Engaging in Dangerous Activities

From Halachipedia

There is a mitzvah to take care of one's health and it is forbidden to put oneself in danger. The Torah instructs us several times to take heed to guard our souls.[1] On this basis, some understand that this is why chazal warn us to be healthy.[2] Additionally, there is a mitzvah to remove dangerous obstacles in your domain.[3] And prohibition to to keep them in your domain.[4]

Smoking

  1. Most poskim hold that it is forbidden to smoke. [5]
  2. Aside from the issue of smoking in general, it is strictly forbidden to smoke in a shul. [6]

Injuring oneself

  1. It is absolutely forbidden to commit suicide and it is a very serious sin because Hashem didn't give us our bodies and lives to do with them whatever we like.[7]
  2. It is forbidden to injure or cause a wound to oneself.[8] If it is done for health purposes there is a discussion if it is permitted.[9]
  3. It is absolutely forbidden to hit or injure someone else.[10] In fact it is forbidden to insinuate that one is going to hit another Jew and one who does so is considered wicked.[11]

Paintballing

  1. As explained earlier, it is absolutely forbidden to hit or injure someone else. There is a dispute whether one can allow someone else to injure oneself. A direct ramification of this dispute is whether it would be permitted to go paintballing knowing that it is very likely one will be injured but in advance agrees to it.[12]

Donating Blood

  1. Many poskim permit donating blood even though it involves inflicting a wound upon oneself. [13]

Piercings and Tattoos

Regarding piercings and tattoos see the Tattoos_&_Body_Piercing page.

Sources

  1. ↑ Devarim 4:9, 4:15
  2. ↑ Ketubot 30a, Levush YD 116
  3. ↑ Rambam Rotze'ach 11:4
  4. ↑ Rambam Rotze'ach 11:4
  5. ↑ Sh"t Tzitz Eliezer 17:21, Rav Chaim Kanievsky in Sheeilat Rav 1:52, Sh"t Teshuvot Vehanhagot 4:115, Rav Nisim Karelitz in a letter at the beginning of the book "Chaim Le-lo Ishun", Chacham Ovadia Yosef in Maran Peer Hador pg. 31, Teshuva of the RCA, Rabbi Chaim Jachter. See, however, Yachava Daat 5:39 and Igrot Moshe YD 5:49 regarding smoking.
  6. ↑ Yechave Daat 2:17, Yaskil Avdi 4:17:3, Ben Ish Chai Parashat Vayikra Halacha 5, Sh"t Maharshag 2:117, Kaf Hachaim 151:10
  7. ↑ The Midrash (Beresheet Rabba 34:5) learns from the pasuk that it is forbidden to commit suicide.
  8. ↑ Panim Yafot (Devarim 14:1) writes that it is forbidden to injure oneself based on Beresheet 9:1.
  9. ↑ Under certain circumstances, Igrot Moshe CM 2:65-66 permitted plastic surgery for aesthetic purposes.
  10. ↑ The pasuk (Devarim 25:3) warns against hitting a guilty sinner more than necessary. Chazal learn from here the general prohibition to hit any Jew, since if the Torah forbids hitting a sinner how much more so anyone else. This is considered a negative commandment by the Rambam (Lavin n. 300) and Sefer HaChinuch (n. 595).
  11. ↑ Chazal (Sanhedrin 58b) learn from Moshe that a Jew who raises his hand to hit another Jew is considered wicked. This is quoted by the Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvot lavin n. 300).
  12. ↑ Rabbi Yehuda Balsam outlines a dispute between the Minchat Chinuch and Turei Even who hold that it is permitted to allow someone else to injure oneself and S"A HaRav who forbids this. He writes that a practical application of this dispute is whether it is permitted to go paintballing.
  13. ↑ Igrot Moshe CM 1:103, Nishmat Avraham YD 349:3
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