-Caveat Lector-
Rabbi's Ruling Sparks Outrage
By JACK KATZENELL
.c The Associated Press
JERUSALEM (AP) - A rabbi's reported ruling against giving medical attention
to non-Jews on the Sabbath sparked calls on Sunday for the army to strip the
rabbi of his combat officer rank.
A letter signed by Rabbi Amicha Rontsky appeared in a religious journal this
month, declaring: ``Of course the life of a Gentile has value ... but the
value of the Sabbath is more important.''
Meimad, a dovish religious movement, published an exchange of letters between
Rontsky, a Lieutenant Colonel and the deputy commander of a reserves infantry
brigade, and Yoske Ahituv, a religious scholar.
Ahituv had heard of a religious ruling by Rontsky instructing religious army
medics to avoid treating wounded Palestinian guerrillas on the Sabbath, and
sought clarification.
``If it is possible to refrain from treating (guerrillas), of course that is
how one should act,'' Rontsky wrote.
He based his ruling on ancient rabbinical writings that appear to ban the
treatment of non-Jews on the Sabbath. Most rabbis have ruled that such
writings are no longer relevant, and that saving human lives, Jewish or
non-Jewish, is paramount.
Rontsky's one qualification was the ``fear and horror'' of the possibility
that such an action would be published in the world media and lead to attacks
on Jews overseas.
``It is permissible to bypass the laws of the Torah in order to prevent a
situation of danger for Jews outside Israel,'' he said.
Rontsky was writing in his capacity as the dean of a seminary in the Jewish
settlement of Itamar, and did not say whether his ruling reflected the orders
he would give as an army commander.
He was unavailable for comment on Sunday.
Yossi Paritsky of the secularist Shinui party wrote the army Chief of Staff,
Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz, and demanded that Rontsky be stripped of his rank. He
said Rontsky's statement was ``spine-chilling and shocking.''
The Israeli army spokesman refused to comment specifically on Rontsky's
statement but rejected it by implication.
``The saving of life is a supreme value without distinction of any kind,'' he
said in a statement issued by his office to The Associated Press.
DECLARATION DISCLAIMER
==
CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic
screeds are not allowed. Substancenot soapboxing! These are sordid matters
and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright
frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects
spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
Archives Available at:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
