War and Terrorism in Jewish Law: Essays and Responsa

War and warfare remain little explored regions of the halakhah. After defeat by the Romans in 70C.E. Jews had no army nor were we permitted to serve in the armed forces of others till the nineteenth century Emancipation. Jews were forced into pacifism for two thousand years. No just war theory nor anything like it developed. Despite these realities or because of them, the topic is essential for our time. War, pacifism, warfare, military service, terrorism, torture, martyrdom, and ransoming captives are very much on our mind and are the subject of this volume.