War and Peace from a Jewish Ethical Perspective

by Myra Shoub Nelson

Annotated Bibliography

• "Army or Prison" in How Do I Decide, pp. 41-50, by Roland B. Gittelsohn, Behrman House, Inc., 1989. While this chapter attempts to grapple with the Jewish attitude toward pacifism and civil disobedience, it provides ground rules for the waging of Jewish wars, as well as the limitations on war. It includes a short discussion of the concept of baal tashhit as it applies to waging war. The book, written for a teenage audience, will start some thought-provoking discussions in a high school classroom.
• A Jewish Consideration of War and Nuclear Conflict - a mini-sourcebook by Bradley S. Artson, United Synagogue Department of Youth Activities, NY, 20pp., undated. This book, written as a sourcebook for USY conclaves and regional events, is a three-session study unit. It is very useful for teacher background and serves as a class sourcebook for grade 8 and up. The first two chapters deal directly with war. The first unit focuses on "Values of Peace and Life" and the second on "Jewish Law on War." The third concerns nuclear proliferation. The second unit provides a concise introduction to the three Jewish categories of war.
• Love Peace and Pursue Peace : A Jewish Response to War and Nuclear Annihilation, by Bradley S. Artson, United Synagogue, 1988. For a detailed study of Jewish laws and values concerning the waging of war, focus on the third section. It contains chapters on the following: The Battle is the Lord's (Milhemet Hovah), The Siege and the Civilian, Warfare as an Option, Warfare as Homicide, and In Defense of Life Worth Living (Milhemet Mitzvah). Teachers and principals who need a detailed introduction to the Jewish issues involved will benefit from this resource.
• Voices of Wisdom , by Francine Klagsbrun, Pantheon Books, NY, 1980. Pages 382-387 contain a variety of sources on "Attitudes towards War" and "Great is Peace." While not an in-depth survey, this book is adequate as a short compendium of sources.
• "War and the Jewish Tradition," by Everett Gendler, pp.189-210 in Contemporary Jewish Ethics, edited by Menachem Marc Kellner, Sanhedrin Press, NY, no date. This article, originally written in 1988, is somewhat outdated in its focus. It does, however, contain an excellent review of biblical and rabbinic sources about war, presented on a high academic level. The article would be useful for teachers and administrators seeking sources on which to base their classroom teaching.
• "War - Ending Hostile Life," pp. 183-216 in When Life Is in the Balance: Life and Death Decisions in Light of the Jewish Tradition, by Barry D. Cytron and Earl Schwartz, United Synagogue Department of Youth Activities, 1986. This chapter deals with the following question: "How do we go about defining the legitimate use of violence in cases of self-defense?" Modern case studies as well as rabbinic sources are used to address the question.