Saving a Life

If a “crazy” man, high on drugs has fallen onto the train tracks and a train is due to come soon, should you help him by giving your hand to pull him out even though he might instead pull you into danger with him?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

To answer your question, I will share a few interesting and relevant pieces of rabbinic literature.

The Talmud in Bava Metzia 62 discusses a case of two travellers, one of whom has water to drink, but not enough water for both of them to survive. They would both die before reaching the closest town where more water can be acquired. However, if one will keep all the water for himself, that person will indeed survive and reach the town (although the other will die).

What should be done?

According to Ben Petura they should split the water even if it means that both will die. According to Rabbi Akiva rules that the one who has the water should keep it for himself and live even if his friend will die as a result, because “your life takes priority over someone else’s life.”

In other words, one who only required to save a life if it will ensure that one will live. One may not give up one's own life in order to save someone else's life.

The question is asked: is one required to save another person’s life if there is a chance that one will die in the course of doing so? In other words, is one obligated, or even allowed, to put oneself in a life-threatening situation in order to save someone else wo will certainly die?

The Beit Yosef (C.M. 426) cites a passage from the Jerusalem Talmud which indicates that one is indeed obligated to risk one’s life to save someone else. The reason for this is because the rescuer has a POSSIBLE danger to life while the victim has a CERTAIN danger to life

The halacha is in accordance with the first passage I cited and one is not to risk one's own life to save another person. (Sma, CM 426:2).

Therefore, if there is a concern that the "crazy man" will pull one onto the tracks, one is not to attempt to save him.