Reply To: Saving a Relative's Life First

That’s your own boich sevora bubbe maaisa. I already gave some examples where things are otherwise equal. The Mechaber, Rav Moshe, the Shach, the Taz aren’t giving pilpul about things that don’t happen; they’re paskening halacha l’maaisa for real situations that are very applicable. It’s true that it is infrequent where you have a situation where you can’t save everyone and you have to make choices who to save; infrequent but not non-existent. Just be honest with yourself and say you don’t like the halacha. If the Titanic had followed halacha it would have been another example of where things are otherwise equal. L’maaisa they followed the goyish kedima which is the opposite of the halacha. But, as I earlier asked, let’s hypothetically say that the halacha was the opposite order for the genders, would you then also be saying “let’s hush-hush this halacha and not say it out loud – and we should totally ignore it”?