The basic right to self-defense is established in the rabbi's reading of Exodus 22:1-2.
What criteria does the Torah set out for determining when it is justified to kill an intruder?
What questions do we still have about applying this law after studying the verse?
How does Rashi's explanation further expand the right of self-defense?
How might the Talmud's discussion of the right of self-defense apply to a community or synagogue setting?
The Talmud discusses the need for community security in the passage below. How might we apply this teaching to synagogue life?
מַתְנִי׳ כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ לִבְנוֹת בֵּית שַׁעַר וָדֶלֶת לֶחָצֵר רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר לֹא כׇּל הַחֲצֵרוֹת רְאוּיוֹת לְבֵית שַׁעַר כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ לִבְנוֹת לָעִיר חוֹמָה וּדְלָתַיִם וּבְרִיחַ רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר לֹא כׇּל הָעֲיָירוֹת רְאוּיוֹת לְחוֹמָה כַּמָּה יְהֵא בָּעִיר וִיהֵא כְּאַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ קָנָה בָּהּ בֵּית דִּירָה הֲרֵי הוּא כְּאַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר מִיָּד: גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת לָעִיר דְּלָתַיִם וּבְרִיחַ וְרַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר לֹא כָּל הָעֲיָירוֹת רְאוּיוֹת לְחוֹמָה אֶלָּא עִיר הַסְּמוּכָה לַסְּפָר רְאוּיָה לְחוֹמָה וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ סְמוּכָה לַסְּפָר אֵינָהּ רְאוּיָה לְחוֹמָה וְרַבָּנַן זִימְנִין דְּמִקְּרוּ וְאָתֵי גְּיָיסָא
MISHNA: The residents of a courtyard can compel each inhabitant of that courtyard to financially participate in the building of a gatehouse and a door to the jointly owned courtyard. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel disagrees and says: Not all courtyards require a gatehouse, and each courtyard must be considered on its own in accordance with its specific needs. Similarly, the residents of a city can compel each inhabitant of that city to contribute to the building of a wall, double doors, and a crossbar for the city. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel disagrees and says: Not all towns require a wall. With regard to this latter obligation, the mishna asks: How long must one live in the city to be considered like one of the people of the city and therefore obligated to contribute to these expenses? Twelve months. But if he bought himself a residence in the city, he is immediately considered like one of the people of the city. GEMARA:The mishna teaches that the residents of a city can compel each inhabitant of that city to contribute to the building of a wall, double doors, and a crossbar for the city. The Sages taught in a baraita: The residents of a city can compel each inhabitant of that city to build double doors and a crossbar for the city. And Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Not all cities require a wall. Rather, a city that adjoins the state border requires a wall, whereas a city that does not adjoin the state border does not require a wall. The Gemara asks: And why don’t the Rabbis make this distinction? The Gemara answers: Even if a city does not adjoin the border, it sometimes happens that invading troops come into the area. Therefore, it is always good for a city to be protected by a wall.
Do the same rules apply to a synagogue that needs security? The following passage for the Book of Nehemiah seems to say so.
