Reporting to the Authorities: Difference between revisions
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Reporting to the Authorities (view source)
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===Menace to the Public=== | ===Menace to the Public=== | ||
# Someone who is engaged in forgery and endangers the public he should be warned and if he continues he can be informed upon to the authorities.<ref>Rama 388:12</ref> This establishes the rule that it is permitted to report a public menace.<ref>[https://www.torahweb.org/audio/rsch_120306_video.html Rav Schachter ("Should I Call the Police?" min 9) on torahweb.org]. Erech Hachaim Bhalacha cites Rav Yakov Emden in Even Bochen 1:75-6 who writes that it is permitted and proper to report someone who is endangering the public by injuring non-Jews or defrauding them. One proof is that the Jews gave Shimshon to the Plishtim because he killed sixty plishtim and he endangered the Jews. Rav Emden cites Sefer Chasidim 699 as a support.</ref> | # Someone who is engaged in forgery and endangers the public he should be warned and if he continues he can be informed upon to the authorities.<ref>Rama C.M. 388:12, Taz YD 157:8</ref> This establishes the rule that it is permitted to report a public menace.<ref>[https://www.torahweb.org/audio/rsch_120306_video.html Rav Schachter ("Should I Call the Police?" min 9) on torahweb.org]. Erech Hachaim Bhalacha cites Rav Yakov Emden in Even Bochen 1:75-6 who writes that it is permitted and proper to report someone who is endangering the public by injuring non-Jews or defrauding them. One proof is that the Jews gave Shimshon to the Plishtim because he killed sixty plishtim and he endangered the Jews. Rav Emden cites Sefer Chasidim 699 as a support.</ref> | ||
# Someone who is driving recklessly even after being warned should be reported to a bet din and with approval reported to the police because of the danger it poses to the public.<ref>Minchat Yitzchak 8:148</ref> | # Someone who is driving recklessly even after being warned should be reported to a bet din and with approval reported to the police because of the danger it poses to the public.<ref>Minchat Yitzchak 8:148</ref> | ||
===Abusers=== | ===Abusers=== | ||
#There is a communal responsibility to confront and curtail child abuse.<ref>Rav Asher Weiss and Rav Zalman Nechemya Goldberg in Yeshurun v. 15 pp. 634-666 cited by Rabbi Reiss (Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society, Spring 2012 pp. 6-21)</ref> There is a | #There is a communal responsibility to confront and curtail child abuse.<ref>Rav Asher Weiss and Rav Zalman Nechemya Goldberg in Yeshurun v. 15 pp. 634-666 cited by Rabbi Reiss (Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society, Spring 2012 pp. 6-21)</ref> There is a biblical obligation to help someone in danger and not stand idly by.<ref>Vayikra 19:16</ref> | ||
#Even if the victim says that they should leave the perpetrator alone there is nonetheless an obligation to help the victim.<ref>Rabbi Reiss (Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society, Spring 2012 pp. 6-21) writes that just like we find with respect to a rodef that there is an obligation to rescue a victim even if the victim says to leave the assailant alone (Rambam Rotze'ach 1:13) that is also applicable to abuse cases. The Sama CM 426:12 explains that we're concerned that the victim merely says not to pursue the abuser out of fear that he will become a victimized further if the assailant is irritated.</ref> | #Even if the victim says that they should leave the perpetrator alone there is nonetheless an obligation to help the victim.<ref>Rabbi Reiss (Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society, Spring 2012 pp. 6-21) writes that just like we find with respect to a rodef that there is an obligation to rescue a victim even if the victim says to leave the assailant alone (Rambam Rotze'ach 1:13) that is also applicable to abuse cases. The Sama CM 426:12 explains that we're concerned that the victim merely says not to pursue the abuser out of fear that he will become a victimized further if the assailant is irritated.</ref> | ||
====Teachers==== | ====Teachers==== | ||
