Speaking with Kol Berama Radio, Rabbi Eliyahu Schlesinger spoke about a number of issues. Rabbi Schlesinger is the rav of the Gilo neighborhood of the capital as well as serving as acting posek of the Jerusalem Religious Council.

Kol Berama asked the rav about recent cases in which children are forgotten in their vehicles.

Rabbi Schlesinger:

It is “criminal” and there is no other word for it. “One who leaves a child in a vehicle is a criminal. Nothing less. Did you ever hear of a person forgetting a dog in a vehicle? What is this? How does one forget a child! This is a child from one’s own flesh! How can one forget a child in a vehicle – it is inexcusable”. The rav adds “we must view this as a person is a grama towards murder just like one who kills unintentionally and has to flee to a Ir Miklat (City of Refuge) and this is nothing less.

The rabbis is asked to comment on the new bill to address rock-throwing with a stiffer jail sentence. http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/314482/justice-minister-shaked-time-to-get-tough-against-rock-throwers.html

MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Yisrael Eichler feels we do not have to move ahead with a bill to address rock-throwers with a more serious punishment. Eichler tries to differentiate between an Arab throwing a rock and tries to kill to a person throwing a rock during a demonstration. The new bill would permit a judge to incarcerate stone-throwers for 25 years.

Rabbi Schlesinger:

One who throws a rock at a vehicle or a person can kill another and it is that simple. I never heard one is permitted to kill during a demonstration.

Rabbi Schlesinger explains he personally knows people who were physically and psychologically impaired due to rocks. “One who throws a rock must understand that he fired a gun, nothing less”.

Rabbi Schlesinger insists one cannot justify hurling a rock for any reason under any circumstance. “When one shoots a gun he cannot say ‘I did not intend to kill anyone’ since he knows a gun kills. The same is true for rocks”.

Kol Berama:

What about smoking. Too many talmidei yeshivos still smoke.

Rabbi Schlesinger:

I have compiled a number of seforim. In one case I quote a woman who explains her brother who is ill smokes to packs of cigarettes daily. She extinguished a cigarette of his and he demanded she caused him damage and took him to a din torah. I wrote in length that just as we are compelled to save a life of a Jew, one is also compelled to prevent another from being harmed. Yes, one cigarettes will not kill him but one and another and continuing to smoke will. “All gedolei yisrael have spoken out against smoking, those today and earlier generations”.

As one may not harm another, one may not harm oneself and that is what cigarette smoking is, nothing less.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)