Q&A: Life-Threatening Danger and Theft
Life-Threatening Danger and Theft
Question
I’m sure you’ve already addressed this, but I couldn’t find it either in your collected writings or on the site. What is the flaw in the reasoning that it is permitted to lie—for example, to falsify the date on travel insurance for a trip abroad—in order to receive payment that is needed in order to be saved?
Thank you in advance
Answer
I didn’t understand the question. This is outright theft. Are you asking whether it is permitted to steal in a life-threatening situation? This question is asked in the Talmud, Bava Kamma 60b (“is a person permitted to save himself with another person’s money”), and the answer is no. True, most of the medieval authorities wrote that one is obligated to pay, but it is permitted to do so; however, Rashi’s position is that it is truly forbidden. Either way, you are obligated to pay, and you may not simply steal in order to save yourself. That is also the halakhic ruling in the Tur and Shulchan Arukh.