Jewish Warfare

The subject of proper conduct in war, comes up a few times towards the end of Devarim. The underlying theme discussed in the Torah, is that holiness must be maintained, in order to be victorious.

We are introduced to the Kohein who is “anointed for battle.” It is his task to motivate the soldiers to fight with courage and no fear. They must be focused on defending Hashem’s honor, and the nation of Israel. They must not be preoccupied with matters at home, and they must not be afraid.
The Jewish soldier should not allow himself to be distracted by the seductive women taken prisoner. A G-d fearing soldier clearly understands that in addition to battling his enemy, he might even have a bigger battle with the Yeitzer Hara. The evil inclination is always hard at work to make a person stumble. This is especially true in war. There is even a commandment to set up the army camp, to avoid foul odors. A separate area was designated with a shovel, to cover up waste. There must be holiness on all levels.

The reason why we must remain optimistic in our current conflict, is the nature of our courageous soldiers of the IDF. They go into battle with prayers on their lips. They clearly understand their task in eliminating evil from our midst. Their faith and resolve is incredible and praiseworthy. We are witnessing the fulfillment of all of the guidelines of the Torah, in our army today. With Hashem’s help, His Name will be sanctified and we will soon celebrate a great victory over our enemies.