(ט) וַיְהִ֞י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־שָׁמְע֤וּ אוֹיְבֵ֙ינוּ֙ כִּי־נ֣וֹדַֽע לָ֔נוּ וַיָּ֥פֶר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־עֲצָתָ֑ם (ונשוב) [וַנָּ֤שׇׁב] כֻּלָּ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־מְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃ (י) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ מִן־הַיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא חֲצִ֣י נְעָרַי֮ עֹשִׂ֣ים בַּמְּלָאכָה֒ וְחֶצְיָ֗ם מַחֲזִיקִים֙ וְהָרְמָחִ֣ים הַמָּגִנִּ֔ים וְהַקְּשָׁת֖וֹת וְהַשִּׁרְיֹנִ֑ים וְהַ֨שָּׂרִ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֖י כׇּל־בֵּ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה׃ (יא) הַבּוֹנִ֧ים בַּחוֹמָ֛ה וְהַנֹּשְׂאִ֥ים בַּסֶּ֖בֶל עֹמְשִׂ֑ים בְּאַחַ֤ת יָדוֹ֙ עֹשֶׂ֣ה בַמְּלָאכָ֔ה וְאַחַ֖ת מַחֲזֶ֥קֶת הַשָּֽׁלַח׃ (יב) וְהַ֨בּוֹנִ֔ים אִ֥ישׁ חַרְבּ֛וֹ אֲסוּרִ֥ים עַל־מׇתְנָ֖יו וּבוֹנִ֑ים וְהַתּוֹקֵ֥עַ בַּשּׁוֹפָ֖ר אֶצְלִֽי׃ (יג) וָאֹמַ֞ר אֶל־הַחֹרִ֤ים וְאֶל־הַסְּגָנִים֙ וְאֶל־יֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם הַמְּלָאכָ֥ה הַרְבֵּ֖ה וּרְחָבָ֑ה וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ נִפְרָדִים֙ עַל־הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה רְחוֹקִ֖ים אִ֥ישׁ מֵאָחִֽיו׃ (יד) בִּמְק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַשּׁוֹפָ֔ר שָׁ֖מָּה תִּקָּבְצ֣וּ אֵלֵ֑ינוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יִלָּ֥חֶם לָֽנוּ׃ (טו) וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ עֹשִׂ֣ים בַּמְּלָאכָ֑ה וְחֶצְיָ֗ם מַחֲזִיקִים֙ בָּֽרְמָחִ֔ים מֵעֲל֣וֹת הַשַּׁ֔חַר עַ֖ד צֵ֥את הַכּוֹכָבִֽים׃ (טז) גַּ֣ם בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא֙ אָמַ֣רְתִּי לָעָ֔ם אִ֣ישׁ וְנַעֲר֔וֹ יָלִ֖ינוּ בְּת֣וֹךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְהָֽיוּ־לָ֧נוּ הַלַּ֛יְלָה מִשְׁמָ֖ר וְהַיּ֥וֹם מְלָאכָֽה׃ (יז) וְאֵ֨ין אֲנִ֜י וְאַחַ֣י וּנְעָרַ֗י וְאַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמִּשְׁמָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַחֲרַ֔י אֵין־אֲנַ֥חְנוּ פֹשְׁטִ֖ים בְּגָדֵ֑ינוּ אִ֖ישׁ שִׁלְח֥וֹ הַמָּֽיִם׃ {פ}
“The strength of the basket-carrier has failed,
And there is so much rubble;
We are not able ourselves
To rebuild the wall.” (5) And our foes were saying, “Before they know or see it, we shall be in among them and kill them, and put a stop to the work.” (6) When the Jews living near them would arrive, they would tell us time and again-c -d“…from all the places where…you shall come back to us…”-d (7) I stationed, on the lower levels of the place, behind the walls, on the bare rock—I stationed the people by families with their swords, their lances, and their bows. (8) Then I decided to exhort the nobles, the prefects, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them! Think of the great and awesome Lord, and fight for your brothers, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes!” (9) When our enemies learned that it had become known to us, since God had thus frustrated their plan, we could all return to the wall, each to his work. (10) From that day on, half my servants did work and half held lances and shields, bows and armor. And the officers stood behind the whole house of Judah (11) who were rebuilding the wall. The basket-carriers were burdened, doing work with one hand while the other held a weapon. (12) As for the builders, each had his sword girded at his side as he was building. The trumpeter stood beside me. (13) I said to the nobles, the prefects, and the rest of the people, “There is much work and it is spread out; we are scattered over the wall, far from one another. (14) When you hear a trumpet call, gather yourselves to me at that place; our God will fight for us!” (15) And so we worked on, while half were holding lances, from the break of day until the stars appeared. (16) I further said to the people at that time, “Let every man with his servant lodge in Jerusalem, that we may use the night to stand guard and the day to work.” (17) Nor did I, my brothers, my servants, or the guards following me ever take off our clothes, [or] each his weapon, even at the water.-e
The Second Temple in Jerusalem was guarded even when there was not a direct threat. And it is clear from the references in the Christian Bible that these guards served the same function as modern security guards.
Book of Acts, Chapter 4
We have had the chance to look at the Jewish values that provide a foundation for guiding our understanding of synagogue security. We have also looked at some historical precedents. How do we apply what we have learned to our contemporary situation? That will be the topic of next week's session.