[Avodah] Russian Roulette

[Zev Sero]

Rich, Joel wrote:
> Is one allowed to play Russian Roulette with 2 bullets in a 5 chamber 
> gun to win $1?
> What about 1 in 10 for $1million?
> Vchen Halah?


I assume your question is ultimately based on the pasuk "ve'elav hu
nosei et nafsho", which explicitly authorises a person to risk his life
for parnasa.  It seems obvious that this cannot be a blanket heter, to
take any risk for any reward; there must be gedarim, both in the degree
of risk that is allowed and in the size of the reward that justifies it. 

-- 
Zev Sero               Something has gone seriously awry with this Court's
zev at sero.name          interpretation of the Constitution.
                       	                          - Clarence Thomas