תלמוד בבלי מסכת סנהדרין דף עד עמוד א
רוצח גופיה מנא לן? - סברא הוא. דההוא דאתא לקמיה דרבה, ואמר ליה: אמר לי מרי דוראי זיל קטליה לפלניא, ואי לא - קטלינא לך. - אמר ליה: לקטלוך ולא תיקטול. מי יימר דדמא דידך סומק טפי דילמא דמא דהוא גברא
סומק טפי
What is the proof text for 'murder itself' [i.e. that one should allow him/herself to be killed before killing someone else]? It is common sense. Even as one who came before Rava and said to him, ‘The governor of my town has ordered me, “Go and kill so and so; if not, I will kill you.” He answered him, ‘Let him rather kill you than that you should commit murder; who knows that your blood is redder? Perhaps his blood is redder.’” [Soncino translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. Why must a person die rather than kill someone else?
2. What does it mean for one’s blood to be “redder” than someone else’s?
3. What do we learn from this text about the relative value of human life?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)