Holy war in Judaism : the fall and rise of a controversial idea Pt. I. The ancient Jewish world: holy war in practice Holy war in the Bible Jewish holy war in practice: early success Holy war fails Pt. II. The world of the rabbis: holy war interrupted Rabbinic responses to wars failure Rabbinic typology of war Who is the enemy Maimonides counting of the commandments Nahmanides critique and other thinkers Pt. III. The emergence of Jewish modernity: holy war on hold The crisis of modernity and Jewish responses From practicality to a new messianism The new Jew From Holocaust to holy war: Israels war of independence Pt. IV. The Jewish State: holy war revived 1948 to 1967: from defensive war to preemptive war 1967 to 1973:the miracle of conquest and the test of Yom Kippur The 1980s: holy war and its excesses Conclusion: the resurrection of holy war