I learned something new the other day. I learned about a spiritual principle called pikkuah nefesh. It is from the Jewish tradition, and the principles states, roughly: “To save a life, you can violate almost any commandment.”
That interpretation comes from Rabbi Asher Lopatin of the Anshe Sholom B’nai Israel congregation in Chicago. He is quoted in the Nov. 17 edition of The New Yorker, in an item about the man Rahm Emanuel, who is to become President-elect Obama’s Chief of Staff in the White House. Emanuel, according to the magazine piece by Lizzie Widdicombe, had consulted with Rabbi Lopatin about working on the financial bailout package during Rosh Hoshanah. The rabbi gave his approval, citing the principle above, and Emanuel then quietly left the service for a moment to take a conference call.

I was intrigued by what I read in Ms. Widdicombe’s write-up. I really love this idea, and, like much in Judaism, it makes total sense to me as it meets my ear. I have always liked that about the Jewish faith. In many ways it is a very practical, makes sense, feet-on-the-ground kind of religion. And pikkuah nefesh is hard to argue with. It stems, I believe, from a larger doctrinal understanding that appears to me to evidence itself everywhere in Judaism–that Life is the Prime Value.
There was once a time when this idea was shared by all of humanity. And when all of humanity held this belief, the behaviors of humanity (at least, in the name) could be fairly well predicted. Then, radical terrorism enlarged itself upon the scene–and suddenly, Life was replaced by being right as the Prime Value. It didn’t matter if someone’s life–even an innocent person’s life–was taken, so long as the cause for which it was taken was deemed to be “right.”
The irony here is that those who have committed terrorist acts and ended people’s lives (including their own) could, if they were called on the justify their actions, point directly to pikkuah nefesh, the principles that states: “To save a life, you can violate almost any commandment.” For terrorists believe that they are saving a life by taking a life.
This is the mindset that drives the engine of their experience. It is a mis-read of the principle of self defense–which principle has been used by governments and armies throughout human history to justify every military attack they have ever launched. I cannot remember a time is recorded history when a government, its army, or its leader, ever said: “We are defending nothing. We are simply attacking to further our own interests.”
So I can see that this idea of violating almost any commandment to save a life can be, and no doubt has been, abused. As have been all good ideas.