- Halacha
- General Questions
Cooperating with Murder
Question
At Auchshitz many jews were forced to help in the process of gassing or burning jews. Of course, if they refused to do this then they would also be murdered. What would Jewish law say about this?
Was the right thing for them to make every effort to save their own lives as you should do everything possible to save ones life, would this be considered an act of survival or would they have been considered murderers just the same as the Nazis?
Should they have done as they were told and assit in the murder and live themselves or should they have refused to commit murder even if it meant their own life?
The other jews would have been murdered anyway with or without cooperation from the ones the Nazis forced to help would this make a difference in what they should have chosen to do?
Answer
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 74a) states that for all sins, one should rather transgress than die apart from three - Idolatry, Adultery and Murder.
The Gemarah learns the logic behind this ruling is that your life is not worth more than the other's.
Please G-d we should never be confronted with these dilemmas and I can't judge those who were, yet the torah clearly rules as mentioned above that those who choose to participate are transgressing murder and it's better to be killed than to kill. (See more in Shulchan Aruch YD 157; 1)

Aliyah on Shaboss before Chassuna
Rabbi David Sperling | Iyyar 18, 5777

Difference between woman/converts in Srarah issues?
Rabbi David Sperling | Nisan 1, 5781
Triming Beard
Rabbi Daniel Kirsch | Kislev 11, 5782

Shlita - Why only for Rabbis
Rabbi David Sperling | Elul 8, 5773

Rabbi Elchanan Lewis
Former Rabbi of Jewish congregation in Perth, Australia

Bnei Noah prayer
14 Tammuz 5764

Rabbi & Rebbe
9 Tammuz 5764

Meat and Dairy prohibition
10 Tammuz 5764

Young Guests
13 Tammuz 5764

Listening to Secular Music
Rabbi David Sperling | Elul 5, 5773

Carrying a baby on Shabbat with no Eruv
Rabbi David Sperling | Sivan 14, 5779

On which day may one start wishing "Shabbat Shalom"?
Rabbi David Sperling | Iyyar 9, 5780

Carrying a baby on Shabbat with no Eruv
Rabbi David Sperling | Sivan 14, 5779

Rabbanut of Copenhagen
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Sivan 5, 5783

Ohr Hashem Part 4, Chaper 5
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Sivan 2, 5783
Gluten free challah.
Rabbi Daniel Kirsch | Iyyar 25, 5783
