Tuesday, June 08, 2004

Risking one's own life to save another

Someone asked me to track down a certain Yerushalmi, which said that it was a Middat Chasidut to risk one's life to save another.

I found reference to it in a Kesef Mishna on the first perek in the Rambam, הלכות רוצח ושמירת נפש (this link is just the Rambam), at the end of 14, citing Hagahot Maymon:

בירושלמי מסיק אפילו להכניס עצמו בספק סכנה חייב עכ"ל. ונראה שהטעם מפני שהלה וודאי והוא ספק
"The yerushalmi implies that even to put himself into possible (mortal) danger he is obligated." And it seems the reason is that the other is in definite danger and he would only be in possible danger.


This is a relevant source for organ donation, which is a hot topic right now. Can one endager himself by being an organ donor to save someone else? This source implies an obligation, others imply that putting oneself in danger is a good thing but not obligatory (middat chassidut), and others say it is foolish to do, and perhaps even forbidden.

Anyway, I finally tracked down that Yerushalmi, and want to examine it in more detail. It is in masechet trumot 44b, 8th perek, halacha 4

note that there is an obligation to make sure that teruma is not rendered impure.

Mishna:

דף מד, ב פרק ח הלכה ד משנה
...
כיצד היה עובר ממקום למקום וככרות של תרומה בידו א"ל נכרי תן לי אחת מהן ואטמאה ואם לאו הרי אני מטמא את כולן ר' אליעזר אומר יטמא את כולן ואל יתן לו אחת מהן ויטמא ר' יהושע אומר יניח לפניו אחת מהן על הסלע. וכן נשים שאמרו להן גוים ע"א תנו לנו אחת מכם ונטמאה ואם לאו הרי אנו מטמאין כולכם יטמאו את כולן ואל ימסרו להם נפש אחת מישראל
How so? If he was travelling from place to place with loaves of Teruma in his hand. A gentile says to him, give me one of them and I will make it impure, and if not, I will render all of them impure. Rabbi Eliezer says to render impure all of them impure and not to give him one of them to make impure. Rabbi Yehoshua says, place one on them before him on the boulder.
And so too women that idolatrous gentiles say to them give over one of you and we will render her impure (rape her), and if not we will render all of you impure, they all should be rendered impure rather than giving over to them one soul from Israel.


There is an idea of taking a stand, or at least not compromising by giving over one loaf, or (in the latter case) one soul. Is this when situation seems unwinnable but there is some chance, or even when there is no chance?

[Note to self: kvar --> kikar, vehaketa nignaz ]


The gemara:
תני סיעות בני אדם שהיו מהלכין בדרך פגעו להן גוים ואמרו תנו לנו אחד מכם ונהרוג אותו ואם לאו הרי אנו הורגים את כולכם אפי' כולן נהרגים לא ימסרו נפש אחת מישראל ייחדו להן אחד כגון שבע בן בכרי ימסרו אותו ואל ייהרגו א"ר שמעון בן לקיש והוא שיהא חייב מיתה כשבע בן בכרי ורבי יוחנן אמר אע"פ שאינו חייב מיתה כשבע בן בכרי עולא בר קושב תבעתיה מלכותא ערק ואזיל ליה ללוד גבי ריב"ל אתון ואקפון מדינתא אמרו להן אין לית אתון יהבון ליה לן אנן מחרבין מדינתא סלק גביה ריב"ל ופייסיה ויהביה לון והוה אליהו זכור לטוב יליף מתגלי עלוי ולא אתגלי וצם כמה צומין ואיתגלי עלוי אמר ליה ולמסורות אני נגלה א"ל ולא משנה עשיתי א"ל וזו משנת החסידים רבי אימי איתצד בסיפסיפה אמר ר' יונתן יכרך המת בסדינו אמר ר' שמעון בן לקיש עד דאנא קטיל אנא מתקטיל אנא איזיל ומשיזיב ליה בחיילא אזל ופייסון ויהבוניה ליה אמר לון ואתון גבי סבון והוא מצלי עליכון אתון גבי ר' יוחנן אמר לון מה דהוה בלבכון איעבד ליה יתעבוד לון ימטא לההוא עמא לא מטון אפיפסירוס עד דאזלון כולהון זעיר בר חנינא איתצד בספסיפה סלק רבי אמי ורבי שמואל מפייסה עלוי אמרה להון זנביה מלכותא יליף הוא ברייכון עבד לכון ניסין מעשוקין ביה עלל חד סרקיא טעין חד ספסר אמר להון בהדא ספסירא קטיל בר נצר לאחוי ואישתיזיב זעיר בר חנינא ר' יוחנן אמר איקפח בעלי קנייה סליק לבית וועדא והוה ר"ש בן לקיש שאיל ליה והוא לא מגיב שאיל ליה והוא לא מגיב א"ל מהו הכין א"ל כל האיברים תלוין בלב והלב תלוי בכיס א"ל ומהו כן א"ל ומהו את כן א"ל איקפחת בעלי קנייה א"ל חמי לי זויתה נפיק מחוי ליה חמיתון מן רחוק ושרי מצלצל אמרין אין ר"י הוא יסב פלגא אמר לון חייכון כולה אנא נסיב
ונסיב כולה

