Rabbi Gordon - Shoftim: 7th Portion
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Abraham
Middelburg
September 10, 2016
Shoftim Baruch Hashem for having Chabad guiding the world Reply
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Johannesburg South Africa
September 10, 2016
Thank you Rabbi Gordon.I enjoy every session.
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Le TOUR du PARC
August 10, 2013
Shoftim
Thanks to you learning Torah (specially Shoftim: a most "exciting" parasha) is total pleasure and enlightment for the soul and mind!
Thanks to you I am enriching my knowledge of English, Yiddish, and Hebrew as well as my collection of Jewish-American-native jokes.
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Many blessings to you dear Rabbi Gordon
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Jodi Chase
Pittsburgh, PA
August 30, 2011
Shoftim I really enjoyed listening to all seven lessons. I liked the Hebrew interspersed with the English, and the stories spinkled throughout. Rabbi Gordon, you captivated me; thank you. Reply
Hashem said to destroy the 7 nations, nobody was allowed to live so why does rashi give allowance where Hashem gave none?
Hashem also said to give the option of peace. "When you approach a town to attack it, you shall offer it terms of peace" (Deuteronomy 20:10).
The sages debated whether that sentence is in reference to the wars against the seven nations, or only other wars. Rashi sides with the position that it is in reference to the wars against the seven nations (mandatory wars), saying that the call to peace must even be given to them. The command to wipe out the seven nations only applies if they reject the terms of peace.
Rashi's position is accepted as law. The Rambam (Laws of Kings and Wars 6:1): "War is not conducted against anyone in the world until they are first offered peace (and refuse it), whether this is a Discretionary War or a War of Mitzvoh, as it says, “when you come close to the city to fight with it, you shall call to it to make peace” (Deut. 20:10)."