In a world full of moral ambiguity, the Torah’s unwavering stance on justice offers us a framework to make the hardest decisions, including when death is the only way to clear out evil.
As the compassionate nation, we often wrestle with the idea of taking another person's life, even when it is justified. The common arguments arise: "It cheapens the value of life," or "How can we, as human beings, decide who lives or dies?" Yet, when we turn to the Torah, we are confronted with a stark and clear message—some evils are so profound that they demand the ultimate consequence.
Take the case of kidnapping and slavery. In this week’s Torah portion, we are instructed that when a person enslaves another, they forfeit their right to live. Why? Because God—not modern humanist values—created humanity to live freely. The act of turning another human being into property is a fundamental violation of what it means to be created in God's image. At that moment, the perpetrator becomes something less than human—a "thief," as the Torah refers to them, who has stolen not just freedom, but the very essence of humanity from their victim.
But why death? Why not exile or excommunication? We tend to ask these questions, especially in today's world where the death penalty is highly contentious. Shouldn’t we, as a society, aim to rehabilitate, to redeem? The Torah, though, says no, as it’s not about vengeance or even punishment. It's about clearing the evil, as evil in its most profound form, infects.
Consider the current war in Gaza and the ongoing conflict in the north; people debate about the level of "the consequences of being in a war" or the "deterrent factor". Are these decisions being made through the lens of the Torah or are they swayed by the politics and self-preservationist methodology of the day? The “lets make a deal at all costs” or don’t make a deal at any cost” are some of what I’m referring to. Are we making decisions, decisions that future more than current generations will have to live with, for the greater good or for personal reasons?
The Torah doesn't shy away from the tough decisions. Remember the 2005 disengagement from Gaza? The Abraham Accords? The Oslo Accords? These were monumental decisions, but were they the right ones? Can we really predict the future? No. That’s the “fun” part. We can debate and strategize, but ultimately, the future is determined by God.
The Torah gives us the framework for justice, even when it’s hard to swallow. It's not always about compassion or rehabilitation. Sometimes it’s about making the tough, decisive call to root out evil before it spreads further to infect others and sometimes it's about finding a way to work together, no matter how difficult or painful.
Success in this current and future wars will only happen when making decisions through the eyes of the Torah. May we have the clarity to see through the noise of the moment (oh my, what a goal to have) and make decisions based on the eternal truths of the Torah, trusting that even the toughest choices bring us closer to the world God intended.
Authors note: I am not making any statements about war strategy. I am only advocating to include the “God Factor” in our decision making.
StevenZvi Gleiberman, whose first name is a blend of the names Steven and Tzvi, grew up in Brooklyn before transitioning from a successful career in the healthcare industry to a new life in Jerusalem in November 2020 and can be reached at [email protected].