Q&A: Is It a Commandment to Enlist in Ahab’s Army? Is Conscientious Refusal Permitted?
Is It a Commandment to Enlist in Ahab’s Army? Is Conscientious Refusal Permitted?
Question
Hello Rabbi,
I wanted to ask about the issue of enlistment according to Jewish law.
Is it a commandment to enlist in an army that is run by wicked people? In your opinion, was there a commandment in biblical times to enlist for the wars of the wicked kings of Israel (Ahab or Jeroboam, for example)?
What do you think about someone who refuses to enlist for conscientious reasons, for example because of concerns about the morality of the IDF? Does he violate the commandment to help the Jewish people against an oppressor?
Answer
Certainly yes. When our lives are in danger, one must fight. The question of morality and the manner of administration is not relevant here. As I wrote in Column 649, I am not dealing here with the law of the land, but with saving life.