[Avodah] saves a life, or a Jewish life?

[Michael Makovi]

> It sort of depends on the precision of the translation. Is it "as though
> he saved all of humanity" or "all of the people" [ie the Jewish People]?
> You quote the latter.
>
> R' Micha

Good point. However, I forgot to note (I've now updated my blog entry
thanks to you) that the context of Koran 5:27-32 is Cain's killing
Abel, and the Koran speaks of "on that account" teaching the lesson of
killing/saving one equalling the killing/saving of the world.
Therefore, "the people" cannot refer to the Jews; how could Cain's
killing Abel (who progenated no Jews) teach us a lesson the meaning of
killing a Jew?

This is actually Meiri's explanation precisely, according to R'
Amitai! Meiri illustrates Sanhedrin 4:5 by pointing to Cain and Abel,
and so Meiri obviously holds that it is immaterial whether one
murdered is Jewish or not; the Koran seems to agree.

Of course, if anyone knows Arabic, please speak up; the website from
which I quoted the Koran in English also has the original Arabic on
the same page.

Michael Makovi