The Innocent Civilians

VAYISHLACH The Innocent Civilians In this week’s Parsha, we study the first military conflict in history that we waged against the enemies who arose against us. This was the first time we took up arms to defend our ownership of the land and deter our enemies. At that time, a moral question arose: Who are we fighting against? Who is defined as an enemy? Should we only target those directly involved in the crime, while the rest are considered innocent, or are those who are not directly involved also implicated in their own way? As we recall, Dinah was kidnapped by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the ruler of the city of Shechem. While still holding on to her in his home, he appeared before the Yaakov and offered the two nations to merge and marry each other. Shimon and Levi, however, unsheathed their swords, and in a cunning operation, they not only targeted the kidnapper and his father but also all the residents of the city—citizens who were not involved in the injustice committed by one individual. Interestingly, the Torah leaves the story ambiguous and open to interpretation. The leading biblical commentators throughout generations to present conflicting and opposing views on the matter. It seems that the Torah wants to teach that engaging in violence is a complex and delicate matter, from which no one emerges unscathed. Shedding blood is an event that harms not only the enemy but also the morals of our own fighters. Thus, we must delve into the depth of the issue and consider it from various perspectives—both physical and spiritual.