The mitzvah of פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים: Redeeming Captives

Letter from Noam and Aviva Shalit to their son, Gilad Shalit, Jun 27 2006

Our dear, sweet Gilad,

Mom and Dad, Yoel and Hadas are very concerned for you, want to hear [from] you and are hoping you are well and feeling all right – as good as possible in your condition.

We are hoping you can read this, and we want you to know that everything possible is being done to bring you home to Mitzpe Hila and the Galilee, as quickly as possible, to your family, your room that’s waiting for you (and to help us with the B & B rooms).

Know that we’re thinking of you all the time and hoping you’re managing somehow and surviving these difficult moments.

We know and believe that whoever is holding you also has a family and knows what we’re going through and will know to watch over you and your health.

Loving you and encouraging you,

Mom and Dad




Biblical sources:

(יד) וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה אָחִ֑יו וַיָּ֨רֶק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֜יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵית֗וֹ שְׁמֹנָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף עַד־דָּֽן׃ (טו) וַיֵּחָלֵ֨ק עֲלֵיהֶ֧ם ׀ לַ֛יְלָה ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָ֖יו וַיַּכֵּ֑ם וַֽיִּרְדְּפֵם֙ עַד־חוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְּׂמֹ֖אל לְדַמָּֽשֶׂק׃ (טז) וַיָּ֕שֶׁב אֵ֖ת כָּל־הָרְכֻ֑שׁ וְגַם֩ אֶת־ל֨וֹט אָחִ֤יו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ֙ הֵשִׁ֔יב וְגַ֥ם אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְאֶת־הָעָֽם׃

(14) And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan. (15) And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. (16) And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

(א) וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע הַכְּנַעֲנִ֤י מֶֽלֶךְ־עֲרָד֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב הַנֶּ֔גֶב כִּ֚י בָּ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל דֶּ֖רֶךְ הָאֲתָרִ֑ים וַיִּלָּ֙חֶם֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּ֥שְׁבְּ ׀ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ שֶֽׁבִי׃ (ב) וַיִּדַּ֨ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל נֶ֛דֶר לַֽיהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אִם־נָתֹ֨ן תִּתֵּ֜ן אֶת־הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ בְּיָדִ֔י וְהַֽחֲרַמְתִּ֖י אֶת־עָרֵיהֶֽם׃ (ג) וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע יְהוָ֜ה בְּק֣וֹל יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י וַיַּחֲרֵ֥ם אֶתְהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־עָרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֥א שֵׁם־הַמָּק֖וֹם חָרְמָֽה׃ (פ)

(1) And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the South, heard tell that Israel came by the way of Atharim; and he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive. (2) And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said: ‘If Thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.’ (3) And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities; and the name of the place was called Hormah.

(ז) כִּֽי־יִהְיֶה֩ בְךָ֨ אֶבְי֜וֹן מֵאַחַ֤ד אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ בְּאַ֨רְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֣ן לָ֑ךְ לֹ֧א תְאַמֵּ֣ץ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֗ וְלֹ֤א תִקְפֹּץ֙ אֶת־יָ֣דְךָ֔ מֵאָחִ֖יךָ הָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃

(7) If there be among you a needy man, one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates, in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy needy brother;

(טז) לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃

(16) Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people; neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.

(יח) לֹֽא־תִקֹּ֤ם וְלֹֽא־תִטֹּר֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃

(18) Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

Rabbinic sources:

(א) פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים קוֹדֵם לְפַרְנָסַת עֲנִיִּים וְלִכְסוּתָן. וְאֵין מִצְוָה גְדוֹלָה כְּפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים. הִלְכָּךְ, לְכָל דְּבַר מִצְוָה שֶׁגָבוּ מָעוֹת בִּשְׁבִילוֹ, יְכוֹלִים לְשַׁנּוֹתָן לְפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים. וַאֲפִלוּ אִם גָבוּ לְצֹרֶךְ בִּנְיָן ב''ה, וַאֲפִלוּ אִם קָנוּ הָעֵצִים וְהָאֲבָנִים וְהִקְצוּם לְצֹרֶךְ הַבִּנְיָן, שֶׁאָסוּר לְמָכְרָם בִּשְׁבִיל מִצְוָה אַחֶרֶת, מֻתָּר לְמָכְרָם לְצֹרֶךְ פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים. אֲבָל אִם בְּנָאוּהוּ כְּבַר, לֹא יִמְכְּרוּ אוֹתוֹ. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם הַנּוֹדֵר סֶלַע לִצְדָקָה, אֵין פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים בַּכְּלָל וְאֵין לִפְדּוֹת בְּסֶלַע זוֹ רַק מִדַּעַת בְּנֵי הָעִיר (מהרי''ק שֹׁרֶשׁ ז') כְּדִלְקַמָּן סִימָן רנ''ו סָעִיף ד'.

