Question: After watching the brutal murder of the two American journalists in the middle east, my first reaction was that these people are animals. After a few minutes I began to wonder if Judaism is really different. Doesn’t Maimonides in the Laws of Kings rule that all the lands under Jewish rule be idol worship free? and we are obligated to kill those who refuse to follow what we know to be true. So is the only difference between us and the Muslims that we are the true religion? or is there more? Thanks

Answer: This is a reasonable question. There is no doubt that when we first came to Israel with Yehushua, we were required to remove all idolaters. The first option for those who chose to retain their pagan religions was to leave the country, but any who didn’t were to be killed. That does indeed sound barbaric. Except that it was to be done under the explicit instructions of a navi. We are justified in leaving any moral questions in God’s hands.

But that’s pretty much it for the killing of pagan populations. The law described in Devarim 20:16 applies only to the nations of Canaan and even if it might somehow still be applicable, we no longer have any idea who their descendents might be.

Mitzvos for a bais din to execute criminals of any type were, as you no doubt know, very rarely applied, and even then, only until the final years of the Second Temple period. Many have written that these laws are anyway only “on the books” to communicate how seriously the Torah abhors corruption and, according to the Chazon Ish, could only have been imposed in any practical sense in a period of prophecy when knowledge and fear of God was widespread.

So while we deplore paganism – and barbarism – we have no practical methodology for imposing our will by force.

With my best regards,
Rabbi Boruch Clinton