Is the Woodchopper Guilty or Not
Divine Code for December 19, 2022
Today: Page 356
Topic Chapter 5:12 -- 5:14
The following example is given in the Torah (Deutr. 19:5). If someone was cutting wood in a forest and didn't look to see if anyone was nearby, and when he brought the axe down to strike the wood, the metal blade slipped from the handle, and a person who was passing by was hit and killed, then the woodchopper is considered an accidental murderer. This is because people are not usally found in the forest, and therefore his lack of caution is nog out of negligence.
Neverthereless, since others are permitted to be there, and caution would have prevented the lethal accident, this is not considered unpreventable. The woodshopper is completely exempt only if he looked around and shouted warnings to caution anyone who might be in the area, and then in an unpredictable accident, a person was killed.
Curious about the whole page? You can read it in The Divine Code.
Reading schedule of the Divine Code
Yesterday's Study Topic: 5:10 -- 5:11
Tomorrow's Study Topic: 5:15 -- 5:19
Brought By Angelique Sijbolts
Angelique Sijbolts is one of the main writers for the Noahide Academy. She has been an observant Noahide for many years. She studies Torah with Rabbi Perets every week. Angelique invests much of her time in editing video-lectures for the Rabbis of the Academy and contributes in administrating the Academy's website in English and Dutch. She lives in the north of the Netherlands. Married and mother of two sons. She works as a teacher in a school with students with special needs. And is a Hebrew Teacher for the levels beginners and intermediate. She likes to walk, to read and play the piano.
Sources
The Divine Code 4e edition by rabbi Moshe Weiner
© Copyright, all rights reserved. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further.
NoahideAcademy.org's copyright policy.