Murderer and the Preservation of Life Chapter 1

כָּל הוֹרֵג נֶפֶשׁ בֶּן אָדָם עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ יג) (דברים ה יז) "לֹא תִרְצָח". וְאִם רָצַח בְּזָדוֹן בִּפְנֵי עֵדִים מִיתָתוֹ בְּסַיִף שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כא כ) "נָקֹם יִנָּקֵם". מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁזּוֹ מִיתַת סַיִף. בֵּין שֶׁהָרַג אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ בְּבַרְזֶל בֵּין שֶׁשְּׂרָפוֹ בָּאֵשׁ מִיתָתוֹ בְּסַיִף:

Whenever a person kills a human being, he transgresses a negative commandment, as Exodus 20:13 states: "Do not murder." If a person kills a Jew intentionally in the presence of witnesses, he should be executed by decapitation. This is implied by Exodus 21:20, which states that when a person kills a servant, "vengeance will certainly be executed." The Oral Tradition explains that this refers to decapitation. Whether he kills the victim with an iron weapon or burns him with fire, the murderer should be executed by decapitation.

מִצְוָה בְּיַד גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם [לַהֲרֹג אֶת הָרוֹצֵחַ] שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לה יט) "גֹּאֵל הַדָּם הוּא יָמִית אֶת הָרֹצֵחַ". וְכָל הָרָאוּי לִירֻשָּׁה הוּא גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם. לֹא רָצָה גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יָכוֹל לַהֲמִיתוֹ אוֹ שֶׁאֵין לוֹ גּוֹאֵל דָּם בֵּית דִּין מְמִיתִין אֶת הָרוֹצֵחַ בְּסַיִף:

It is a mitzvah for the blood redeemer to kill the murderer, as Numbers 35:19 states: "The blood redeemer shall put the murderer to death." Whoever is fit to inherit the victim's estate becomes the redeemer of his blood. If the blood redeemer did not desire - or was unable - to kill the murderer, or if the victim did not have a relative to redeem his blood, the court executes the murderer by decapitation.

הָאָב שֶׁהָרַג אֶת בְּנוֹ. אִם הָיָה בֶּן לַנֶּהֱרָג הֲרֵי זֶה הוֹרֵג אֲבִי אָבִיו מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא גּוֹאֵל. וְאִם אֵין לוֹ בֵּן אֵין אֶחָד מִן הָאַחִין נַעֲשֶׂה גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם לְהָמִית אֶת אָבִיו אֶלָּא בֵּית דִּין מְמִיתִין אוֹתוֹ. וְאֶחָד הַזָּכָר וְאֶחָד הַנְּקֵבָה בִּגְאֻלַּת הַדָּם:

The following rules apply if a father kills his son. If the victim has a son, this son should kill his grandfather, because he is the blood redeemer. If he does not have a son, none of the victim's brothers becomes the blood redeemer who must kill his father. Instead, he should be executed by the court. Both a male and a female may become blood redeemers.

וּמֻזְהָרִין בֵּית דִּין שֶׁלֹּא לִקַּח כֹּפֶר מִן הָרוֹצֵחַ. וַאֲפִלּוּ נָתַן כָּל מָמוֹן שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם וַאֲפִלּוּ רָצָה גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם לְפָטְרוֹ. שֶׁאֵין נַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁל זֶה הַנֶּהֱרָג קִנְיַן גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם אֶלָּא קִנְיַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לה לא) "וְלֹא תִקְחוּ כֹפֶר לְנֶפֶשׁ רֹצֵחַ". וְאֵין לְךָ דָּבָר שֶׁהִקְפִּידָה תּוֹרָה עָלָיו כִּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לה לג) "וְלֹא תַחֲנִיפוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ" וְגוֹ'. (במדבר לה לג) "כִּי הַדָּם הוּא יַחֲנִיף אֶת הָאָרֶץ" וְגוֹ':

The court is enjoined not to accept ransom from the murderer to save him from execution. Even if he gave all the money in the world, and even if the blood redeemer was willing to forgive him he should be executed. The rationale is that the soul of the victim is not the property of the blood redeemer, but the property of the Holy One, blessed be He. And He commanded, Numbers 35:31: "Do not accept ransom for the soul of a murderer." There is nothing that the Torah warned so strongly against as murder, as Ibid.:33 states: "Do not pollute the land in which you live, for blood will pollute the land."