We learned, a caravan of men were travelling together on the road. Gentiles accosted them and said, 'Give us one of you and we will kill him, and if not we will kill you all.' Even if all of them will be killed, they should not give over a single soul of Israel. {It sounds like they should put up a fight...} If they (the gentiles) single out one of them, as was the case by Sheva son of Bichri they should {or perhaps could} give him over and not be killed.


Before proceeding further with the translation, we should see who Sheva ben Bichri was. In Shmuel Bet, perek 20:
א וְשָׁם נִקְרָא אִישׁ בְּלִיַּעַל, וּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁבַע בֶּן-בִּכְרִי--אִישׁ יְמִינִי; וַיִּתְקַע בַּשֹּׁפָר, וַיֹּאמֶר אֵין-לָנוּ חֵלֶק בְּדָוִד וְלֹא נַחֲלָה-לָנוּ בְּבֶן-יִשַׁי--אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו, יִשְׂרָאֵל.
ב וַיַּעַל כָּל-אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאַחֲרֵי דָוִד, אַחֲרֵי, שֶׁבַע בֶּן-בִּכְרִי; וְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה דָּבְקוּ בְמַלְכָּם, מִן-הַיַּרְדֵּן וְעַד-יְרוּשָׁלִָם.
יג כַּאֲשֶׁר הֹגָה, מִן-הַמְסִלָּה--עָבַר כָּל-אִישׁ, אַחֲרֵי יוֹאָב, לִרְדֹּף, אַחֲרֵי שֶׁבַע בֶּן-בִּכְרִי.
יד וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּכָל-שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָבֵלָה וּבֵית מַעֲכָה--וְכָל-הַבֵּרִים; {ס} ויקלהו (וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ), וַיָּבֹאוּ אַף-אַחֲרָיו.
טו וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיָּצֻרוּ עָלָיו, בְּאָבֵלָה בֵּית הַמַּעֲכָה, וַיִּשְׁפְּכוּ סֹלְלָה אֶל-הָעִיר, וַתַּעֲמֹד בַּחֵל; וְכָל-הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אֶת-יוֹאָב, מַשְׁחִיתִם לְהַפִּיל הַחוֹמָה.
טז וַתִּקְרָא אִשָּׁה חֲכָמָה, מִן-הָעִיר; שִׁמְעוּ שִׁמְעוּ, אִמְרוּ-נָא אֶל-יוֹאָב, קְרַב עַד-הֵנָּה, וַאֲדַבְּרָה אֵלֶיךָ.
יז וַיִּקְרַב אֵלֶיהָ, וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה הַאַתָּה יוֹאָב וַיֹּאמֶר אָנִי; וַתֹּאמֶר לוֹ, שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי אֲמָתֶךָ, וַיֹּאמֶר, שֹׁמֵעַ אָנֹכִי.
יח וַתֹּאמֶר, לֵאמֹר: דַּבֵּר יְדַבְּרוּ בָרִאשֹׁנָה לֵאמֹר, שָׁאוֹל יְשָׁאֲלוּ בְּאָבֵל וְכֵן הֵתַמּוּ.
יט אָנֹכִי, שְׁלֻמֵי אֱמוּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ, לְהָמִית עִיר וְאֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל--לָמָּה תְבַלַּע, נַחֲלַת ה.
כ וַיַּעַן יוֹאָב, וַיֹּאמַר: חָלִילָה חָלִילָה לִי, אִם-אֲבַלַּע וְאִם-אַשְׁחִית.
כא לֹא-כֵן הַדָּבָר, כִּי אִישׁ מֵהַר אֶפְרַיִם שֶׁבַע בֶּן-בִּכְרִי שְׁמוֹ נָשָׂא יָדוֹ בַּמֶּלֶךְ בְּדָוִד--תְּנוּ-אֹתוֹ לְבַדּוֹ, וְאֵלְכָה מֵעַל הָעִיר; וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה אֶל-יוֹאָב, הִנֵּה רֹאשׁוֹ מֻשְׁלָךְ אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַד הַחוֹמָה.
כב וַתָּבוֹא הָאִשָּׁה אֶל-כָּל-הָעָם בְּחָכְמָתָהּ, וַיִּכְרְתוּ אֶת-רֹאשׁ שֶׁבַע בֶּן-בִּכְרִי וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ אֶל-יוֹאָב, וַיִּתְקַע בַּשֹּׁפָר, וַיָּפֻצוּ מֵעַל-הָעִיר אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו; וְיוֹאָב שָׁב יְרוּשָׁלִַם, אֶל-הַמֶּלֶךְ.
