רמב"ם הלכות מלכים פרק ו:הלכה א
אין עושין מלחמה עם אדם בעולם עד שקוראין לו שלום אחד מלחמת הרשות ואחד מלחמת מצוה, שנאמר כי תקרב אל עיר להלחם עליה וקראת אליה לשלום, אם השלימו וקבלו שבע מצות שנצטוו בני נח עליהן אין הורגין מהן נשמה והרי הן למס, שנאמר יהיו לך למס ועבדוך, קבלו עליהן המס ולא קבלו העבדות או שקבלו העבדות ולא קבלו המס, אין שומעין להם עד שיקבלו שניהם.
Do not make war with anyone in the world until you have offered that person the chance for peace, whether in a voluntary war or whether an obligatory war, as it is said: “When you approach a city to make war with it, you shall offer it peace.” If they surrender and accept the seven commandments that the sons of Noah were commanded, then you do not kill any soul from them, and they become tributary, as it is said: “And they will become for you a tributary and they shall serve you.” They accept upon themselves the tribute but not the service or they accept upon themselves the tribute but not the service or they accept upon themselves the service and they don’t accept the tribute, do not listen to them until they accept both. [AJWS translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. How does Rambam's interpretation view just war?
2. To what circumstances can we apply this interpretation? Is this the current Jewish view of war and practice prior to initiating attacks on other nations?
3. What does this text imply about justice in war? What is the Jewish intention of peace?
Time Period: Medieval (Geonim through the 16th Century)