace; it means wholeness and harmony

  • Judaism teaches about a future vision for peace

    • Isaiah 2:4 ‘They shall beat their swords into ploughshares’

  • In Judaism, saving a life (Pikuach Nefesh) is a priority

    • Human life is sacred, and peace should be prioritised whenever possible

  • Tikkun Olam is an important ethical teaching for all Jews

    • Jews are taught to work towards making the world a better place, which includes promoting peace

• If war has to happen, then there are strict rules about when it can happen and how it happens

  • War should be a last resort – Peace should be sought first (Deuteronomy 20:10)

  • Protection of civilians – Innocent people must not be harmed unnecessarily

  • Just cause – Wars should not be fought for greed or power

• Many Jewish groups today support peaceful conflict resolution and diplomacy

• Jewish organisations actively work for interfaith dialogue and world peace

Divergent Jewish teachings about Holy War

• Peace should always be the central aim for all Jews

  • The Torah states that Peace must be offered first (Deuteronomy 20:10)

• Some Jews, including many Orthodox Jews, believe that holy war can be justified 

  • They would support Israel’s right to self-defence, based on the teachings of the Tenakh

  • They might say that such wars can be justified because they come within the bounds of Milchemet Mitzvah (Obligatory War) or Milchemet Reshut (Permitted War)

• Reform and Liberal Jews are more likely to emphasise the need for peace and diplomacy before allowing conflict, even for Holy War

  • Many people see the concept of a Holy War as outdated in a modern age

  • These people would emphasise the teachings in the Tenakh about peacekeeping and God as a source of peace

  • If war has to happen then it should always be just and fair and avoid unnecessary harm

  • Innocent people should always be protected and civilians must never be targeted

  • War is only justified to protect human life

• Some Jews choose to be pacifists and believe that war should never be permitted

Humanist and Atheist attitudes to Holy War

• Holy War is a war fought for religious reasons, often believed to be commanded by God

  • Humanists and atheists generally reject Holy War because they do not believe in divine commands or religious justification for violence

• Humanists reject war based on religion because they believe war should only be fought for moral reasons, like self-defence

  • Humanists would focus on peace and diplomacy and would prefer peaceful solutions rather than religious conflicts

  • Humanists may support war only if it follows Just War principles (for example, protecting human rights)

• Atheists do not believe in divine commands and would argue that wars should be based on logic and ethics, not religion

  • Atheists often view religious wars as unjustified and harmful

  • Some atheists accept war for practical reasons, and like humanists, they may support self-defence but reject religious reasons

Jewish Responses to Humanist and Atheist attitudes to Holy War

• Many Jews agree with humanists and atheists that:

  • War should be a last resort because Judaism teaches that peace is the ideal goal (Isaiah 2:4)

  • Religion should not be used to justify violence because most modern Jewish groups reject religious wars

  • Protecting human life is a priority 

• However, there are some differences between Jewish and humanist and atheist views

  • Unlike humanists and some atheists, Judaism permits war when it is necessary to protect people or justice (Milchemet Mitzvah – Obligatory War)

  • The Torah includes examples of wars commanded by God (for example, the conquest of Canaan), which some atheists might criticise because they do not believe in the existence of a god, especially one who would command a war

  • Some religious Jews believe that war can be justified when fighting against evil, while atheists and humanists rely only on human moral reasoning

• Many Jewish leaders work with humanists and atheists to promote peace and ethical conflict resolution