[Avodah] Individual vs. Society

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Thu, Sep 22, 2016 at 01:16:36PM +0000, Rich, Joel via Avodah wrote:
: From Nishmat Avraham -I wonder if the wonder is based on the assumption
: that the whole is equal to the sum of its parts? (that is one could
: consider the effect on the justice system of a judges decision differently
: than an individual citizen's "rights")

: Rav Yonah Emanuel zt"l also commented that he did not know of a source
: which states that it would be permissible for a Dayan to pass judgment
: in favor of a litigant who was guilty if he was threatened with his life
: to do so. He thought that nevertheless it would be difficult to believe
: that a Dayan would be permitted to pronounce a guilty party innocent
: even if he was threatened with his life, for if so this would lead to a
: total collapse of law and order. I wondered why this situation should be
: any different from any other transgression....

Do you mean that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts? That
there are issues with a community that don't exist with a set of
individuals? If so, I agree.

Reminds me of a minyan, which has a corporate entity spiritual
significance beyond being 10 people. Perhaps the metaphysical significance
is a rational consequence of the sociological significance.

GCT!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Rescue me from the desire to win every
micha at aishdas.org        argument and to always be right.
http://www.aishdas.org              - Rav Nassan of Breslav
Fax: (270) 514-1507                   Likutei Tefilos 94:964