» to rah

por tion

Pursue Peace
— In All Its
Fullness

Parshat Shoftim: Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9;
Isaiah 51:12-52:12.

I

f you look up the meaning of the
because extreme panic or fear would
word “peace” in an English dic-
not make for a successful defender of
tionary, you are bound to find the
the land.
following definition: “freedom from
This consideration makes perfect
disturbance; quiet and tranquility; the
sense for the safety and security of
cessation of war or violence.”
everyone involved. But the law of
Synonyms for “peace” include tran-
certain fighters being sent home
quility, restfulness, solitude,
doesn’t end here. Anyone
serenity, ease, contentment
who has built a new house
and equanimity. In its most
but not dedicated it, anyone
basic understanding, peace is
who has planted a vineyard
focused on the absence of any
but not harvested it and any
kind of hostility.
individual who has betrothed
In Hebrew though, the
a woman but not married her
word “shalom” or “peace”
all are initially exempt from
includes the added dimen-
going out to battle.
Rabbi Joseph
sion of achieving “fullness,
While we might imagine
completion and fulfillment.” H. Krakoff
that national security and
In Hebrew, peace is not
defending the Land of Israel
merely an absence of war or violence. would take precedence over dedicat-
Achieving “shalom” has always
ing our homes and vineyards and
been a strong Jewish value; so much
maybe even the choice of a mate,
so that the Torah states that even
the Torah instead makes a profound
when it comes to the conquest of the statement. Namely, real “shalom” is
Land of Israel, we must first make an not found in pursuing peace on the
offer for “shalom.” On more than one battlefield but rather it is steeped
occasion in the Bible, God requires
most profoundly in bringing fulfill-
the Israelites to exhaust every pos-
ment to something meaningful that
sibility of peaceful co-existence with we have already started.
their neighbors before resorting to
Indeed, the Torah realizes that
armed conflict of any kind.
completing a project can so often
Recognizing that the pursuit of “sha- be a huge challenge as we confront
lom” is always our preferred approach, the obstacles of frustration, disap-
this week’s Torah portion Shoftim
pointment, self-doubt and the fear of
establishes a system of law and condi-
failure. The pursuit of “shalom” in all
tions for going into war, claiming that
its fullness then begs us to refocus
we are to do so only when the situation ourselves such that we bring a sense
makes it necessary, unavoidable and
of wholeness and completion about
morally justified.
by finishing what we started.
It is interesting to note that the
In entering the month of Elul
pursuit of “shalom” is such a pri-
and beginning our preparations for
mary Jewish value that instead of
the upcoming High Holidays, let us
our biblical ancestors constructing
make a serious commitment to “sha-
a standing army, the leadership was
lom” in the coming year — taking all
to mobilize the citizenry only when
of the commitments we have made,
commanded by the officers who had the projects we have begun and the
no other choice.
promises we have yet to fulfill, and
But even when this was the case,
bring them home … to full comple-
not every citizen was automatically
tion and wholeness.
called into combat. The Torah por-
Rabbi Joseph H. Krakoff is the senior director of
tion indicates that the commanders
the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network.
were obligated to send home any
potential soldier who was afraid

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September 8 • 2016

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