[Avodah] train switch conundrum

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Oct 12, 2009 at 09:01:48AM -0400, Rich, Joel wrote:
: Any sources on the diversion of the train to kill one instead of 5
: (besides the chazon Ish)?
: Any compendium discussion?

See RARaffet-Rothkoff's series of shiurim on the subject:
http://www.yutorah.org/browse/browse.cfm#category=234774&speaker=80135&lang=cfm&organizationID=301

Along the way, he gives the following painful case:
    During Lebanon I, a handful of soldiers are sent into a building. They
    make it to the top, and radio back that the building was empty. So,
    the army sends in a far larger number of soldiers.

    The building was rigged.

    At the time it blew up, there were 5 soldiers near the top, and
    dozens near the ground level.

    This is the question posed the rav serving as chaplain: Do they
    try to save the men at the top of the rubble? Or do they bulldoze
    away the top of the heap in order to maximize the number of people
    they're likely to save? But the latter choice means actively killing
    the men on top.

RARR left the question open, but I think he was intentionally leading
us to conclude that you can't actively kill one even to save many.

I can think of two possible sevaros:

1- Mi yichyeh umi yamos is in HQBH's hands. The question is therefore
more about the person facing the decision than the people who may be
saved or killed because of his choice. IOW, the only real issue is
choosing to be a killer.

2- Every life is of infinite value. 100 times infinity is no greater
than infinity. You can't weigh out lives and compare their infinities.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             You will never "find" time for anything.
micha at aishdas.org        If you want time, you must make it.
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