I asked a Jewish friend:

What kind of God who would order the slaughter of the Amalekites? Jewish friend: I don’t understand your question. I assume that the “kind of God” I worship, is the same one that you do too. Am I wrong in this?

RC: Yes and no. See, eg. http://jmm.org.au/articles/17630.htm not written by me but with whose sentiments I agree.

Jewish friend: Ok. I’ve read your article, but in view of Christianity’s rather violent past, Crusades, Pogroms, The Inquisition, etc, I suppose a better question might be; “Are you worshipping the same Christian god as those committing these violent acts?” Did not Jesus say “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword”? Is this not your Jesus?

There is a concept in Judaism called in Hebrew: “Milchemet Mitzvah” Or Milchemet Chovah”. Often translated as a “Mandatory War”:

“From the Steinsaltz Talmud … A mandatory war (milchemet chovah) is one which is waged for the sake of conquering the Land of Israel from the Canaanites, or destroying the nation of Amalek, or defending Israel from attack by its other enemies. Mandatory war (milchemet chovah) may be waged without prior permission from the Sanhedrin, and all Jews are required to participate.” (Rabbi Roger Lerner)

What this is, is a war commanded by G-d, to destroy a race of people, so evil, so immoral, so dangerous to all mankind that they must be completely wiped out. Israel was commanded by G-d to do this, but we, to our great regret didn’t do it soon enough. Saul spared killing Agag (1 Samuel 15:8)

and so another descendent of Amalek was conceived that night, a descendant of whom was Haman of the Book of Esther, when we had the chance to remove absolute evil from the face of the earth. Saul lost his kingship and his life as a result, but the Jews had to put up with Agag’s evil descendants for many more years, and some say culminating in the destruction of Nazi Germany.

I suppose you must be thinking why don’t we Jews conduct other “Milchemet Mitzvah” wars against other people whom we have taken a disliking to. The reason we don’t is because the Torah is very specific about who, when and where; that unless it meets precise criteria it’s not permitted, which is why we haven’t done so since Temple days.

As far as Amalek is concerned these days, unless it becomes possible to be absolutely certain who is a descendant of Amalek, they’re off the agenda. We have our suspicions, of course, but you don’t kill people based on a suspicion.

(Sometime in the first half of 2006)