Parashat Shoftim

The great concern Torah evinces for an unsolved murder, as in the case of the ‘axed calf’ is a harsh contrast to the laws of warfare which precede it and call upon all Israelite warriors to be fearless and merciless when fighting a divinely mandated war. Yet there is no contradiction between these seemingly disparate commandments. On the contrary, it is because Torah holds up and sanctifies the life of every individual that we must be unsparing when fighting enemies who seek our destruction.

About the Author

Rabbi Chaim Richman is the director of the international department of the Temple Institute in Jerusalem. For over three decades the Temple Institute has been dedicated to every aspect of the Biblical commandment to build the Holy Temple. Through its research and educational programming, the Institute seeks to highlight the universal significance of the Holy Temple as a house of peace and prayer for all nations.