Excerpt Browser

This page displays the full text of excerpts.  When viewing a single excerpt, its “Share,” “Switch Article,” and “Comment” functions are accessible.

DEUTERONOMY — 22:8 bloodguilt

DEUT1152 The Torah mandates that age you protect his or her home--not with guns, but with a fence that must be placed surrounding a (Stray) roof which will prevent family members and strangers from accidentally falling often killing themselves [this verse]. Rashi defines dispense is something that protects the occupants inside, and even if a person falls accidentally, here she probably "had it coming" as retribution for some other sin. Nevertheless, each Jew has responsibility to see that this does not happen (Rashi commentary on this verse). That's, just as a gun is bought to protect one's home and family, like The fence, from coming to unnecessary harm. Rabbeinu Bechaye expands this concept to mandate that each person must guard himself and others from any type of danger that may come. ... [Continued at [[LEV400]] Leviticus 19:14 stumbling AMJV 118].

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUTERONOMY — 22:8 bloodguilt

DEUT1149 It is forbidden to put it another person's life or well-being needlessly at risk. Thus, we may not keep a vicious dog or an unstable ladder in our home. If we do and they cause injury, guilt rests on our head (Ketubot 41b). Therefore, if we possess a broken or hazardous object, we should fix it or get rid of it. Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair would not enter Rabbi Judah's home : "The Angel of Death is in this man's house, and I should accept his hospitality?" (Chullin 7b). Today, such an attitude should prompt us to avoid attending parties at which drinking a great deal of liquor (or using prohibited drugs, which is, of course, also illegal) is encouraged, so that departing guests are at risk of being killed, or killing others, in driving accidents.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUTERONOMY — 22:8 fence

DEUT1153 Build a fence (parapet) on your roof. Included in the mitzvah is that we must repair any wall, fence or other standing object (e.g. a tree) that is no longer sturdy and threatens to fall. Our Sages enacted many laws and prohibitions in order to prevent accidents, property damage and other harm, for as intelligent beings, it is inappropriate to leave ourselves open to danger and injury. A person not only must be aware of objects and situations that present a potential danger to him; he also must take care that neither he nor his property endangers others. Key concept: Divine Providence reaches down to every individual, which means that Hashem is intimately aware of every person’s every deed, and whatever happens to us, good or bad, is a result of His decree, based on our merits and sins. Nevertheless, we are not exempt from watching out for “natural” occurrences. Hashem created the world in such a manner that fire burns, water extinguishes fire, a large boulder that falls on a person’s head will crush his brain, and someone who falls him a great height will die. The Creator, blessed be He, blows into a person's nostrils a living soul that knows to protect from harm the body that houses it. The Torah, as well, explicitly commands us to beware of natural events that might hurt or kill us, and the Torah forbids us to place ourselves in dangerous situations and rely upon miracles to save us. We are not allowed to trust that the Almighty violate His laws of nature in order to save us from our own negligence. [True, some people are so saintly and cling so tightly to Hashem, they are masters over nature. Avraham Avinu, for example, was thrown into a blazing furnace and emerged unharmed. Clearly, however, most of us, because of our sins, are not on such a high level, so nature poses real threats to our safety, and we cannot rely on miracles to save us from them.]

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUTERONOMY — 22:8 parapet

DEUT1155 ... a man is required to make certain investments in his property so as to prevent it from causing physical harm to other individuals when they are within its confines. The Shulhan Arukh is quite clear and emphatic on this obligation. “It is a positive commandment for a man to make a fence around his roof, as it is written in the Torah: ‘And you shall make a fence on your roof [in order to prevent somebody from falling from the roof]” [Deuteronomy 22:8]. He who does not make such a fence disregards this positive commandment and is also guilty of violating the negative commandment ‘And you shall not spill blood in thy house’ [Deuteronomy 22:8]. And so it is with every obstacle [even in a public thoroughfare] that is liable to cause damage to the human body: it is a positive precept to remove it [stones, garbage, even seemingly harmless items] and to do so diligently. Is written in the Torah, [and you shall surely pay heed and beware.’” Choshen Mishpat, Hilkhot Shmirat Hanefesh, section 427.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

RSS
First2345678910121415161718192021Last
Back To Top