The Laws of Pikuach Nefesh (en)

(5783-5784) (Monday) (Bi-weekly) “And you shall live by them.” The Torah preserves and and enhances life, and this fundamental principle drives the thought behind a whole set of halakhot - “pikuach nefesh,” the protection of life. This series will discuss the main principles of pikuach nefesh on Shabbat and Yom Tov, with an emphasis on public systems. Some of these questions are relatively new, innovations of modernity and sovereignty, and therefore not discussed in the literature before the establishment of the State of Israel. We will evaluate the activity of public and governmental systems that are designed to preserve the health, safety and welfare of the community as a whole in light of the guiding principles of pikuach nefesh.