[Avodah] FW: Yehareig velo ya'avor

[Zev Sero]

>> Thanks for the cite! If you check out the mishneh lmelech there
> 
> For those who didn't look, it's at:
> https://beta.hebrewbooks.org/rambam.aspx?rtype=%D7%98%D7%A2%D7%A7%D7%A1%D7%98&mfid=104611&rid=15005
> 
>>                                                                  he refers
>> to the parshat drachim derech atarim (drasha #2) who makes exactly the
>> argument I proposed as why a ben noach would be required to give up his
>> life rather than kill someone.
> 
> But also says "debishfichus damim mitzvah haben-noach sheyeihareig ve'al
> ya'avor". By making it about "mai chazis" it isn't about the 7 mitzvos
> in general, or even the other two mitzvos that for Jews are yeihareig
> ve'al ya'avor. Rather, because the only question is who dies, not the
> comparative values are life vs obedience.

Thank you.  However if the Rambam agreed with this it's odd that he 
didn't say so.   And the svara against it seems fairly simple:  Yisrael 
are commanded in kiddush haShem; we're expected to sometimes put 
obedience ahead of our lives.  Therefore when considering for which 
mitzvos we must do so, the svara of "mai chazis" compels us to include 
this.  It wouldn't make sense to say that for AZ we must be moser 
nefesh, but for shfichas damim we needn't.

But for Bnei Noach the whole concept of mesirus nefesh doesn't exist. 
They are never expected to do that; we have an explicit pasuk that 
they're even allowed to serve AZ rather than die.  So how can we tell 
them to sacrifice themselves for mai chazis?  On the contrary, they will 
tell you exactly mai chazina -- this is my life and that is his.  To 
*me* my life is more important than his, just as I expect that to *him* 
his life is more important than mine.  Just as I would give my life to 
save my children, because theirs are more important to me than mine, so 
I will give your life to save mine, because mine is more important to me 
than yours.  It's only once the principle that there is something higher 
than survival is established that we can extend it with mai chazis.



-- 
Zev Sero            Wishing everyone a *healthy* and happy summer
zev at sero.name       Seek Jerusalem's peace; may all who love you prosper