Q&A: Placing a Stumbling Block Before an Apikoros
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Placing a Stumbling Block Before an Apikoros
Question
Hello Rabbi,
According to your view, Rabbi, that a complete apikoros is not subject to commandments and transgressions:
1] Is it permitted to benefit from Sabbath work that a Jewish apikoros does for me of his own accord?
2] Is it permitted to cause a Jewish apikoros to stumble into a Torah-level transgression, such as handing him non-kosher carcasses and forbidden animals?
3] Is it permitted to cause a Jewish apikoros to stumble into a rabbinic transgression, such as handing him produce forbidden as aftergrowth?
Thanks in advance
Answer
- By reasoning alone, it seems that his status is like that of an act done by a non-Jew. A non-Jew as well is not subject to Sabbath observance. But it is possible that for this matter his status is like that of a Jew, since the prohibition of benefiting from Sabbath work speaks about me, not about him.
- That was the subject of this article of mine. I argued that yes, but not to feed it to him directly with your own hands.
- As above. In the case of a rabbinic transgression it is even easier, since Netivot HaMishpat, sec. 234, wrote that there is no prohibition of “do not place a stumbling block” in cases of inadvertence for any rabbinic prohibitions, even if you are causing an observant Jew to stumble.