THE MINYAN OF WHICH I am a member has been discussing guns at the minyan.
As Jews are targeted more and more, and as observant Jews, we are fairly obvious — who else walks in Florida’s summer heat and threats of storms? — the issue of self-defense has become a hot topic.
I HAVE A COPY of R. Mordechai Eliyahu’s kitzur and it states, clearly,
What about Shabatot and haggim?
If there is an eruv, there is no problem. The eruv1 allows observant Jews to carry things on Shabat and holidays.
As for carrying something normally “muksay” (prohibited to handle on Shabat and holidays such as writing instruments and money) weapons could be exempted under the Torah statement to “choose life”2 (that the rabbis interpret to mean it is permissible to defend yourself as best you can) and the rabbinic ruling that “if a person comes to kill you, kill him first.”3
That last admonishment must be applied most carefully else the threatened Jew could be facing a murder charge; if no life or extreme injury is at risk, run or call the cops even on Shabat and haggim.
A Jew may not ask a non-Jew to do what a Jew is forbidden to do. That sin is no less, and may be greater, than the Jew doing the task.4
A Sefardi synagogue near my house has — or at least had — a sign prohibiting guns on the premises. That was (a) before the recent spate of anti-Jewish attacks and (b) during the previous rabbi’s tenure.
The group with whom I “make minyan” is a mix of Ashkenazim and Sefaridim, with a number of ex-pat Israelis — modern (Israeli) Hebrew is as common as English.
A number of the men have concealed carry licenses, but to the best of my knowledge, so far no one is carrying. That may change as threats get closer to home.
It is a shame that anyone even contemplates having to defend themselves while at prayer, or, for that matter, any time.
Jews have to be on guard at all times.
Kosher restaurants have been targets — not here (so far), but in Israel.
Jewish schools are targets, as are schools with large Jewish populations. While the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas school in Parkland FL has a high concentration of Jews, the mass murderer apparently killed randomly, sans consideration of race, religion, ethnicity.
In Israel, and in (other) war zones, R. Eliyahu’s ruling is a necessity.
Sadly, it is becoming a necessity around the world.
Crazies are NOT limited to any particular group of people and many, most, crazies look like everyone else — until they act.
While the constabulary is doing a better job of identifying the crazies, they cannot all be removed from circulation before they act; the price we pay for having a nation of laws.
The bottom line: Sad as it is, congregations must consider how the members can best defend themselves. If bringing guns to prayers is the answer, then Jews have an authority who approves weapons at the minyan.
CAVEAT: Anyone who intends to carry must be proficient with the weapon. That means hours of practice. Anyone who fires a gun without having time on the range is in danger of maiming or killing someone he shooter intended to protect.
Sources
1. Eruv: http://tinyurl.com/y2j9ek6j
2. Choose life: http://tinyurl.com/y3nu8p2u
3. If someone comes to kill you: https://steinsaltz.org/daf/sanhedrin72/
4. Shabat work: http://tinyurl.com/yctj8jeu
PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.
Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.
