A Moral Dilemma

In class today and a while ago, we discussed the moral issues behind Hashem commanding Avraham to kill. The first time we came across this, we were discussing the Akeda where Avraham is told to sacrifice his only son Yitzchok. Later in the Chumash, we are told to kill everyone in Amalek. We are told in Yehoshua to kill everyone in Yericho. Then there are non-biblical examples like the death penalty. We are to kill someone if their crime warrants it. Is that right? It used to be that people would be stoned, a really horrible way to die. Should we be allowed to do that?

On the one hand there is the idea that Hashem told us to do it, therefore we have to do it. Whatever He does is just and has a purpose in the workings of the world, something we mortals can never understand. But is it right? I don't think we will ever find the answer because, as we said today, if you are hearing voices telling you to kill someone then you should seek help. But how do we reconcile ourselves to this seemingly barbaric command? In the case of the death penalty it was legal even in America until recently. How did people justify it then?

I would like to propose the idea that Hashem telling us to kill off an entire nation and the death sentence may not be as similar as we think. Killing off an entire nation is something that happens. The French and Indian War, The American Revolution, The 6 Day War, The Holocaust, The Inquisition, Korea's Civil War, there are so many wars where people have tried to kill each other off. It is the way of the world. The Holocaust and the Inquisition cannot be justified, but the others are 2 enemies fighting over something. In all of those cases maybe they didn't end up killing off the other nation, but they tried. Englishmen killed off entire tribes of Native Americans. People fight and there is war. Let's be honest. Without it, the world would be terribly over populated and nothing would ever change. Like it or not, war and death push us towards change that would never happen otherwise. Whether it is good or bad is up to fate, but we have to try. Right?

The death sentence also is something that I see as not completely moral, but not immoral either. It is immoral to kill someone. But what if they will go out and kill 10 more people if you don't kill them first? Sometimes the things people do are more suited to the devil. These people need to be gotten rid of before they infect anyone else.

I guess my point is that you know what, no, it isn't perfectly moral to kill off a nation or give a death sentence, but it is necessary. Besides, what does moral mean anyway?