109 Torah Book & Portion, Book of Leviticus, Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:1–20:27), Source Book Keys, AMEMEI LEVITICUS | 19:16 idly — LEV486 The political systems in today's societies... LEV486 The political systems in today's societies are most usually described in terms of the rights of every individual vis-à-vis the other individuals in the society, as well as the individual's rights vis-à-vis the government. Judaism, on the other hand, in addition to rights, also discusses the obligations of the individual to other individuals in this society and the obligations of the individual to the government. ... Regrettable as it might be, there is no law by which someone who stands by and does nothing can be prosecuted when he or she witnesses a crime or an injustice. But Jewish law and Judaism take an entirely different view. A Jew has legal responsibility to help someone in trouble, and it is a Torah violation if he or she stands by and does nothing. The Bible clearly states that one shall not stand idly while his brother's blood is being shed [this verse]. One may not allow a person to drown if one has the ability to save the person drowning. ... Even [a] non-swimming onlooker would be obligated to call someone to help. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 73a) discusses the entire issue, based on [this] Biblical verse, and concludes that it is an obligation to help someone in any kind of trouble, even to the point of preventing his death by killing the potential killer. Maimonides has codified this obligation (Hilchot Rotze'ach 1:15) ... According to the Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 426:1), even a person who withholds information that could help someone else violates Jewish law. ... A person may not even pass by a lost object and refuse to pick it up. Judaism obligates the Jew to pick up the object and try to return it to its owner (see chapter "Returning Lost Objects") (Deuteronomy 22:1-3). Share Print Source KeyAMEMEIVerse19:16Keyword(s)idlySource Page(s)195 Switch article LEVITICUS | 19:16 idly — LEV479 If a senile parent, living in his or her o... Previous Article LEVITICUS | 19:16 idly — LEV480 In survey after survey, individuals are as... Next Article