Shayla:

What practical ethics can be derived from Proverbs 24:11-12?

Midrash:

• Proverbs 24:11-12 HCSB Rescue those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling toward slaughter. (12) If you say, "But we didn't know about this," won't He who weighs hearts consider it? Won't He who protects your life know? Won't He repay a person according to his work?

1. Do not fail to speak the truth concerning the Messiah when you have the opportunity as the Apostle Paul did (Acts 18:5-6).

2. It is clear that a person who is willing to murder another is worthy of capital punishment (Genesis 9:6; Exodus 21:14; Numbers 35:16-21). If a thug is chasing his victim in order to kill him, you must make an attempt to stop the thug. It would be sinful to fatuously say, “He has not yet killed his victim. I must wait to see if he actually goes through with it before I attempt to stop him.” You must try to do so without taking the thug’s life, but if that is impossible, you must save the victim even at the cost of the thug’s life.

3. Since the person’s life is so important to the Lord, far more than any material thing, and you are allowed to take the perpetrator’s life in order to save the victim, then certainly if you break THINGS in your attempt to rescue them you should not be liable for payment.

4. If you see someone in any danger from anything, you are obligated to attempt a rescue, balancing your ability to affect the rescue against the odds of both of you dying. For instance, if someone is drowning and you can barely swim, you are not obligated to jump in to get them. You are not obligated to intervene if your own life will be lost (though it would be a ch’esed shel emet – “a true act of loving kindness” if you were willing). However, at the least, you should call the police, or someone else who could rescue them even if you had to pay them. You must also make whatever attempts you can that don’t overly risk your own life (i.e. throw a rope, reach out with a stick, try to find a boat or a life preserver etc.).

5. You must warn a person of an impending danger as Mordecai did for King Ahaseurus (Esther 2:21-23).

6. When someone is seriously injured, you must do what you can to alleviate their condition as the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) did. If you know how, you must give immediate emergency aid, and if you do not know how and may put the person at risk by your ignorance, you must at least summon medical assistance.

7. If you have the means to appease the would-be killer, you must use it as Abigail did with David (1 Samuel 25:18-33).

8. If you have it within your power to stop an ongoing crime, even if it is perpetrated by a nation, then you must do so as Abraham did for Lot and the people of Sodom (Genesis 14:14-16).

9. You should take whatever legal means possible to work against the crime of abortion. You must stop short of killing the abortionist for as an adult the abortionist will very likely go to an eternal punishment, but the children he kills will certainly go to heaven. You must stop short of blowing up the abortion clinics, because there is no way to be sure of what collateral damage may ensue and you may become guilty of the blood of an innocent person. However, we should push up to that very point and do what we can to stop this holocaust.

10. If you are able to offer testimony on someone’s behalf, you are obligated to give that testimony whether you are subpoenaed or not. If you know something that could potentially bring about a just judgment regarding a person’s life and do not share it, you are guilty of a very grave sin.