לזכות חיילי צה"ל שה' ישמור עליהם מכל צרה וצוקה ומכל נגע ומחלה
לרפואת הרב אברהם יוסף בן חנה
The Mishna says in Sanhedrin אין מוציאין למלחמת רשות אלא עפ"י ב"ד של שבעים ואחד - We only take out to an elective war based on a Beis Din of 71 [i.e. Sanhedrin]. This would seem to indicate that we may not go out to war without a Sanhedrin. And in fact there are those who say that all of Israel's wars are against Halacha because we don't have a Sanhedrin [or king].
The Rambam paskens [Melachim 5/2]:
"מלחמת מצוה אינו צריך ליטול בה רשות בית דין אלא יוצא מעצמו בכל עת וכופה העם לצאת אבל מלחמת הרשות אינו מוציא העם בה אלא על פי בית דין של שבעים ואחד ע"כ"
"A מלחמת מצוה does not require the Sanhedrin but rather the king can take them out to war whenever and force them to go out. But when it is an elective war, he may only take them out with a Beis Din of 71."
The Rambam seems to be talking about FORCING people to wage war. But what about if they choose of their own volition to go to war?
It would seem to be permitted to go even without asking the Sanhedrin permission. [In the Mishna in the first perek there are two גירסאות. One says " אין מוציאין אלא עפ"י ב"ד של שבעים ואחד" and the other " אין יוצאין". The former would bear out this chiddush while the latter would mean that even if they WANT to go out they need to ask permission].
That would explain a PERPLEXING Rashi in Brachos [3b]. It says in the gemara that before engaging in an elective war they would go to the Sanhedrin. Simply we would understand, that they are going to the Sanhedrin in order to ask permission to go to war. Rashi SHOCKS us and writes that they went to the Sanhedrin so that they should DAVEN!! DAVEN??!! What about asking רשות???
Maybe the answer is that since the people wanted to wage war [for parnassa purposes], they didn't need to ask permission and the Sanhedrin's job was just to daven for success. [שיעורי הרב]
Swweeeeettt friends!!! They is MUCH more to talk about. I hope we do....
