[Avodah] pikuach nefesh

[Rich, Joel]

In Avodah V28n87, RET noted:
> CI has a question: Can one divert a grenade to save many people but it 
> will fall on a few. CI remains with a safek. R. Zilberstein in many 
> shiurim seems to tend towards allowing it (it has many practical 
> applications). I believe the Tzitz Eliezer does not allow based on the 
> CI' safek <
Isn't that question the "trolley problem"* (for which I was told some years ago the Halachic answer is "no, don't throw the switch")?
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*) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_problem

All the best from
-- Michael Poppers via BB pager
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The halachic answer is - not clear. The CI was asked aiui based on an actual bus driver case and is noteh to say diverting the arrow is a maaseh hatzalah. There is a ton of source material on trying to understand halachic priorities in this and similar life priorities - suffice it to say imho there are different takes, primarily (again imho) on how you understand "sumak tfei" (who says your blood is redder) as a real question (i.e if you could tell whose blood was redder (perhaps a talmid chacham, or 5 people against 1) you would act on it versus seeing it as a statement that it is unknowable and we must stay away from being involved in taking any life (i.e let hkb"h decide)-yes this is a simplification
KT
Joel Rich 
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