(ו) המוכר עבדו לגוי או לחוצה לארץ, יצא בן חורין. אין פודין את השבויין יותר על כדי דמיהן, מפני תקון העולם. ואין מבריחין את השבויין, מפני תקון העולם. רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר: מפני תקנת השבויין. ואין לוקחים ספרים תפלין ומזוזות מן הגוים יותר על כדי דמיהן, מפני תקון העולם.

(6) [With regard to] one who sells his slave to a non-Jew or to someone outside Eretz Yisrael, [the slave automatically] goes free. We do not ransom captives for more than they are worth, due to Tikkun HaOlam. We do not help captives escape, due to Tikkun HaOlam. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: "[It is] due to the enactment of the captives. We do not buy sefarim [books of the Tanach written in holiness, on parchment, and used for personal or public study, or for reading aloud in public. Sometimes the intent is specifically Torah scrolls], tefillin, and mezuzot from the non-Jews for more than their worth, due to Tikkun HaOlam.

Talmud Gittin 45A

MISHNAH. CAPTIVES SHOULD NOT BE REDEEMED FOR MORE THAN THEIR VALUE, TO PREVENT ABUSES.16 CAPTIVES SHOULD NOT BE HELPED TO ESCAPE, TO PREVENT ABUSES.17 RABBAN SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAYS [THAT THE REASON IS] TO PREVENT THE ILL-TREATMENT OF FELLOW CAPTIVES.18

GEMARA. The question was raised: Does this prevention of abuses relate to the burden which may be imposed on the community or to the possibility that the activities [of the bandits] may be stimulated? — Come and hear: Levi b. Darga ransomed his daughter for thirteen thousand denarii of gold.19 Said Abaye: But are you sure that he acted with the consent of the Sages? perhaps he acted against the will of the Sages.

CAPTIVES SHOULD NOT BE HELPED TO ESCAPE, TO PREVENT ABUSES. RABBAN SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAYS, THE REASON IS TO PREVENT THE ILL-TREATMENT OF FELLOW CAPTIVES. What practical difference does it make which reason we adopt? — The difference arises where there is only one captive.20

(י) פדיון שבויים קודם לפרנסת עניים ולכסותן, ואין לך מצוה גדולה כפדיון שבויים, שהשבוי הרי הוא בכלל הרעבים והצמאים והערומים, ועומד בסכנת נפשות, והמעלים עיניו מפדיונו, הרי זה עובר על "לא תאמץ את לבבך ולא תקפוץ את ידך" ועל "לא תעמוד על דם רעך" ועל "לא ירדנו בפרך לעיניך" ובטל מצות "פתח תפתח את ידך לו" ומצות "וחי אחיך עמך" "ואהבת לרעך כמוך" "והצל לקוחים למות" והרבה דברים כאלו. ואין לך מצוה רבה כפדיון שבויים.

(יב) אין פודין את השבויים ביתר על דמיהן מפני תקון העולם, שלא יהיו האויבים רודפין אחריהם לשבותם. ואין מבריחין את השבויים מפני תקון העולם, שלא יהיו האויבים מכבידין עליהן את העול ומרבים בשמירתן.

(10) The redemption of captives receives priority over sustaining the poor and providing them with clothing. [Indeed,] there is no greater mitzvah than the redemption of captives. For a captive is among those who are hungry, thirsty, and unclothed and he is in mortal peril. If someone pays no attention to his redemption, he violates the negative commanadments: "Do not harden your heart or close your hand" (Deuteronomy 15:7), "Do not stand by when the blood of your neighbour is in danger" (Leviticus 19:16), and "He shall not oppress him with exhausting work in your presence (ibid. 25:53). And he has negated the observance of the positive commandments: "You shall certainly open up your hand to him" (Deuteronomy 15:8), "And your brother shall live with you" (ibid. 19:18), "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18), "Save those who are taken for death" (Proverbs 24:11), and many other decrees of this nature. There is no mitzvah as great as the redemption of captives.