רוֹצֵחַ שֶׁהָרַג בְּזָדוֹן אֵין מְמִיתִין אוֹתוֹ הָעֵדִים וְלֹא הָרוֹאִים אוֹתוֹ עַד שֶׁיָּבוֹא לְבֵית דִּין וִידִינוּהוּ לְמִיתָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לה יב) "וְלֹא יָמוּת הָרֹצֵחַ עַד עָמְדוֹ לִפְנֵי הָעֵדָה לַמִּשְׁפָּט". וְהוּא הַדִּין לְכָל מְחֻיְּבֵי מִיתוֹת בֵּית דִּין שֶׁעָבְרוּ וְעָשׂוּ שֶׁאֵין מְמִיתִין אוֹתָן עַד שֶׁיִּגָּמֵר דִּינָם בְּבֵית דִּין:

When a murderer kills willfully, he should not be killed by witnesses or observers until he is brought to court and sentenced to death, as implied by Numbers 35:12 "A murderer should not be put to death until he stands before the congregation in judgment." This law applies to all those liable for execution by the court, who transgressed and performed the forbidden act. They should not be executed until their trial is completed by the court.

בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּשֶׁעָבַר וְעָשָׂה הֶעָוֹן שֶׁחַיָּב עָלָיו מִיתַת בֵּית דִּין. אֲבָל הָרוֹדֵף אַחַר חֲבֵרוֹ לְהָרְגוֹ אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה הָרוֹדֵף קָטָן הֲרֵי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל מְצֻוִּין לְהַצִּיל הַנִּרְדָּף מִיַּד הָרוֹדֵף וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּנַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁל רוֹדֵף:

When does the above apply? When the person has already transgressed and performed the transgression for which he is liable to be executed by the court. When, however, a person is pursuing a colleague with the intention of killing him - even if the pursuer is a minor - every Jewish person is commanded to attempt to save the person being pursued, even if it is necessary to kill the pursuer.

כֵּיצַד. אִם הִזְהִירוּהוּ וַהֲרֵי הוּא רוֹדֵף אַחֲרָיו אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא קִבֵּל עָלָיו הַתְרָאָה כֵּיוָן שֶׁעֲדַיִן הוּא רוֹדֵף הֲרֵי זֶה נֶהֱרָג. וְאִם יְכוֹלִים לְהַצִּילוֹ בְּאֵיבָר מֵאֵיבְרֵי הָרוֹדֵף כְּגוֹן שֶׁיַּכּוּ אוֹתוֹ בְּחֵץ אוֹ בְּאֶבֶן אוֹ בְּסַיִף וְיִקְטְעוּ אֶת יָדוֹ אוֹ יִשְׁבְּרוּ אֶת רַגְלוֹ אוֹ יְסַמּוּ אֶת עֵינוֹ עוֹשִׂין. וְאִם [אֵינָן] יְכוֹלִין לְכַוֵּן וּלְהַצִּילוֹ אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הֲרָגוּהוּ לַרוֹדֵף הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ הוֹרְגִין אוֹתוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא הָרַג שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כה יב) "וְקַצֹּתָה אֶת כַּפָּהּ לֹא תָחוֹס עֵינֶךָ":

What is implied? If the rodef was warned and continues to pursue his intended victim, even though he did not acknowledge the warning, since he continues his pursuit he should be killed. If it is possible to save the pursued by damaging one of the limbs of the rodef, one should. Thus, if one can strike him with an arrow, a stone or a sword, and cut off his hand, break his leg, blind him or in another way prevent him from achieving his objective, one should do so. If there is no way to be precise in one's aim and save the person being pursued without killing the rodef, one should kill him, even though he has not yet killed his victim. This is implied by Deuteronomy 25:11-12, which states: "If a man is fighting with his brother, and the wife of one... grabs the attacker by his private parts, you must cut off her hand; you may not show pity."

אֶחָד בִּמְבוּשָׁיו וְאֶחָד כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ סַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת. אֶחָד הָאִישׁ אוֹ הָאִשָּׁה. עִנְיַן הַכָּתוּב שֶׁכָּל הַחוֹשֵׁב לְהַכּוֹת חֲבֵרוֹ הַכָּאָה הַמְּמִיתָה אוֹתוֹ מַצִּילִין אֶת הַנִּרְדָּף בְּכַפּוֹ שֶׁל רוֹדֵף. וְאִם אֵינָן יְכוֹלִין מַצִּילִין אוֹתוֹ אַף בְּנַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כה יב) "לֹא תָחוֹס עֵינְךָ":

There is no difference whether she grabs "his private parts" or any other organ that imperils his life. Similarly, the rodef may be a man or a woman. The intent of the verse is that whenever a person intends to strike a colleague with a blow that could kill him, the pursued should be saved by "cutting off the hand" of the rodef. If this cannot be done, the victim should be saved by taking the rodef's life, as the verse continues: "you may not show pity."

