General Category > Ask JTF
Ask JTF for Sunday, June 28, 2009
eb22:
Shalom Chaim,
In a discussion in the Forum earlier this week, someone posted the following:
http://www.aish.com/literacy/concepts/Preservation_of_Life.asp
"Placing Oneself in Danger
We are commanded to preserve our health and well being, as the Torah states, "Take heed and guard your life very carefully" (Deut. 4:9), and "Guard your lives very carefully" (ibid. 4:15). It is therefore forbidden for a person to deliberately injure himself or endanger his life or health in any way. Torah law itself requires that we be more strict concerning a danger to our physical well being than concerning a violation of its own commandments.
One who places either his own or another's life in danger is guilty of violating the commandment, "Do not allow a dangerous situation to remain in your house" (Deut. 22:8 ). For this reason, one should keep his property clear of anything that might cause a serious accident.
It is an extremely serious sin to cause one's own death, whether by intent or negligence. One who does so is considered a murderer, as the Torah states, "I will surely demand an account for [spilling] your own life's blood" (Genesis 9:5). "
My question is as follows, At what point is endangering one's life?
The reason I'm asking this question is that the real JDL under the late and great Rabbi Kahane and yourself were heroic in the defense of the Jewish people and Righteous Gentiles. The Rabbi went to Harlem along with some JDL members in order to stand up to the Black Panthers, when no one else seemed willing to because of perceived danger. You were willing to take a chance in bombing Soviet property, in order to save Soviet Jews. These are just a couple of many examples of the heroic efforts of both of you. Knowing how knowledgeable the Rabbi was about the Torah and how knowledge you are about the Torah, I know both of you would go the extra mile and then-some not to violate the Torah laws. Especially when factoring in your very high levels of righteousness. Yet, it gets back to what defines endangering one's life?
Thanks as always, eb22.
JTFenthusiast:
Dear Chaim,
I come from a secular background, but have becoming increasingly Zionist and more interested in my own Judaism through listening to your program and exploring YouTube. You are a real pillar of strength in a society that is decaying in so many ways. I have been thinking for a long time that I want to contribute to JTF in anyway possible. I have been active on YT fighting anti-semitism. The one thing about JTF that I have an issue with is the way that gay people are addressed.
It seems to me there is a real lack of compassion in this area. So much of what you say makes incredible, no--extraordinary sense. I do not mean to offend you, but so much of what you say is right on, that it's difficult to hear you excoriate people that some of us love or are connected to. With much thanks in advance, JTFE
Abben:
Hello Chaim my question is about the DC train crash. Do you think the train crash wouldn't of happened if the train operator wasn't black? They said she was only on the job for 6 months. Would you say she was a product of affirmative action
?.
Thanks and as always GD bless
ItalianZionist:
Chaim,
Why did some hassidem believe that rabbi Schneerson was the Messiah?
Trace:
Shalom Chaim,
Do you believe there are varying levels of culpability on the part of the European nations which went along with Adolf Hitler during World War II, or do you think they were all equally guilty? Obviously countries like Bosnia, Albania, and Croatia enthusiastically joined Hitler because they were Muslims and Jew-haters. Poland tried to fight the Nazis, but they tended to be just as anti-Semitic as the Germans and killed Jews on their own. Italy's government was formally allied with Hitler but it is my understanding that the Italian people themselves were overwhelmingly against fascism, and Mussolini was immediately killed by the Italian resistance after surrendering to the Allies. The Baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia) were occupied by both the Nazis and the Soviets - some resistance groups there helped the Jews but others collaborated with the Nazis against the Soviets. Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Holland all generally hated Hitler and they tried as hard as they could to help the Jewish communities. Serbia, of course, fought heroically against the Nazis and their Muslim allies.
The order in which I listed those countries seems to me to be from most to least culpable in terms of their abetting of the Nazis. Would you agree?
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