(12) We do not redeem captives for more than their worth because of Tikkun HaOlam, so that [our] enemies will not pursue people to kidnap them. And we do not assist captives in escaping because of Tikkun HaOlam, so that enemies will not oppress captives harshly and be very strict when guarding them.

Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg - A Historical Test Case

Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg was considered the most outstanding Jewish sage in Europe in his generation. In 1286, at the age of seventy, he was taken captive by King Rudolph I of Germany, and held for a ransom of 20,000 marks, an astronomical sum in those days.

Almost all of the rabbis and leaders of the European Jewish communities in that generation were students of Rabbi Meir, known as Maharam. He authored thousands of halachic responsa, as well as the Tosafot commentary to the Talmudic tractate Yoma. The most famous of his students was Rabbi Asher ben Yechiel, known as Rosh, whose rulings are cited extensively in the Shulchan Aruch.

It was precisely because the Maharam was so important a figure that Rudolph hoped to extort a huge ransom from the Jewish community. Indeed, the emperor’s evil scheme nearly succeeded: Maharam’s students and admirers were prepared to raise the sum necessary to free their master.

Their reasoning was based on the story cited in the Talmud concerning Rabbi Joshua’s rescue of the young child who became Rabbi Ishmael “at whatever price may be demanded.” ... the justification being that this was a matter of saving a life. A second justification provided by Tosafot is that due to the unparalleled scholarship of this child, which Rabbi Joshua already sensed, he was permitted to pay the inflated ransom.

The students of Maharam felt similarly: although the law forbids paying more for a captive than the accustomed amount, when the captive at hand is the leading Jewish scholar of the generation, and the entire community is in need of him and his wisdom, it is permissible to pay any fee.

Maharam himself, however, rejected this rationale, as he felt that this would lead to the capture of other Torah leaders. As explained by the 16th-century halachist Rabbi Shlomo Luria, Maharam feared that his ransom would lead to a much greater threat to the continuity of Judaism, should all the Jewish scholars be made easy bait for ransom to a point where the community would not have the money to ransom them, ultimately leaving them without any leadership at all.

Rabbi Meir died, seven years later (1293), in captivity in the fortress of Ensisheim.

The tragic saga of his imprisonment came to a close when his body was ransomed, 14 years after his death, by Alexander ben Shlomo (Susskind) Wimpfen, who was subsequently laid to rest at his side.

(א) פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים קוֹדֵם לְפַרְנָסַת עֲנִיִּים וְלִכְסוּתָן. וְאֵין מִצְוָה גְדוֹלָה כְּפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים. הִלְכָּךְ, לְכָל דְּבַר מִצְוָה שֶׁגָבוּ מָעוֹת בִּשְׁבִילוֹ, יְכוֹלִים לְשַׁנּוֹתָן לְפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים...

(ג) כָּל רֶגַע שֶׁמְּאַחֵר לִפְדּוֹת הַשְּׁבוּיִים, הֵיכָא דְּאֶפְשָׁר לְהַקְדִּים, הָוֵי כְּאִלוּ שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים.

(ד) אֵין פּוֹדִין הַשְּׁבוּיִים יוֹתֵר מִכְּדֵי דְּמֵיהֶם, מִפְּנֵי תִּקוּן הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ הָאוֹיְבִים מוֹסְרִים עַצְמָם עֲלֵיהֶם לִשְׁבּוֹתָם. אֲבָל אָדָם יָכוֹל לִפְדּוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁיִּרְצֶה. וְכֵן לְתַלְמִיד חָכָם, אוֹ אֲפִלוּ אֵינוֹ תַּלְמִיד חָכָם, אֶלָא שֶׁהוּא תַּלְמִיד חָרִיף וְאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אָדָם גָדוֹל, פּוֹדִים אוֹתוֹ בְּדָמִים מְרֻבִּים. וְאִם אִשְׁתּוֹ כְּאַחֵר דָּמִי אוֹ לֹא, עַיֵּן בַּטּוּר אֶבֶן הָעֵזְר סי' ע''ח.

