Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah Siman 158

Siman 158

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א עוֹבְדֵי גִּלּוּלִים, שֶׁאֵין בֵּינֵינוּ וּבֵינֵיהֶם מִלְחָמָה, וְרוֹעֵי בְּהֵמָה דַּקָּה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּזְּמַן שֶׁהָיוּ רֹב הַשָּׂדוֹת שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶן, אֵין מְסַבְּבִין לָהֶם הַמִּיתָה, וְאָסוּר לְהַצִּילָם אִם נָטוּ לָמוּת, כְּגוֹן שֶׁרָאָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם שֶׁנָּפַל לַיָּם, אֵינוֹ מַעֲלֵהוּ אֲפִלּוּ אִם יִתֵּן לוֹ שָׂכָר. לְפִיכָךְ אֵין לְרַפְּאוֹתָן, אֲפִלּוּ בְּשָׂכָר, אִם לֹא הֵיכָא דְּאִכָּא מִשּׁוּם אֵיבָה. דְּאָז אֲפִלּוּ בְּחִנָּם שָׁרֵי, אִם לֹא יוּכַל לְהִשָּׁמֵט אֲפִלּוּ בְּחִנָּם. (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם הָרַמְבַּ"ן) וְכֵן מֻתָּר (הָיָה) לְנַסּוֹת רְפוּאָה בַּכּוּתִי אִם תּוֹעִיל (תּוֹסָפוֹת וּמָרְדְּכַי פא"מ וּבַסְמַ"ג). בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים, בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעַל עֲבֵרוֹת וְהָעוֹמֵד בְּרִשְׁעוֹ וְשׁוֹנֶה בּוֹ תָּמִיד, כְּגוֹן רוֹעֵי בְּהֵמָה דַּקָּה שֶׁפָּקְרוּ בְּגָזֵל וְהֵם הוֹלְכִים בְּאִוַּלְתָּם. אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעַל עֲבֵרוֹת, שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹמֵד בְּרִשְׁעוֹ תָּמִיד, אֶלָּא עוֹשֶׂה עֲבֵרוֹת לַהֲנָאַת עַצְמוֹ, כְּגוֹן אוֹכֵל נְבֵלוֹת לְתֵאָבוֹן, מִצְוָה לְהַצִּילוֹ וְאָסוּר לַעֲמֹד עַל דָּמוֹ.
1 Idol worshipers, with whom there is no war with us, and Jewish shepherds of thin animals ["behemah dakah" - a category of animals, including sheep and rams, which one is forbidden to raise in the Land of Israel due to the fact that they consume every creature in their way, thus hindering the mitzvah of settling the Land -translator's note] in the Land of Israel, at a time when most of the fields belong to Jews, and [consequent laws that] derive from this [apply], one may not allow the [idol worshipers] to die, but it is forbidden to save them if [the rescuer] is likely to die [trying to save them], such as [a case where one] saw one of them who fell into the sea, one does not pull him out even if he will be paid. Thus, one must not heal them, even for payment, unless there is reason [to save them] on the grounds of [preventing] hatred [of Jews]. Rema: for then [under those circumstances] it is permitted even for free [without payment] to save them, if he will not be able to be dropped even for free. (Beit Yosef in the name of the Ramban). And thus it is Rema: it would be permitted to attempt to heal a Cutite [non-Jew] if one is so inclined (Tosfot and the Mordechai Pe"m and in the Sma"g). Which things are being discussed, regarding a Jew with sins and who stands by his wickedness consistently, such as the shepherd of a thin animal [behemah dakah] who unload stolen wares ["parku b'gazel] and they go in their foolish ways. But a Jew who has sins, [but] who does not stand by his wickedness consistently, [and] rather does sins for personal benefit, such as one who eats forbidden foods to satisfy his appetite, it's a mitzvah to save him and it's forbidden to let him die (literally: stand by his blood).
ב הַמִּינִים, וְהֵם שֶׁעוֹבְדִים לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, אוֹ הָעוֹשֶׂה עֲבֵרוֹת לְהַכְעִיס, אֲפִלּוּ אָכַל נְבֵלוֹת אוֹ לָבַשׁ שַׁעַטְנֵז לְהַכְעִיס הֲרֵי זֶה מִין; וְהָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסִים, וְהֵם שֶׁכּוֹפְרִים בַּתּוֹרָה וּבִנְבוּאָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, מִצְוָה לְהָרְגָם. אִם יֵשׁ בְּיָדוֹ כֹּחַ לְהָרְגָם בְּסַיִף, בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא, הוֹרְגוֹ. וְאִם לָאו, יָבֹא בַּעֲלִילוֹת עַד שֶׁיְּסַבֵּב הֲרִיגָתוֹ. כֵּיצַד, רָאָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם שֶׁנָּפַל לִבְאֵר וְהַסֻלָּם בַּבְּאֵר, קוֹדֵם וּמְסַלְּקוֹ וְאוֹמֵר: הֲרֵינִי טָרוּד לְהוֹרִיד בְּנִי מִן הַגַּג וְאַחְזִירֶנּוּ לְךָ, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בִּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ. הַגָּה: וְעַיֵּן בְּחוֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט סִימָן תכ"ה. מְשֻׁמָּדִים שֶׁמְּשַׁמְּדִים עַצְמָם וּמְטַמְּעִים עַצְמָם בֵּין הַגּוֹיִים לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כְּמוֹתָם, הֲרֵי הֵם כְּמוֹ מוּמָרִים לְהַכְעִיס וּמוֹרִידִין וְלֹא מַעֲלִין. (אוֹתָם) (תּוֹסָפוֹת פא"מ). וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם אִם בָּא לָשׁוּב, לֹא הֶחֱמִירוּ עָלָיו, שֶׁקָּשֶׁה לִפְרֹשׁ מֵהֶם וְחַיְשִׁינָן שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲזֹר לְסוּרוֹ. (ת"ה סִימָן קצ"ח).
2 The heretics, and those who practice idol worship (literally: worship of the stars), or who do sins for the sake of provocation, [and] even one who ate carrion flesh, or wore shatnez in order to provoke, behold, this person [has the status of] a nonbeliever. And the heretics, and those who deny the Torah and Jewish prophecy -- they had the custom during the times of the Holy Temple to kill them. If one's hands were strong enough to kill them with a sword, in public, he would kill him [in that way], and if not, he would develop a plan in order to bring about their death. How so? [If] he saw one of them that fell into a well, and [there was] a ladder in the well from before, he would take it and say [to the person who fell], "Behold, I am going to take my son down from the roof [with this ladder], and I will return it to you," and [other plans] similar to this. Rema: And refer to Choshen Mishpat, Siman 425: Jewish apostates who attach themselves to idol worship, or defile themselves among idolaters to worship idols like them, behold, they are [considered to be] like apostates who provoke anger. And they would lower them down and not raise them up (Tosafot פא"מ), for it is an eye for an eye. [But] if he came to repent, they were not stringent on him, as it is difficult to break free from [idolatry], and there is a concern that he will return to his apostasy [if he is subjected to disgrace].
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