I heard that the posuk "You shall not stand over the blood of your friend – I am Hashem" (Vayikra 19:16) is a לאו (negative commandment). Is that true?
לא תעמד על דם רעך אני יקוק
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2This is a case where avoiding a לאו requires action.– FredJul 22, 2014 at 19:58
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1 Answer
It is a prohibition not to stand by as another Jew is in any kind of danger, be it physical or financial.
ALL of the Monei Hamitzvos include it. See Behag 93, Saadia Gaon 61, Rambam 297, Semag 165, Ramban 293, Chinuch 237, Semak 79, etc.
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1I've seen this extended to spiritual danger, too, though I don't recall a source offhand. (Though R' Elchanan Wasserman wrote a letter to the Tz'irei Yisrael youth group in 1939 indicating that Torah study provides protection from physical harm and therefore involves לא תעמוד).– FredJul 22, 2014 at 20:23
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1Not sure what you're referring to, though the Chafetz Chaim (Chomas Hadas 1:3) brings similar Mitzvos for spiritual dangers, including כִּי תִפְגַּע שׁוֹר אֹיִבְךָ, אוֹ חֲמֹרוֹ--תֹּעֶה: הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֶנּוּ, לוֹ. and לֹא-תִרְאֶה אֶת-שׁוֹר אָחִיךָ אוֹ אֶת-שֵׂיוֹ, נִדָּחִים, וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ, מֵהֶם: הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֵם, לְאָחִיךָ.– ZviJul 22, 2014 at 21:29
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2@Zvi I think the Chafetz Chaim was more homiletic than an actual Mitzvah. He has a very creative reading of the verse, if I recall correctly.– Y e zJul 22, 2014 at 21:54
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2@Zvi Never saw it inside, but the way I have heard it quoted I think he actually meant it as an application of lo sa'amod– Y e zJul 22, 2014 at 21:59
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