[11] His son, Judas Maccabeus, when trying to curtail the advances of the enemy Syrian troops who had invaded the country, put into practice the teachings of Moses, as prescribed in the 'ancient order of battle' (Deut.
[13] A voluntary war may only be waged by authorization of the greater Sanhedrin, composed of seventy-one judges,[14] presumably in order to impose a religious and moral check on reckless warfare.
[23] Moreover, according to the Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 19a, in a war waged of free choice, whenever Israel lays siege to a city belonging to the enemy, the siege must be initiated at least three days before the start of the Sabbath,[24][c] and it is incumbent upon Israel to offer the besieged conditions of capitulation (peace), such as the guarantee of their lives being spared if they agree to be put under tribute and servitude to the Jewish nation,[27] and on condition that they agree to observe the seven basic commandments given to the sons of Noah.
[28] For this, embassages and heralds are sent to representatives of those persons who make themselves voluntary enemies to the nation of Israel in order to extend conditions of peace.
[30][31] In a voluntary war, not all able-bodied men are conscripted to fight, as there are certain exemptions outlined explicitly in the Torah, namely: Formerly, in Jewish halachic law, it was incumbent upon a priest descended from Aaron's lineage and who had been specifically tasked with the vetting process to officiate over the conscription of new recruits (משוח מלחמה; the anointed for battle), to announce unto the people the legal requirements and to screen those who were exempt from military service, while admonishing and encouraging all others, in the Hebrew language, to fight valiantly.
[42] He was assigned Levite officers who were themselves priests to assist him in conveying these messages in an audible voice to the people, immediately prior to engaging in battle.
[44][45] Soldiers are prohibited from defecating in the open field, in such a way that their waste remains visible, but must carry with them a trowel-like implement needed to dig a hole in a pre-designated place and to cover-up their excreta after relieving themselves.
[50][51] Conscripted soldiers taking part in the voluntary war effort have been given special privileges to make fighting easier for them, or else to keep them blameless: According to the Bayit Chadash, notwithstanding the lack of conditions which would otherwise make a voluntary war valid today, Jewish men may still find themselves serving as soldiers in non-Jewish armies among the nations of the world.