Language:
English
Year of publication:
2000
Titel der Quelle:
Conservative Judaism
Angaben zur Quelle:
52,3 (2000) 46-51
Keywords:
Meisel, Zevi Hirsch
;
Holocaust and Jewish law
;
Jewish law and ethics
Abstract:
Discusses the issue of halakhic observance in an extermination camp in relation to the admitted "failure" of Rabbi Meisel to provide an answer, in Auschwitz, to a father's question. The latter asked whether he could try to get his son released from confinement by Jewish "kapos", when it was clear that another person would be substituted and sent to his death. Finds that the rabbi was right in not trying to answer an unanswerable question. Firstly, the Torah does not permit decisions to be made in a situation where there are no books or other rabbis to consult. Furthermore, loyalty to the basic religious imperative of aiming at holiness entailed not acceding to the evil of the situation created by the Nazis, which one would have had to do if one decided to save one life at the expense of another. Thus, not deciding meant deciding for eternal values. Rabbi Meisel survived the Holocaust. His confession of failure to give a response was made at a time and place where he was able to live according to halakhic rulings and, thus, reaffirm that the Nazis did not succeed in destroying the Jews or their commitment to Torah.
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