Reply To: Forced to kill by a Grama

“Isn’t this a B’feirush Tosfos (in either Sanhedrin or Yevamos) that letting someone throw you on a baby is Muttar if the other option is being Moser Nefesh”

I asked the question to a Lamdan visiting here from Jerusalem. In an instant he pulled out Sanhedrin 74B and pointed in Tos’ to where the lines get larger. He read to me from that Tos’ and came up with the following conclusion. The reason for letting yourself get thrown on a baby – and not get killed – is because you are passive. Had you been active, you are not allowed to cause another death even under threat of death. This is his svara: had there been a greater Chiddush – like doing something active, Tos’ would have said it. But Tos’ went only as far as to say passive is Muttar in a case of Yehareig V’al Yaavor

Actually, Rashi (82a very bottom) hints to that in commenting on Ariyot. He says that women are not obligated to give up their lives in a case of forced Ervah because of passivity (karka olam).