אַף זוֹ מִצְוַת לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁלֹּא לָחוּס עַל נֶפֶשׁ הָרוֹדֵף. לְפִיכָךְ הוֹרוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁהָעֻבָּרָה שֶׁהִיא מַקְשָׁה לֵילֵד מֻתָּר לַחְתֹּךְ הָעֵבָּר בְּמֵעֶיהָ בֵּין בְּסַם בֵּין בְּיָד מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא כְּרוֹדֵף אַחֲרֶיהָ לְהָרְגָהּ. וְאִם מִשֶּׁהוֹצִיא רֹאשׁוֹ אֵין נוֹגְעִין בּוֹ שֶׁאֵין דּוֹחִין נֶפֶשׁ מִפְּנֵי נֶפֶשׁ וְזֶהוּ טִבְעוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם:

This, indeed, is one of the negative mitzvot - not to take pity on the life of a rodef. On this basis, our Sages ruled that when complications arise and a pregnant woman cannot give birth, it is permitted to abort the fetus in her womb, whether with a knife or with drugs. For the fetus is considered a rodef of its mother. If the head of the fetus emerges, it should not be touched, because one life should not be sacrificed for another. Although the mother may die, this is the nature of the world.

אֶחָד הָרוֹדֵף אַחַר חֲבֵרוֹ לְהָרְגוֹ אוֹ רוֹדֵף אַחַר נַעֲרָה מְאֹרָסָה לְאָנְסָהּ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב כו) "כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָקוּם אִישׁ עַל רֵעֵהוּ וּרְצָחוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כֵּן הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה". וַהֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים כב כז) "צָעֲקָה הַנַּעֲרָה הַמְאֹרָסָה וְאֵין מוֹשִׁיעַ לָהּ". הָא יֵשׁ לָהּ מוֹשִׁיעַ מוֹשִׁיעָהּ בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְהוֹשִׁיעַ וַאֲפִלּוּ בַּהֲרִיגַת הָרוֹדֵף:

The laws of a rodef apply whether a person is pursuing a colleague with the intent of killing him, or a maiden that had been consecrated with the intent of raping her, as reflected by Deuteronomy 22:26, which establishes an equation between murder and rape, stating: "Just as when a man arises against his colleague and kills him, so too, is this matter i.e., the rape of a consecrated maiden." The same principle is reflected by another verse within the passage, which states (Ibid.:27): "The consecrated maiden cried out, but there was no one to save her." Implied is that if there is someone who can save her, he must do so, using all means including taking the life of the pursuer.

וְהוּא הַדִּין לִשְׁאָר כָּל הָעֲרָיוֹת חוּץ מִן הַבְּהֵמָה. אֲבָל הַזָּכוּר מַצִּילִין אוֹתוֹ בְּנֶפֶשׁ הָרוֹדֵף כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הָעֲרָיוֹת. אֲבָל הָרוֹדֵף אַחַר הַבְּהֵמָה לְרָבְעָהּ. אוֹ שֶׁרָדַף לַעֲשׂוֹת מְלָאכָה בְּשַׁבָּת אוֹ לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַשַּׁבָּת וַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה עִקְּרֵי הַדָּת אֵין מְמִיתִין אוֹתוֹ עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה וִיבִיאוּהוּ לְבֵית דִּין וִידִינוּהוּ וְיָמוּת:

The same laws apply with regard to any woman forbidden as an ervah, but not to relations with an animal. With regard to homosexual rape, by contrast, one may save a man from being raped by killing the intended rapist. If one pursues an animal with the intent of sodomizing it, or one seeks to perform a forbidden labor on the Sabbath or to worship idols - although the Sabbath and the prohibition against idol worship are fundamental elements of our faith - the person should not be killed until he commits the transgression and is brought to court, convicted and executed.

רָדַף אַחַר עֶרְוָה וּתְפָשָׂהּ וְשָׁכַב עִמָּהּ וְהֶעֱרָה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא גָּמַר בִּיאָתוֹ אֵין מְמִיתִין אוֹתוֹ עַד עָמְדוֹ בַּדִּין. רָדַף אַחַר עֶרְוָה וַאֲחֵרִים הָיוּ רוֹדְפִין אַחֲרָיו לְהַצִּילָהּ. וְאָמְרָה לָהֶם הֲנִיחוּהוּ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַהַרְגֵנִי. אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לָהּ אֶלָּא מַבְהִילִין אוֹתוֹ וּמוֹנְעִין אוֹתוֹ מִלִּבְעל בְּאֵיבָרָיו. וְאִם אֵינָן יְכוֹלִים לְמָנְעוֹ בְּאֵיבָרָיו אֲפִלּוּ בְּנַפְשׁוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

If a person pursued a woman forbidden as an ervah, took hold of her and inserted the head of his organ within her,he may not be slain, even though he has not concluded sexual relations. He must be brought to court. If a man was pursuing a woman forbidden as an ervah, and other men were pursuing him to save her, and she tells them, "Let him be, so that he does not kill me," they should not listen to her.Instead, he should be intimidated and prevented from raping her, by maiming his limbs. If he cannot be prevented by maiming his limbs, his life may be taken, as explained above.

