Rambam In-Depth: Who’s Responsible When Others Act For You?
Join Rabbi Heschel Greenberg and explore Rambam’s fascinating ruling in Laws of Idolatry (3:9) that commissioning a forbidden act carries the same punishment as performing it yourself • Read More, Watch
Join Rabbi Heschel Greenberg and explore Rambam’s fascinating ruling in Laws of Idolatry (3:9) that commissioning a forbidden act carries the same punishment as performing it yourself. This sparks debate among commentators like Lechem Mishneh and Minchat Chinuch: How can one be liable for another’s actions? Does speech leading to action count as action? What happens when agency principles conflict with “no agent for sin”? Through competing explanations, we uncover profound insights about accountability that extend beyond ancient prohibitions to our modern ethical decisions, revealing how Jewish legal wisdom provides sophisticated frameworks for understanding responsibility in a world where we frequently act through others.
In this enlightening Torah discussion, we’ll explore:
• The fascinating case in Rambam’s Laws of Idolatry (Ch. 3, Law 9)
• How verbal instructions can create full legal liability
• The principle of agency (shlichut) and its limitations in Jewish law
• Four competing explanations from major commentators
• The deeper philosophical implications about responsibility
• How these principles apply to modern ethical dilemmas
This exploration of the Rambam reveals a sophisticated legal framework that transcends time, showing how ancient wisdom provides clarity for contemporary questions about indirect harm and personal accountability. Whether you’re a seasoned Talmudist or new to Jewish legal thought, you’ll gain valuable insights into the nuanced understanding of human responsibility in Jewish tradition.
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