On Torat HaMelech

I have previously blogged about the book, "Torat HaMelech", which seeks to discourse on a subject which exists within the framework of the Halacha, Judaism's legal code, and that is the relationship between a Jew and a non-Jew, and in this case, what are the restraints when battle is entered or, what is referred to as "rules of engagement" (see this as an addition to the resources I bring below).

Tucked away in a pile of things I had not as yet thoroughly gone through after either receiving them in the mail or clipping them from various publications was this from the Od Yosef Chai Yeshivah which is headed by the author of the book, Rav Yitzhak Shapira - its Chanukah newsletter to which I will return after a digression:



The Yeshiva had already published a short press release on the subject:

Press Release
From Yeshivat Od Yosef Chai

The recently published book "Torat Hamelech", by Rabbis Yitzchak Shapira and Yossi Elitzur, clarifies halakhic subjects in a serious light. The authors did a thorough and holy work, with all due responsibility demanded for writing a Torah book. Leading rabbis and Torah scholars appreciate its high level of scholarship and important contribution to modern halakhic literature.

The authors do not plan to grant interviews to the media, especially not to those not committed to the Torah, but they do emphasize that they are hiding nothing. We now live in an era of freedom of information, and thank G-d it's possible to publish Torah books without permission of any censor, unlike the case in Czarist Russia. Censorship usually caused the subject of the choseness of the Jewish People to be concealed from public view, despite its being a foundation of Jewish faith, per se the daily blessing, "Who has chosen us from all the nations." "Torat Hamelech" deals with this concept in a number of halakhic and Kabbalistic contexts.

The book presents a clear halakhic stand on the issue of war, a subject relevant to modern public policy. Unfortunately, perverse approaches on the topic cause untold suffering to the Jewish People. Take the case of Gilad Schalit, lingering in captivity due to not taking tough (but simple!) steps against the Arab enemy, while their leaders sit safely protected by a civilian population and mock us.

We hope that students throughout the Torah world will read "Torat Hamelech", and with G-d's help may we merit true leadership whose principles will be guided by the true and living Torah.

A further Hebrew precis is here and here is the letter the authors wrote to Gadi Gvaryahu, who led the appeal to the High Court of Justice




to prohibit the book's distribution in the name of the Yod Bet b'Heshvan [12th of Cheshvan] Forum. One of the Forum's Board Member is Rabbi Yoel Bin-Nun




and his opinion (again, in Hebrew) on the book is here.

Of course, discussion of this sort are to be found in the academic world (see as an example this article; or here for example; page 14 here; this article touches on the subject and the one up above; and this one. Here is another article on military force and Zionism).

Now, to return to Rabbi Shapira's principled response to the hullabaloo, above.

He notes that the media is too facile, cheap and provocative for such a topic. What is required is a study hall atmosphere for the subject. Learning Torah is different than a normal intellectual pursuit. On the one hand, both seek as pure a rational thought process as possible so as to deal with the subject objectively. But in the final analysis, it is the "I" of the researcher that makes a judgment call on a secular subject. Torah study also demands complete attention to all aspects of the matter under discussion. However, since we understand that the Torah is truth, ultimately we study it with enthusiasm and love and he who studies does not have to regard himself as the ultimate decider of truth, for the Torah is truth.