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Top Document: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Observance, Marriage, Women in Judaism (4/12) Previous Document: Question 7.9: What is an Eruv? Next Document: Question 7.11: What Medical Procedures May Be Performed on Shabbat? See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge
Answer:
Yes, you can. Putting out a fire on Shabbos is just one example of a
more general rule. With rare exception, saving a life takes precedence
over any prohibition. Among the exceptions: murder, idolatry, certain
sexual sins, and war in certain cases. In other words, if given the
choice between murdering another or getting killed, one must choose to
get killed.
In addition, one is permitted, but not obligated, to risk one's life
to perform any other observance that was banned by Antisemites for the
purpose of suppressing Judaism. The textual origin for the general
rule is at Deut 4:5: "and you shall guard well your lives." In context
it means something totally different, but that's where the derash
begins. Since allowing a fire to spread to the rest of the house is a
major threat to both the people in the house as well as people in
neighboring houses, one is OBLIGATED to put the fire out on Shabbat.
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Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:11 PM
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