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And lived in them

שו”תCategory: Meta HalachaAnd lived in them
asked 1 year ago

Hello Rabbi Michael,
The Gemara’s words are well-known in Yoma. When the Amoraim were asked why Pikuach Nefesh forbids desecration of the Sabbath, they were given several sources, but no one considered the very assumption that the value of life outweighs the value of the Sabbath (and the same is true for the rest of the mitzvot, except for the prohibitions against shedding blood and incest).
The question is, why then, when a person desecrates the Sabbath, is he sentenced to stoning (i.e. death)? If we have determined that the value of life outweighs the value of the Sabbath, why then, when a person desecrates the Sabbath, has he lost the value of his life?
I feel like my question stems from a certain lack of discernment, or a lack of understanding of the concepts. I would love to hear your response.


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מיכי Staff answered 2 weeks ago
First, even when you compare value to value, it is not clear that the value of life is greater. The reasoning of “one Sabbath is violated” assumes that everything serves the value of the Sabbath. Although your question is correct in this respect as well, since if we killed the Sabbath violator, we have lost many Sabbaths in his future. Second, even if when they are established, the value of life still increases, it does not mean that we will not impose the death penalty on a Sabbath violator. This in itself will bring us many Sabbath observances by other people and will deter people (including himself) from violating the Sabbath. And indeed the Mishnah on Beatings says that almost no people would be killed in the Sabbath, meaning that it is only a deterrent. Regarding this itself, it can be said that we will violate one Sabbath (i.e., we will kill one person) so that they will observe many Sabbaths. See Rambam, Hala Memariam, 2:4.

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מיכי Staff replied 1 year ago

Beyond that, a life that involves intentional Sabbath desecration may not be worth keeping alive.

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