(טז) לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ אֲנִ֖י ה'.
(16) Do not go about as a talebearer. Do not stand by the blood of your fellow: I am the Eternal.
גופא מניין לרואה את חברו שהוא טובע בנהר או חיה גוררתו או לסטין באין עליו שהוא חייב להצילו ת"ל לא תעמוד על דם רעך.
From where is it derived that one who sees another drowning in a river, or being dragged away by a wild animal, or being attacked by bandits, is obligated to save him? The verse states: “You shall not stand idly by the blood of another” (Leviticus 19:16).
רבי אימי איתצד בסיפסיפה אמר ר' יונתן יכרך המת בסדינו אמר ר' שמעון בן לקיש עד דאנא קטיל אנא מתקטיל אנא איזיל ומשיזיב ליה בחיילא.אֲזַל וּפֵייסוּן וַיַּהֲבוּנֵיהּ לֵיהּ
Rabbi Ami was captured in a dangerous area. Rabbi Yonatan stated "Wrap the dead in his shrouds." Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish responded "I will either kill or be killed, I will go with might and save him.He went, appeased the captors and secured his [Rabbi Ami's] release.
שנים שהיו מהלכין בדרך וביד אחד מהן קיתון של מים אם שותין שניהם מתים ואם שותה אחד מהן מגיע לישוב
דרש בן פטורא מוטב שישתו שניהם וימותו ואל יראה אחד מהם במיתתו של חבירו
עד שבא ר' עקיבא ולימד וחי אחיך עמך חייך קודמים לחיי חבירך
If two people were walking on a desolate path and there was a jug [kiton] of water in the possession of one of them, and the situation was such that if both drink from the jug, both will die, as there is not enough water, but if only one of them drinks, he will reach a settled area, there is a dispute as to the halakha.
Ben Petora taught: It is preferable that both of them drink and die, and let neither one of them see the death of the other.
This was the accepted opinion until Rabbi Akiva came and taught that the verse states: “And your brother shall live with you,” indicating that your life takes precedence over the life of the other.
הָרַדְבַּ"ז, חֵלֶק ה (לְשׁוֹנוֹת הָרַמְבַּ"ם), א’ תקפב
מַה שֶּׁכָּתַב הָרַב זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה כָּל הַיָּכוֹל לְהַצִּיל וְכוּלֵי אָיְירֵי בְּמִי שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְהַצִּיל לְהֶדְיָא בְּלֹא שֶׁיִּסְתַּכֵּן הַמַּצִּיל כְּלָל כְּגוֹן שֶׁהָיָה יָשֵׁן תַּחַת כּוֹתֶל רָעוּעַ שֶׁהָיָה יָכוֹל לַהֲעִירוֹ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ וְלֹא הֱעִירוֹ אוֹ כְּגוֹן שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ
לוֹ עֵדוּת לַהֲצִילוֹ עָבַר עַל לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ. וְלֹא זֹו בִלְבַד אֶלָּא אֲפִילוּ יֵשׁ בּוֹ קְצָת סָפֵק סַכָּנָה כְּגוֹן רָאָה אוֹתוֹ טוֹבֵעַ בַּיָּם אֹו לִסְטִים בָּאִים עָלָיו אוֹ חַיָּה רָעָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּכָל אֵלּוּ סָפֵק סַכָּנָה אֲפִלּוּ הָכֵי חַיָּיב לְהַצִּיל וַאֲפִילוּ שֶּׁלֹּא הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהַצִּיל בְּגוּפוֹ לֹא נִפְטַר בִּשְׁבִיל כָּךְ אֶלָּא חַיָּיב לְהַצִּיל בְּמָמוֹנוֹ…מִכָּל מָקוֹם אִם הַסָּפֵק נוֹטֶה אֶל הַוַּדַּאי אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב לִמְסוֹר עַצְמוֹ לְהַצִּיל אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ וַאֲפִילוּ בְסָפֵק מוּכְרָע אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב לִמְסוֹר נַפְשׁוֹ דְּמַאי חֲזֵית דִּדְּמָא דִּידָךְ סוּמָק טְפֵי דִּילְמָא דְּמָא דִּידֵיהּ סוּמָק טְפֵי אֲבָל אִם הַסָּפֵק אֵינוֹ מוּכְרָע אֶלָּא נוֹטֶה אֶל הַהֲצָלָה וְהוּא לֹא יִסְתַּכֵּן וְלֹא הִצִּיל עָבַר עַל לֹא תַעֲמֹד
עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ.
Radbaz, Responsa, Vol. 5, 1582
(Acronym for Rabbi David ben Zimra, a talmudist and kabbalist. Born in Spain (1479-1573). Chief
Rabbi of Cairo and dayan in Tsfat and Jerusalem.)
Regarding the statement of the Rabbi (Rambam), of blessed memory, "Anyone who is able to rescue...": this is referring to one who can be clearly rescued without the rescuer endangering himself in any way, such as one
who is asleep under an unsteady wall who the would-be rescuer is able to wake him from his sleep but does not wake him, or one who knows of evidence to exonerate him (i.e., the other. E.g., from capital punishment and
fails to come forward), he transgresses the prohibition of “Do not stand idly by the blood of your brother.” Not only in this case, but even if [in saving him] there is a potential small risk of danger, such as the case when he sees him drowning, or bandits attacking, or wild animals [threatening] – for there exists in all of these cases a risk of danger, he is still obligated to rescue, and even if he cannot do it himself, he is not exempt for this reason, but is obligated to use his own finances [to save the victim]….Nevertheless, if the potential risk inclines toward certainty, he is not obligated to sacrifice himself to save his fellow. Similarly, if it is an "even risk" he is not
obligated to risk his life because [of the rule] ‘What did you see to make you think that your blood is redder, maybe the other’s blood is redder.’ But if the
risk is not "even,” and there is the probability of rescue and he chooses not to endanger himself and does not rescue, then he is in violation of the prohibition, "Do not stand idly...."