tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309929059139673041.post6514136602348558897..comments2024-03-28T21:30:33.665+02:00Comments on Daas Torah - Issues of Jewish Identity: Suspected rodef - defensive behavior when it is possible but not certain someone is a threatDaas Torahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07252904288544083215noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309929059139673041.post-42537848230050556732011-04-21T21:31:12.418+03:002011-04-21T21:31:12.418+03:00and appears to be an Arab
Even though Rav Silman ...<i>and appears to be an Arab</i><br /><br />Even though Rav Silman concedes the guard may be mistaken, he takes pains to indicate the person appears to be a nochri, since he is acknowledging that the halacha would be different (i.e. impermissible) if it is clear the person is certainly a yehudi.<br /><br /><i>4) Therefore in the two versions of the question that were asked concerning a suspicious person it is permitted to kill him.</i><br /><br />With this disclaimer, Rav Silman takes pains to indicate this responsa is only applicable in the specific circumstances presented to him for this shaila, and is not a general psak for any so-called "rodef" situation.<br /><br /><i>5) In contrast in the case of someone running in the forest or is shooting and there are doubts as to his intent[ - he is not to be viewed as a rodef</i><br /><br />Here Rav Silman actually presents a situation of "behavior when it is possible but not certain someone is a threat" where it is <b>prohibited</b> to treat him as a rodef.<br /><br />Furthermore, Rav Silman does not in this teshuva indicate he considers a molester to be in the halachic category of a rodef.<br /><br /><i>However it is possible that in a short time the stranger will in fact cause a serious terror attack.</i><br /><br />And perhaps most importantly, Rav Silman is specifically discussing a case where a split-second decision must be made as whether to act with lethal force against the individual. Clearly (especially with the above points) he is <b>not</b> allowing this where it is not a split-second situation.<br /><br />(Additionally, even if you were to still claim he would consider it permissible to attack someone as such, such an opinion is clearly at odds with other Rabbonim who would <b>not</b> allow treating a suspected -- <b>but uncertain</b> -- individual as a rodef.)<br /><br />So for any one of multiple reasons this responsa would be inapplicable regarding someone who is suspected, but it is uncertain, that he is a molester.Franknoreply@blogger.com