Life, Death and the Commandments - A Talmudic reading on when life trumps religious duty and vice versa

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Life, Death and the Commandments : A Talmudic reading on when life trumps religious duty and vice versa

"You shall live by the commandments," the Talmud tells us, "and not die by them." Yet there are three cardinal sins that one must give one's life for rather than transgress. How did the Rabbi's reach this conclusion? A reading of Sanhedrin 74a.

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Topics:	Forbidden Marriages, Sanhedrin, Idolatry; Paganism, Murder, Rape, Anus, Self Sacrifice, Pikuach Nefesh

By Chaim Rapoport

Rabbi Chaim Rapoport is an author, educator, lecturer and expert Judaic scholar.

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2 Comments

Ivan Schiff October 9, 2022

Sanhedrin 74a,: R' Yochanan said in the name of R' Shimon ben Yehotzadak: "It was considered and decided in the attic of the house of Nitzah in Lod that with regard to any transgression of the Torah, if one is commanded either to transgress or be killed, he should transgress and not be killed - except for idolatry, forbidden relations, and murder" [regarding which one must give up one's life rather than transgress]. History of the Jewish People, From Yavneh to Pumbedisa, ArtScroll History Series page 53.
Question; Today what would be considered idol worship, Reply

Rabbi Mendel Adelman for Chabad.org October 13, 2022

in response to Ivan Schiff:

That's a very broad question. Normally, we would consider trinitarian forms of Christianity, Hinduism, Shinto, and Paganism as idolatry. Religions that believe in physical incarnations that are gods will all be considered idolatry. See here. Reply