LEV495 See [[EXOD549]] Exodus 21:14 neighbor SPERO 126-30

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LEV494 [Regarding this verse the] Torah makes it clear that its greatest heroes were concerned with all suffering, not just that of their own people. When Abraham learns that God intends to destroy the city of Sodom for its acts of cruelty, he argues with God not to do so if there are at least a few righteous people living there (Genesis 18:22–33). Later, when Moses sees the Midianite male shepherds mistreating Midianite female shepherds trying to water their flock, he stands up for the women and secures their rights (Exodus 2:16–17). It is fitting, therefore, that Jews have played such a prominent role in a leading the campaign to stop the genocide in Darfur. In addition to providing humanitarian aid to many of the displaced and traumatized people forced from their homes and living in camps in Sudan and Chad, the American Jewish World Service (headed by Ruth Messinger), which founded the Save Darfur coalition in 2004, has used public education and political advocacy in the United States to try to end the crisis. In a statement issued at the time, AJWS said: "As Jews, we have a particular moral responsibility to speak out and take action against genocide. We must respond and save as many lives as we can."

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LEV497 The biblical law [this verse] mandates that we intervene and extend help when another's life or well-being is at risk. As the Talmud teaches: "From where do we know that if one sees someone drowning in a river, or if one sees a wild beast attacking a person or bandits coming to attack him, that he is obligated to save the person? The Bible teaches, 'Do not stand idly by while your brother's blood is shed'" (Sanhedrin 73a). However, Jewish law does not oblige us to sacrifice our life for another; intervention is required only when our actions will not put our own life at risk. Thus, in the case of a drowning person, if you can't swim, or if you can but the river's current is dangerously fast, you are obligated to do all that you can (i.e., extend a pole or summon help), but not to risk your own life (see Sefer Chasidim, paragraph 674). In a case where a person is present who can swim, for example, you are obligated to offer money to try to induce them to do so (Sanhedrin 73a) (The victim--if he has the means--is required to repay the person who laid out the money to help save him (Ramah, Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 252:12). The Talmud notes that the obligation to help also applies in a case where you witness a person being attacked by a wild animal. For example, if you can distract the animal without putting yourself at serious risk, you must do so. In the case of muggers or gang members, if it is too dangerous to intervene, you must, at the very least, summon the police. While this would seem self-evident, no such requirement exists under American law.

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LEV496 Someone who has information that can be helpful to a person on trial is obligated to come forward, whether or not he has been subpoenaed. To withhold testimony that can help save someone from undeserved punishment is likewise seen as standing idly by while your neighbor's blood [or reputation] is shed (Sifra on this verse]. In monetary cases, Maimonides applies this verse to one who withholds evidence that can prevent his fellow's money from being lost, but who does not come forward to testify (Book of the Commandments, negative commandment 297).

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LEV498 The law that states, "Do not go about as a talebearer among your people" [this verse, emphasis added] seems to be directed only toward Jews; in other words, don't bear tales or speak negatively and unfairly about your fellow Jews. In legal works on lashon hara, it is generally assumed that we are forbidden to speak lashon hara only of fellow Jews. In a democracy like United States, however, Jews have full equality, and are regarded, both by themselves and by non-Jews, as part of the American people. Therefore the laws prohibiting lashon hara should apply as well to the non-Jews among whom we live (unlike, for example, medieval Europe or Jews living under Roman occupation). In short, American Jews, as Americans and Jews, belong to two people, and have obligations to both.

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LEV499 One may not withhold knowledge or evidence that may lead to a loss of your fellow man's money, as it is written [this verse]. Sifra, Lev. 19:16

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LEV501 [This verse] is interpreted by the Rabbis to mean that if one has information that can benefit his neighbor in a lawsuit, he is obligated to testify even though it may involve great risk or inconvenience. And if one sees a man drowning or being attacked by robbers or beasts, or being pursued by a murderer, he is bound to come to his aid even at great risk to his own possessions or to his life and limb. Sanhedrin 73a Though the Rabbis taught that one must be prepared to risk one's life in behalf of an endangered fellow man, they do not teach, as Jesus is said to have taught, that the ultimate test of friendship is "that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:12-13). Interpreter's Bible, where in the notes to 15:13-17, the same sentiment is attributed to Buddha.

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LEV502 As for the meaning of the word moral or ethical, it has often been quite distorted. For instance, when asked to define an ethical person, one's response will often be "a person who does not hurt anyone else." This definition, however, is far from the Jewish one. A person whose good conduct consists only of not hurting anyone is not a criminal, but is not necessarily an ethical person. To be an ethical person as Judaism understands it is to be a person who actively pursues the good in life. To cite a few examples: It is not adequate to simply refrain from hurting other people. One must get involved when one sees a wrong being committed. The Torah says, "Do not stand by on the blood of your neighbor" [this verse]. Similarly, it is not enough to merely refrain from doing unjust things. To be a good and ethical person, one must actively seek out and try to correct a wrong done by another: "Justice, justice, shall you pursue" [Deuteronomy 16:20], and "you shall burn the evil from out of your midst" [Deuteronomy 17:7]. In short, being and behaving in an ethical way means to act and respond positively to anything that is wrong in the world. As Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin once succinctly put it: "The entire Bible may be understood as a positive response to the question which Cain posed after murdering his brother Abel: 'Am I my brother's keeper?'"

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LEV508 See [[LEV1119]] Leviticus 26:16 wreak OXFORD 313-4

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LEV503 During recent decades military forces were deployed in some cases of humanitarian intervention that involved combat. Usually such wars cannot be portrayed as wars of self-defense. Are they justifiable? Although there is no official Jewish view of such interventions, a starting point can be offered. It is the biblical precept "you shall not… stand against the blood of your neighbor" [this verse]. That verse is usually interpreted as pertaining to proper interactions between individuals--that, for example, one must seek to rescue a person who is drowning or accosted by highway robbers (B. Sanhedrin 73a)--but it can and should serve as grounds for a conception of proper humanitarian intervention in telling us that we as a society may, and maybe even should, engage in such wars if there is no alternative to protecting innocent lives. (By Asa Kasher, "Jewish Ethics and War")

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