Pesachim 50

ושפיכות דמים

and murder.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'bloodshed'.');">¹</span> Idolatry, as we have stated.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., the interdict of the wood of the asherah.');">²</span> Incest and murder, as it was taught: Rabbi said: For as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXII, 26. This refers to the ravishing of a betrothed maiden.');">³</span>

ע"ז הא דאמרן גילוי עריות ושפיכות דמים דתניא ר' אומר (דברים כב, כו) כי כאשר יקום איש על רעהו ורצחו נפש כן הדבר הזה וכי מה ענין רוצח אצל נערה המאורסה

Now, what connection has a murderer with a betrothed maiden? Thus this comes to throw light, and is itself illumined.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the verse shows that the case of a murderer throws light upon that of a betrothed maiden, but is also itself illumined thereby.');">⁴</span> The murderer is compared to a betrothed maiden: just as a betrothed maiden must be saved [from dishonour] at the cost of his [her ravisher's] life, so [in the case of] a murderer, he [the victim] must be saved at the cost of his [the attacker's] life.

הרי זה בא ללמד ונמצא למד מקיש רוצח לנערה המאורסה מה נערה המאורסה ניתן להצילה בנפשו אף רוצח ניתן להצילו בנפשו ונערה המאורסה מרוצח מה רוצח יהרג ואל יעבור אף נערה המאורסה תהרג ואל תעבור

Conversely, a betrothed maiden [is learned] from a murderer: just as [in the case of] murder, one must be slain rather than transgress, so a betrothed maiden must be slain yet not transgress.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' She should rather suffer death than dishonour.');">⁵</span> And how do we know it of murder itself?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That one must allow oneself to be slain rather than commit murder.');">⁶</span> It is common sense.

ושפיכות דמים גופיה מנלן סברא הוא כי ההוא דאתא לקמיה דרבא א"ל מרי דוראי אמר לי זיל קטליה לפלני' ואי לא קטלינא לך א"ל ליקטלוך ולא תיקטול מאי חזית דדמא דידך סומק טפי דילמא דמא דההוא גברא סומק טפי

Even as one who came before Raba and said to him: The governor of my town has ordered me, 'Go and kill So-and-so, if not, I will kill you.' He answered him: 'Let him kill you rather than that you should commit murder; what [reason] do you see [for thinking] that your blood is redder? Perhaps his blood is redder.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' You have no right to murder him to save yourself; his life is no less valuable than your own.');">⁷</span>

מר בר רב אשי אשכחיה לרבינא דשייף לה לברתיה בגוהרקי דערלה אמר ליה אימור דאמור רבנן בשעת הסכנה שלא בשעת הסכנה מי אמור

Mar son of R'Ashi found Rabina rubbing his daughter with undeveloped olives of 'orlah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For a remedy.');">⁸</span> Said he to him: 'Granted that the Rabbis ruled [thus]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That anything may be used for a remedy.');">⁹</span> in time of danger; was it [likewise] ruled when there is no danger? ' 'This inflammatory fever is also like a time of danger,' he answered him.

א"ל האי אישתא צמירתא נמי כשעת הסכנה דמיא איכא דאמרי א"ל מידי דרך הנאה קא עבידנא

Others say, he answered him: 'Am I then using it in the normal manner of its usage? ' It was stated: [As to forbidden] benefit that comes to a man against his will, - Abaye said: It is permitted while Raba maintained: It is forbidden. Where it is possible [to avoid it], while he intends [to benefit], or if is impossible [to avoid it], yet he intends [to benefit], none dispute that it is forbidden.

איתמר הנאה הבאה לו לאדם בעל כרחו אביי אמר מותרת ורבא אמר אסורה

If it is impossible avoid it], and he does not intend [to benefit], none dispute that it is permitted. They differ where it is possible [to avoid it] and he does not intend [to benefit]; now, on the view of R'Judah, who ruled, That which is unintended is forbidden,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Shab. 22a.');">¹⁰</span> none dispute that it is forbidden.

אפשר וקא מיכוין לא אפשר וקמיכוין כולי עלמא לא פליגי דאסור לא אפשר ולא מיכוין כולי עלמא לא פליגי דשרי כי פליגי דאפשר ולא מיכוין

Where do they differ? On the view of R'Simeon, who maintained: That which is unintended is permitted. Abaye rules as R'Simeon, But Raba [argues]: R'Simeon rules thus only where it is impossible [to do otherwise], but not where it is possible.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The controversy of R. Judah and R. Simeon is with respect to dragging a bench over an earthen floor on the Sabbath, because it is needed in another part of the room. The dragging may make a rut in the earth, which is forbidden. Now in Abaye's view, R. Simeon permits the unintentional even when the whole act is avoidable, e.g., the bench is light enough to be carried. But in Raba's view R. Simeon permits it only when the bench is too heavy for this, so that the dragging is unavoidable. - An action is regarded as unavoidable when its purpose - here to have the bench elsewhere - is permissible or necessary. Similarly below, lecturing to the masses is regarded as unavoidable.');">¹¹</span>

ואליבא דר' יהודה דאמר דבר שאין מתכוין אסור כולי עלמא לא פליגי דאסור כי פליגי אליבא דר"ש דאמר דבר שאין מתכוין מותר אביי כרבי שמעון ורבא אמר עד כאן לא קא א"ר שמעון אלא היכא דלא אפשר אבל היכא דאפשר לא

Others state: If it is possible [to avoid it], and he does not intend [to benefit], that is [the case of] th controversy between R'Judah and R'Simeon.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Raba too admits this.');">¹²</span> If it is impossible [to avoid it], and he does not intend [to benefit], none dispute that it is permitted. When do they differ?

איכא דאמרי אפשר ולא מיכוין היינו פלוגתייהו דר' יהודה ור' שמעון לא אפשר ולא קא מיכוין כולי עלמא לא פליגי דשרי כי פליגי דלא אפשר וקא מיכוין ואליבא דר' שמעון דאזיל בתר כוונה כולי עלמא לא פליגי דאסור כי פליגי אליבא דר' יהודה דאמר לא שנא מתכוין ולא שנא שאין מתכוין אפשר אסור

Where it is impossible [to avoid it] and he intends [to benefit]. Now, on the view of R'Simeon, who regards the intention,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the determining factor.');">¹³</span> none dispute that it is forbidden.

אביי כרבי יהודה

Where do they differ? On the view of R'Judah, who maintained: It makes no difference whether he intends or does not intend, if it is possible [to avoid it] it is forbidden. Abaye rules as R'Judah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since R. Judah rules thus, we see that the matter always depends on whether it is avoidable or not; therefore if it is unavoidable it is permitted.');">¹⁴</span>