1 Now there happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the horn, and said: 'We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel.'
2 So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah did cleave unto their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
...
13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; {S} and they were gathered together, and went in also after him.
15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood in the moat; and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city: 'Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab: Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.'
17 And he came near unto her; and the woman said: 'Art thou Joab?' And he answered: 'I am.' Then she said unto him: 'Hear the words of thy handmaid.' And he answered: 'I do hear.'
18 Then she spoke, saying: 'They were wont to speak in old time, saying: They shall surely ask counsel at Abel; and so they ended the matter.
19 We are of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel; seekest thou to destroy a city and a mother in Israel? why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?'
20 And Joab answered and said: 'Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
21 The matter is not so; but a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David; deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.' And the woman said unto Joab: 'Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.'
22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the horn, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.


Thus, Sheva ben Bichri merited the death penalty, and to save the town, the townsfolk cut off his head and give it to Yoav. This would seem to be a good precedent. Back to the gemara.

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, only if he deserves capital punishment as did Sheva ben Bichri.
Rabbi Yochanan saud, even if he did not deserve capital punishment like Sheva ben Bichri {one would still give him over. and the purpose of mentioning Sheva ben Bichri is that this is a Biblical case in which a specific individual was specified.}

Ulah bar Koshav, the government wanted (to kill) him. He fled and went to Lud by Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. The army came and encircled the state. They said to them, if you do not turn him over we will destroy the state. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi sent and persuaded him (convinced Ulah bar Koshav to turn himself in) and then gave him over to them.

And, Eliyahu, remembered for good, was wont to reveal himself to him, and now he did not reveal himself. And he (R Yehoshua ben Levi) fasted many fasts and he revealed himself to him. He (Eliyahu) said to him, "And to Mosers do I reveal myself?!?" (Moser = one who gives over other Jews) He replied, "And did I not do as the Mishna said?" (The Mishna said that if one was singled out one could (or should) give him over and not be killed. He thus seems to be holding like Rabbi Yochanan's understanding of the Mishna, unless you say that Ulla actually deserved the capital punishment.)

