Pikuach nefesh
E79738
Pikuach nefesh is the Jewish legal and ethical principle that preserving human life overrides almost all other religious commandments.
Statements (46)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Jewish legal principle
→
ethical principle in Judaism → halakhic principle → |
| appliesEvenTo |
doubtful danger to life
→
|
| appliesTo |
both physical and immediate threats to life
→
human life → serious potential threats to life → |
| associatedConcept |
sanctity of life in Judaism
→
|
| basedOnSource |
Talmud
→
Torah → |
| categoryIn |
Jewish bioethics
→
|
| contrastsWith |
strict ritual observance without regard to life
→
|
| coreIdea |
preservation of human life overrides almost all other commandments
→
|
| ethicalDomain |
Jewish ethics
→
|
| ethicalImplication |
duty to rescue those in life-threatening danger
→
obligation to protect one’s own life → obligation to seek medical treatment → |
| ethicalStatus |
supreme value in Jewish moral reasoning
→
|
| exceptionToOverride |
idolatry
→
murder → sexual immorality → |
| guidesDecisionMakingIn |
emergency situations in Jewish law
→
medical ethics in Judaism → |
| halakhicStatus |
obligation
→
|
| influences |
Jewish hospital policies
→
rabbinic rulings on health and safety → |
| justifies |
breaking dietary laws to prevent danger to life
→
eating on Yom Kippur to protect health → violation of Sabbath to save life → |
| languageOfTerm |
Hebrew
→
|
| legalDomain |
Jewish law
→
|
| literalMeaning |
saving a life
→
|
| moralPriority |
human life above ritual observance
→
|
| normativeIn |
Conservative Judaism
→
Orthodox Judaism → Reform Judaism → |
| normativeSourceType |
halakhic obligation rather than mere permission
→
|
| overrides |
Sabbath prohibitions
→
fasting obligations → most ritual commandments → |
| primaryConcern |
saving life over ritual consistency
→
|
| recognizedBy |
rabbinic authorities across denominations
→
|
| relatedPrinciple |
rodef (pursuer) law
→
safek nefashot (doubt of danger to life) → |
| religiousTradition |
Judaism
→
|
| valueHierarchy |
one of the highest values in Jewish law
→
|
Referenced by (1)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Rabbinic Judaism
→
|
hasConcept |