[Avodah] [Areivim] assisted suicide

[Michael Makovi]

>> Some of the people who spoke in favor of the bill tried to show how Shimshon
>> would have been in favor of assisted suicide.

> I'm surprised that I haven't heard people bring Shimshon as a support
> for Palestinian suicide bombers (Yes, I'm sure google will produce
> some).

I've thought about this before, and it has troubled me.

Well first, the suicide bombers are wrong. They may disagree, but we
know they are criminals. So there's no question with them.

But what about a Jewish terrorist and/or vigilante? Maybe he is like Shimshon?

Based on Rabbi Henkin's article in Equality Lost, I've come to the
conclusion that ther are at least three differences between a Jewish
terrorist (JT hereafter) today and Shimshon:

1) JT = chillul hashem. Whereas with Shimsohon, he hid his
Jewish loyalties through (apparent) intermarriage.

2) With Shimshon there was no ordained government; there was nothing
to do except vigilantism. But with JT , there is an IDF and a court
system to take care of things.

3) JT doesn't accomplish anything. He's too small by himself, and the
situation in Israel is too large and politically complex. This simple
fact that it is futile means it has no justification. He'll just do a
chillul hashem and bring a wave of backlash agains the very cause he's
trying to represent (and no one said his cause itself is wrong - see
Rav Hirsch on Shimon and Levi - their intention to defend Dina's honor
was true, but their Esav-ic method was not).

Mikha'el Makovi