Halakhah zu Schemot 30:14

Rabbi Goren presents a general discussion of the classical distinction between obligatory wars, permissible wars and wars of defense. More noteworthy is his presentation of sources pertaining to the establishment of minimum and maximum ages with regard to the conscription of soldiers. The chief difficulty in establishing a minimum age is that although Rashi, in his commentary on the Pentateuch (Exod. 30:14 and Num. 1:3), states that warriors must be "twenty years old and upward," Rambam, in his Mishneh Torah, is silent with regard to any such provision. The question of a maximum age limit centers upon the proper textual reading of the Sifre, Numbers 197, which establishes an upper limit of either forty or sixty years of age, depending upon which of the variant readings is accepted as accurate. Another problem to be resolved is whether these limits pertain only to permissible wars (milḥemet reshut) or are applicable to obligatory wars (milḥemet ḥovah) as well.