(1) The redeeming of captives takes precedence to sustaining the poor and clothing them. And there is no mitzvah as great as redeeming captives. Therefore, if one has designated money for any [other] mitzvah, they can redirect it to redeeming captives...

(3) Every moment that one delays redeeming captives, where it is possible to do it sooner, it is as if one is spilling blood.

(4) We do not redeem captives for more than their worth because of Tikkun Olam, so that our enemies will not endanger themselves to kidnap [us]. But an individual can redeem themselves if they wish to. And for a great scholar, or even one who is not a great scholar but is a sharp student with the potential to be a great individual, we redeem them with a large amount of money.

Rema?: And with regards to whether a wife is like any other individual or not, see the Tur, Even HaEzer, Siman 78.

MODERN TIMES:

Poll: 79% of Israelis Support Shalit Deal, YNet News, Yedioth Ahronoth, 17.10.11

The vast majority of Israel's citizens are in favour of the deal securing the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,027 terrorists, a public opinion poll commissioned by Yedioth Ahronoth shows.

Asked whether they were in favour of Shalit's release in exchange for 1,027 terrorists, 79% of the respondents said yes and only 14% said no...

Among male respondents, 74% support the deal and 19% oppose it, while 86% of the women support it and only 5% are against it...

Examining division of opinions within religious sectors, the survey revealed that seculars reject out of hand the inclusion of rabbis in such decisions (78%), the conservatives are divided to those who oppose such an option (43%) and those in support of including the IDF chief rabbi as a decision maker (41%), and the religious sector is in favor of incorporating the IDF chief rabbi (47%) or other rabbis (47%) in the decision-making process. Common view among the ultra-Orthodox community is that that rabbinical establishment's stance should be taken into account (83%).

Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaLevi Kilav, Techumim 4 (1983)

Furthermore, it seems that nowadays, when terrorists declare their desire to kidnap and murder Jews and, in fact, act upon these declarations without any compassion for the victims whether me, women or children, that releasing terrorists is actual danger and is therefore forbidden. This is true even according to those who maintain that [the prohibition] is based on “the burden imposed on the community”, since the danger [here] is tangible and arises immediately upon their release. Added to this is the fact that they join the forces that battle us from their countries with long range weaponry and thus represent a threat even if they don’t actually penetrate our borders. It therefore seems that it is forbidden to release terrorists and murderers in exchange for captives, not just an exchange of many [terrorists for one [Jew], but even one for one, because of the future danger.

Bloomfield, A., 2011. Palestinian militants vow to abduct a 'new Gilad Shalit'. The Telegraph, 18 Oct

The Popular Resistance Committees, the Hamas-dominated militant coalition that captured Sgt Maj Shalit, vowed that it would seize another Israeli soldier to force Israel to release the 6,000 Palestinian prisoners that remain in its custody.

"We are going to capture another soldier and cleanse all the Israeli jails of our prisoners," said a masked spokesman using the nom de guerre Abu Mujahid.

For many Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, the release of so many prisoners for one man is evidence that Israel responds only to threats, making the path of peaceful negotiation espoused by Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, and his moderate Fatah party nonsensical. "The people want a new Gilad, the people want a new Gilad," chanted the tens of thousands who gathered at a Hamas-sponsored rally in Gaza city to welcome home the freed prisoners.

(See 'Hamas Video: Training to Kidnap an Israeli Soldier': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0zHyTBxwoU)

הרב יובל שרלו, אתיקה יהודית (כה): שחרור שבויים

ההשפעה המוראלית על הצבא עלולה להיות משמעותית ביותר. בשעה שיידע חייל כי לא נעשה הכל כדי לשחררו - כולל נכונות לשחרר רוצחים בתמורה להשבתו - תיפגע המוטיבציה שלו להילחם.

R' Yuval Sherlow, Jewish Ethics (25): Redeeming Captives

The impact on the morale of the army could be significant. Once a soldier knows that [the state] will not do everything it can to free him - including a willingness to release murderers in exchange for his freedom - it will diminish his motivation to fight.