Which Jews Go to War: Torah and Derush

Does every derush have a reasonable explanation?

If you’ve spent much time reading these posts, you’ve probably noticed my ongoing struggles understanding derush. What exactly is the connection between the plain meaning of passages in Tanach and Chazal on the one hand, and the imaginative interpretations of darshanim on the other? My “Is Derush Part of Torah?” explored the problem’s big picture, and “Adjusting Torah” looked at it from the perspective of one specific example.

But I just came across a new example that leaves me speechless. I simply don’t understand the mindset that connects a particular Midrash with the political point that’s being pushed. That’s not to say the derush is wrong, but that I don’t understand it.

When asked whether charedim should be recruited for Israeli police services during the current crisis, a well-known rosh yeshiva was reported to have replied that only charedim who are in any case working should be accepted, but not those in yeshiva. As explanation, the rosh yeshiva apparently added that “our Torah” requires this based on the Jews’ preparations for their war against Midyan:

“One thousand from each tribe, one thousand from each tribe, for all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the army” Bamidbar 31:4

Coincidentally, just a day or two later someone quoted a second rosh yeshiva making the same point, but this time associating it with a Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah Matos 22:2):

“Some say two thousand were sent from each tribe and some say three thousand. [12 thousand fought,] 12 thousand guarded the equipment, and 12 thousand went for prayer”

Both rabbis were attempting to prove that ancient and mainstream Torah sources support the use of significant numbers of Jews learning Torah in times of war as part of their national service. The unspoken assumption was that the Torah studied had as much impact on the success of the war as did the soldiers’ efforts. But is that what their sources actually said?

• Who said the Midrash was meant as a guide for all generations? Perhaps this was specific to that particular, miracle-infused historical event.

• Where is Torah study mentioned? The Midrash tells us that one thousand from each tribe were designated to pray. Since when is prayer a proxy for Torah study?

But if you’re looking for guidance from Torah sources, why ignore an explicit Mishna? The eighth perek of Sotah discussed those individuals who were, for various reasons, sent home from a war camp before battle. Here’s the final Mishna of that chapter:

“What is all that talking about? An optional war (מלחמת הרשות). But for an obligatory war (מלחמת מצוה or, according to Rabbi Yehuda, מלחמת חובה), all must go out, even a bridegroom from his room and a bride from her chupah”

If any war in our history qualifies as מלחמת מצוה\מלחמת חובה it’s this one. And, as you can see from Rambam (מלכים ומלחמותיהם ז:ד), it’s not like that Mishna is ignored in halachic circles.

All that left me confused. What could be the logic behind such a derush? I just couldn’t get the problem out of my head.

But the jaw-dropping, “speechless” part didn’t hit until this morning.

Think for a moment about the obvious context behind the verse and the related Midrash. It took place in the prelude to the Jews’ battle with Midyan. That happened before the Jews entered Israel - and certainly before they acquired farmland. The Midrash only tells us about the 24,000 or 36,000 men who, in one way or another, participated in the battle.

But what was everyone else doing? They obviously weren’t busy with farm work or other jobs. I have no reason to imagine that they weren’t learning Torah as, presumably, they had been doing for all the rest of their 40 years in the wilderness.

Which means that the 12,000 Jews called away to focus on prayer were actually being called away from Torah study. It would seem that Torah study is the last thing you want Jews doing during a war.

I would really appreciate your help understanding this!