Q&A: The Importance of Intention in a Commanded War
The Importance of Intention in a Commanded War
Question
The Rabbi tends to argue that for a commandment to count as a commandment, it needs intention to fulfill one’s obligation.
According to this, if a secular person who does not believe in God goes out to fight in a war, is he fulfilling the commandment of helping Israel against an attacker?
And I’d be glad to get a source for the answer, if there is one.
Answer
The question whether commandments require intention or not is a matter of dispute in the Talmud and among the halakhic decisors. It has nothing to do with me. What I argue is that according to all opinions, commandments require faith. Without faith, no act can be considered a commandment or a transgression. See my article on causing a secular person to sin and in Column 631.
Discussion on Answer
I referred you to the article. There I explained that belief in the giving of the Torah at Sinai is required. Immoral acts are immoral acts. What does “transgression” mean? In the halakhic sense? If it is not part of Jewish law, then the transgression is not halakhic but moral.
I answered that too. For an act to be considered a commandment, faith is required. What isn’t clear?
Is belief in a philosophical God enough, or also belief in the revelation at Mount Sinai?
Are anti-moral acts considered a transgression?
And does the motive for doing the commandment (helping Israel against an attacker in our case) have to be an intention to fulfill God’s commandment, or even if he simply loves the state and fights for it, is that considered fulfilling the commandment?