Din & Daf: Do We Punish Preemptively? (Part 2) with Dr. Elana Stein Hain

Din & Daf: Conceptual Analysis of Halakha Through Case Study with Dr. Elana Stein Hain

This perek in Sanhedrin introduces the concepts of punishing preemptively - punishing the wayward son because of where his current path is leading him (נדון על שם סופו), punishing the home burglar because we presume readiness to commit murder (נדון על שם סופו), and various examples of people who are on their way to committing a capital crime and they may be stopped using lethal force (מצילין אותן בנפשן). These concepts, if expanded, can lead to an overreaching justice system, even one that punishes those who don’t deserve it. Additionally, especially the final concept of מצילין אותן בנפשן can easily lead to vigilante-ism and extreme violence in the name of religion. How have we dealt with these concepts in Jewish history? Do they still apply? If so, when? Are we worried about their slippery slope potential? Last week we discussed נדון על שם סופו, and this week we will discuss רודף, a prime exemplar of מצילין אותן בנפשן.

Sanhedrin 73a, 82a

Dr. Elana Stein Hain – dinanddaf@hadran.org.il

For more Din and Daf: https://hadran.org.il/channel/din-daf/