Reply To: Texting on Shabbos could be worse than murder

To The Wolf: Even without intending it to be so, the act of Chilul Shabbos in essence is one of extreme rebellion. I was commenting on the ACT not the particular intentions or person carrying it out. It’s a subtle distinction that, judging by your many posts, I am sure you are able to appreciate.

To Oomis: Everyone (almost) can do Tshuva. A murderer can also do Tshuva. That is not the issue under discussion. Nevuzeradan killed over 40,000 innocent men, women and children and was accepted as a Ger. I was commenting on the severity of the Aveira to start with.

To 1818 and The Rebel and Popa Bar Aba: This is not a Kiruv forum therefore my tone is totally justified. The Gemara uses far far harsher language against people who desecrate Shabbos. I have once or twice had to talk to people who knew no better about Chilul Shabbos and of course my approach was completely different, much softer emphasising the beauty of Shabbos etc with no mention at all of rebellion etc. This does not detract in any way from the correctness in utterly condemning Chilul Shabbos in the harshest way possible in the appropriate setting. The truth is the truth is the truth.

To Zahavasdad: You make an excellent point about Chilul Shabos being OK in a situation of Pikuach Nefesh as opposed to murder. However if you learn carefully Rashi in Sanhedrin (daf 74) it appears that this is not due to the severity of the crime of murder. Rather he explains as follows: That the Torah values all Jewish life over any mitzva/aveira. So if faced between losing your life and doing an aveira – the life comes first. However in the case of murder where by doing the aveira anyway a life will be lost, there is nothing to be gained by doing the aveira. So the Heter of Pikuach Nefesh falls away.