Essays

Let us examine the concept of peace in Judaism. The infinite longing in Judaism for peace and goodwill finds expression on many an occasion.

For instance, the form of greeting shalom Aleichem (peace be unto you), figures not only when Jews meet one another but can be heard as a form of greeting by people of other religions as well.

There is hardly any prayer where the world shalom (peace) does not occur. Many of the prayers are supplications for forgiveness of sins and comprise readings of sublime truths and principles of ethical loving.

And thus, it was that prophet Isaiah in his vision of peace declared: "And it shall come to pass in the last days. That the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow into it.

"And he shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people/and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks/nation shall not lift up sword against nations; neither shall they learn war any more. The wolf and the lambs shall feed together/and the lion shall eat again like the bullock/and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall hurt nor destroy in my entire holy mountain."

According to genesis, god had completed by the seventh day his work and on the seventh day He rested. Then god blessed the seventh day because thereon He rested from all his work. Therefore according to Genesis there was no act of creation on the seventh day (that is, Sabbath).

However, rabbis and philosophers claim that even on the Sabbath, there was an act of creation and what came out of it were; peace, severity and tranquility. That is the reason on other days the Jews ask god to protect them but on a Sabbath, they ask the Lord for peace to prevail.

Morris Joseph once said: "Peace is one of the pillars of the world; without it the social order cannot exist. Therefore, let a person do his utmost to promote it. Peace is not only a personal but also a national ideal." There are times when war appears a lesser evil than a disastrous and dishonourable peace. Also, the belief thatwar is indispensable can be fatal to the ultimateestablishment of universal peace.

Peace is no negative conception and is not the equivalent of inactivity. Whether for the individual or forsociety, it is that harmonious co-operation of all human forces towards ethical and spiritual ends, which humans call the kingdom of god.

They say it :

Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.   —Albert Einstein

In war: resolution. In defeat: defiance. In victory : magnanimity. In Peace : goodwill. —Winston Churchill

It is easier to make war than to make peace. —George Clemenceau

Let him who desires peace, prepare for war. —Vegetius