He (Eliyahu) replied, "And is this the Mishnah of the Chassidim." (Do chassidim act thus? It seems this is middat chassidut. I wonder though, how one can act as a chossid when others in the town would presumably not want to do middat chassidut.)

{What follows is the gemara referred to in the Kesef Mishna:}
Rabbi Ami was captured by bandits. Rabbi Yonatan said, the dead one will be wrapped in his sheets. {that is, there is no way to save him.}

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, 'I will kill or be killed' (lit: Until I kill (or) I will be killed. i.e. I will try to save him, by killing all his captors, or will die in the process. We know from elsewhere that Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish was a bandit, skilled in weapons, before he repented and became a scholar.) I will go and save him by force.

He went and persuaded them (convinced them to turn R Ami over, perhaps with threats) and they gave him over to him.

He (Resh Lakish) said to them (the bandits) go to the Old One (Rabbi Yochanan) and he will pray for you. They went to Rabbi Yochanan (note, this is *not* Rabbi Yonatan of before, unless it is a typo.)

He (R Yochanan) said to them, 'that which was in your hearts to do to him should come to pass on you.' They did not reach Apipsiros before they all went (died).

Zeir the son of Chanina was captured in a roundup (done by the thieves). Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Shmuel went out to appeal on his behalf. "King Zanvaya" (the head of the thieves - perhaps to be rendered as King of the Tails, from Rosh and Zanav, Head and Tail, thus a self-mocking name. actually literally (unless there is a typo) Kingdom of the Tails.) said to them, 'Your Creator is wont to do for you miracles.' While they were still involved on his (Zeir's) behalf, a Yishmaeli came carrying a sword, and said to them, 'With this sword Bar Netzer (who was a thief) slew the brother (of King Zanvaya).' (While all these happenings were going on, with King Zanvaya upset about this,) And Zeir ben Chanina escaped.

The Baalei Kania (lit. owners of possessions = a name for a band of thieves) stole from Rabbi Yochanan. He (R Yochanan) went to the meeting house, and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish asked him and he did not respond. He asked him and he (R Yochanan) did not respond. He (Resh Lakish) said to him, 'what is this?' He (R Yochanan) said to him (Resh Lakish), "All of the limbs rely on the heart, and the heart relies on the purse." He (Resh Lakish) said to him, "And how so?" (i.e. what do you mean by this?) He (R Yochanan) said to him, 'Baalei Kania stole from me.' He (Resh Lakish) said to him, "Show me the corner (where they stole from you, or the path where they went, and Resh Lakish chased after them)." He (R Yochanan) went and showed him. He (Resh Lakish) saw them from afar and began to yell at them. They said, "If it is R Yochanan, we will return half." He said to them, "By your lives, I will take all," and he took all.


The gemara which is cited from the above about risking one's life to save one's fellow is the first story with Resh Lakish, where R Ami was captured, and Resh Lakish said either he would kill or be killed. Thus, Resh Lakish put himself into threat of physical harm and possible death to save his fellow, who was certain to be killed. Did he consider this an obligation? Or Middat Chassidut? Further, we see R Yonatan gave up on him. Was this because R Yonatan felt is was no obligation? Would R Yonatan agree that it was a middat chassidut? Would he feel it was forbidden? Or perhaps he was not as tough a guy as Resh Lakish, who used to be a bandit and felt comfortable facing off with bandits? We see Resh Lakish went after bandits even when it was not a matter of pikuach nefesh (i.e. to save R Yochanan's possessions.)

I would think that the previous gemara about not giving over a man for death, even if he were specified, where the alternative is a fight, in which all would be killed, or maybe we could say that it is only a possible danger but they might all be able to survive, would also be a relevant yerushalmi. We see in such a case that it is only Mishnat Chassidut, whatever that means.

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