Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef calls killing terrorists “a mitzvah” that will save lives, deter other terrorists.
Israel’s Chief Sephardic Rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, told listeners during his weekly Torah class that it was a “mitzvah” to kill terrorists during attacks. The Chief Rabbi also said that in the heat of the moment, one should not worry about potential legal problems.
“If a terrorist comes after someone while brandishing a knife, it’s a mitzvah to kill him – [as the Talmudic maxim says] ‘when one comes to kill you, kill him first’. Don’t worry about being taken to court afterwards, or that IDF Chief of Staff will criticize it; don’t worry about that.”
Rabbi Yosef argued that killing terrorists not only neutralizes the immediate threat, it can help deter future attackers as well.
“As soon as a terrorist knows that if he goes out with a knife he won’t be coming back alive, that will deter them, so it’s a mitzvah to kill him; as soon as one of them comes brandishing a knife looking to murder, it’s a mitzvah to kill him.”
Once a terrorist has been neutralized and disarmed, however, Rabbi Yosef rules that the terrorist shouldn’t be killed on the spot, rather, he must be imprisoned for life.
“If he [the terrorist] doesn’t have the knife anymore, then he needs to be given a life sentence.”
Last Thursday, Ramat Gan Rabbi Ya’akov Ariel made a similar ruling, prohibiting the killing of terrorists once they have been neutralized and pose no threat.
B”H
Re: Israeli Chief Rabbi: Kill terrorists who attack you
I’ve just talked on the “Listeners speak to listeners” program of the “Reshet Moreshet” Hebrew-language radio. I mention the fact that in Israel since Purim 1994 “terrorists” are officially the members of KACH and Kahane Chai organizations. The editor of the program just said that Kahane was defined as he was defined by the government – which is true. The situation has not changed since 1988 (when KACH was not allowed to run in the election) and 1994 (see above).
Unless we first get a clear idea of WHO are the terrorists we will follow the present policies – boycotting Rabbi Kahane followers, releasing proven Arab murderers of Jews and non-Jews and keeping them in our prisons until release – to continue their activities.
Efim MAIDANIK, journalist&translator, Jerusalem
13.03.2016