כָּל הַיָּכוֹל לְהַצִּיל בְּאֵיבָר מֵאֵיבָרָיו וְלֹא טָרַח בְּכָךְ אֶלָּא הִצִּיל בְּנַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁל רוֹדֵף וַהֲרָגוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים וְחַיָּב מִיתָה אֲבָל אֵין בֵּית דִּין מְמִיתִין אוֹתוֹ:

Whosoever can save [a pursued victim] by [injuring one] of the limbs [of the pursuer] and he did not bother with [limiting himself to only doing] that [measure], rather he saved [the victim] with the life of the pursuer [i.e.] he killed [the pursuer], this [vigilante] is a spiller of blood [i.e. a murderer] and is liable to death, though a [human] court does not execute him [for this crime].

כָּל הַיָּכוֹל לְהַצִּיל וְלֹא הִצִּיל עוֹבֵר עַל (ויקרא יט טז) "לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ". וְכֵן הָרוֹאֶה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ טוֹבֵעַ בַּיָּם. אוֹ לִסְטִים בָּאִים עָלָיו. אוֹ חַיָּה רָעָה בָּאָה עָלָיו. וְיָכוֹל לְהַצִּילוֹ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ. אוֹ שֶׁיִּשְׂכֹּר אֲחֵרִים לְהַצִּילוֹ וְלֹא הִצִּיל. אוֹ שֶׁשָּׁמַע עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים אוֹ מוֹסְרִים מְחַשְּׁבִים עָלָיו רָעָה אוֹ טוֹמְנִין לוֹ פַּח וְלֹא גִּלָּה אֹזֶן חֲבֵרוֹ וְהוֹדִיעוֹ. אוֹ שֶׁיָּדַע בְּעַכּוּ"ם אוֹ בְּאוֹנֵס שֶׁהוּא בָּא עַל חֲבֵרוֹ וְיָכוֹל לְפַיְּסוֹ בִּגְלַל חֲבֵרוֹ לְהָסִיר מַה שֶּׁבְּלִבּוֹ וְלֹא פִּיְּסוֹ. וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בִּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ. הָעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָם עוֹבֵר עַל לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ:

Whenever a person can save another person's life, but he fails to do so, he transgresses a negative commandment, as Leviticus 19:16 states: "Do not stand idly by while your brother's blood is at stake." Similarly, this commandment applies when a person sees a colleague drowning at sea or being attacked by robbers or a wild animal, and he can save him himself or can hire others to save him. Similarly, it applies when he hears gentiles or mosrim conspiring to harm a colleague or planning a snare for him, and he does not inform him and notify him of the danger. And it applies when a person knows of a gentile or a man of force who has a complaint against a colleague, and he can appease the aggressor on behalf of his colleague, but he fails to do so. And similarly, in all analogous instances, a person who fails to act transgresses the commandment: "Do not stand idly by while your brother's blood is at stake."

הָרוֹאֶה רוֹדֵף אַחַר חֲבֵרוֹ לְהָרְגוֹ אוֹ אַחַר עֶרְוָה לְבָעֳלָהּ וְיָכוֹל לְהַצִּיל וְלֹא הִצִּיל. הֲרֵי זֶה בִּטֵּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהִיא (דברים כה יב) "וְקַצֹּתָה אֶת כַּפָּהּ". וְעָבַר עַל שְׁנֵי לָאוִין עַל (דברים כה יב) "לֹא תָחוֹס עֵינְךָ" וְעַל (ויקרא יט טז) "לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ":

When a person sees a rodef pursuing a colleague to kill him, or a woman forbidden as an ervah to rape her, and he has the potential to save the victim and yet fails to do so, he has negated the observance of the positive commandment: "You must cut off her hand," and has transgressed two negative commandments: "You may not show pity," and "Do not stand idly by while your brother's blood is at stake."

אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין לוֹקִין עַל לָאוִין אֵלּוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין מַעֲשֶׂה בָּהֶן חֲמוּרִים הֵם. שֶׁכָּל הַמְאַבֵּד נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל כְּאִלּוּ אִבֵּד כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ. וְכָל הַמְקַיֵּם נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל כְּאִלּוּ קִיֵּם כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ:

Even though lashes are not given as punishment for the transgression of these prohibitions - because they do not involve committing a forbidden deed - they are nevertheless very severe. For whoever causes the loss of a Jewish soul is considered as if he destroyed the entire world, and whoever saves a Jewish soul is considered as if he saved the entire world.