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The goal of Judaism and Jewish life is the achievement of personal and national peace and harmony. Yet the Torah does not advocate radical pacifism. The Torah provides for the concept of milchemet mitzvah - a war that is an absolute necessity such as the war against Amalek (the epitome of evil incarnate in Torah terms) or a war of self-defense and self-preservation. The Torah also provides for wars that are titled milchemet reshut - wars that are permissible even if on the surface the war is not currently deemed necessary in the eyes of many. The Torah does not provide a guide as how to conduct the wars. It does allow for the complete destruction of evil such as Amalek and there are also provisions for making peace and accommodation with the enemy before the beginning of hostilities. But once the war begins there apparently is little room for a humane war, simply because there is no such animal. And the criticism of outsiders that these types of wars are unjustified because they are somehow not humane is unrealistic if not completely cruel and unwarranted. The Torah is not blind to the existence of evil in this world. It teaches that evil must be countered and fought. Since evil fights its battles in an evil fashion - certainly not in a humane fashion by any definition of the term - fighting a war against evil inevitably must fall short of being a humane war. That is simply the harsh reality of living in this imperfect, dangerous and mostly evil world.
The Torah nevertheless impresses upon us that war takes its spiritual and moral toll, even on the side that is justified in resorting to armed conflict to save itself and its way of life. King David, probably the most famous and justified warrior in Jewish history and who finally vanquished Israel’s enemies in the Land of Israel after four hundred years of conflict there, nevertheless was not allowed to build the Holy Temple in Jerusalem because of his participation in wars. Wars are necessary at times but they are never pleasant or humane. There is therefore always a penalty involved in having been engaged in fighting wars. But there are many things and situations in life that are a lose-lose situation. Then the choice is what is the greater loss and what will be the minimum loss involved. In the struggle against evil that always threatens to engulf us the lesser evil is always to confront it and defeat it. The confrontation will never meet the artificial constructs of being humane in conducting a war to outsiders or to pious pacifists, many of whom have built-in prejudices to begin with. We should always attempt to be careful not to become a cruel people. The Torah promises us that even though we will have to engage in wars, the Lord will send to you the capacity for mercy so that you will never become a cruel people. And I imagine that is the most that can be expected in the conduct of war - as humanely as possible.
A Nation and its Halachot Explaining the Mitzvah of Pidyon Shevuyim
The Commandment of Redeeming Captives
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
