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May a kohen who kills a terrorist do birkat kohanim?
kills another may not duchen, as the pasuk says,
(Yeshayahu 1:15) "When you spread out your palms,
I will hide My eyes from you." Some hold this
only applies to killing a Jew; others hold it
applies to both a Jew or a non-Jew, & includes a
Jew serving in a foreign army. But Rav Ovadia
Yosef, quoting the pasuk, "One who comes to kill
you, kill him first," rules that a chayal in the
IDF who kills an enemy soldier/terrorist may
duchen. "Indeed, he writes, "if the soldier
hesitates in opening fire, who knows how many
Jews would be killed, & he will have transgressed
the prohibition, ‘Do not stand idly by your
brothers’ blood.’ Hashem has granted the soldier
the merit to eliminate the terrorists – who wish
to murder all of our people - & save his fellow
Jews before they are harmed. For sure he will be
rewarded in Heaven for his heroic act." May
Hashem protect our holy soldiers from harm &
grant them victory in their courageous struggle.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
Jewish Laws and Thoughts Shul “etiquette:” can we honor Hashem while respecting our fellow congregants?
Rabbis in Midrash
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 17- "Miracles Don't Make a Messiah (87)
After learning about the unique "mass-revelation" at Sinai, the question was asked: what about the Christian claim that their "messiah also did miracles in front of people. The class summarizes the 3 significant differences between that claim and Israel's "mass-revelation".
