The Torah passages and Israel's holidays are full of important messages that are relevant and empower our day-today lives. Rabbi Shai Tahan, head of the Sha'arei Ezra community and head of the Arzi HaLebanon teaching house, opens the gates for us to understand these messages, from their source, in a clear way. This week - Privacy and Publicity: Halachic Perspectives on Sharing Graphic Content
Rav Avigdor Miller famously said that we are mistaken in assuming that widespread awareness of the brutal methods employed by the German Nazis to torture and kill the Jewish people, fosters sympathy for us. He argued that, instead, it only gratifies those who harbor animosity toward Jews, providing them with satisfaction, inspiration, and even more perverse ideas.
Since the Simchat Torah massacre, the distressing images and videos depicting the killing and torture, known as "Bearing Witness to the October 7th Massacre," have been presented in various forums. This includes showings to members of the U.S. Congress, the United Nations, diplomats, and world consulates.
Not only were images and videos circulating, but numerous poles also displayed pictures and posters of the kidnapped individuals.
The question that naturally arises, is whether it is halachically permitted to show people these images for the sake of gaining influence on the world stage, or perhaps it is prohibited since doing so might infringe upon their privacy, respect, and dignity.
Furthermore, based upon Rav Miller's assertion that not only are we not gaining any positive ground, but we are inadvertently providing our enemies with more satisfaction, perhaps this itself should be grounds to prohibit the circulation of these images and videos? It is evident that these videos have fueled the appetite of anti-Semites all over the world, intensifying their desire to inflict harm on the Jewish community.
Let's examine a responsa from Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igrot Moshe Y.D. 2 Siman 150) regarding the issue of performing autopsies after one's death, which is halachically forbidden due to the prohibition of cutting one's body. The inquiry pertained to participating in a demonstration against this practice while showcasing the severed limbs of the body. The rationale behind this approach was that displaying the body parts would evoke greater distress, potentially making the demonstration more impactful in conveying their message.
Rav Moshe Feinstein referenced the story of "Pilegesh BaGiv'ah" to illustrate his point.
The story of "Pilegesh BaGiv'ah" involves a Levite and his woman traveling to Gibeah (מלכים יט-כא). The locals' extreme cruelty resulted in the mistreatment and death of the woman, sparking a significant conflict among the nation.
After the death of the woman in the story of "Pilegesh BaGiv'ah," the Levite dismembered her body and sent parts of it to the twelve tribes of Israel. This shocking act prompted a gathering of the tribes, leading to a severe conflict with the tribe of Benyamin, who refused to hand over the perpetrators. The conflict then escalated into a full-scale war, resulting in the near-destruction of the tribe of Benyamin and the implementation of a resolution to provide wives for the surviving Benyaminites to ensure the tribe's continuity.
From this story, Rav Moshe drew the conclusion that it is permitted to disassemble the deceased body parts to demonstrate a highly crucial act. Moreover, he asserted that if the body is already disassembled, certainly one may use those parts in an important demonstration.
Accordingly, we can infer that using images and videos for the purpose of demonstrating our right to dismantle the enemy, despite the significant collateral damage, is permissible. This allowance is granted, even though it involves sacrificing the dignity of those who were killed. In such situations, where there seems to be no other viable means to express our right to continue the war, this form of communication is deemed permissible.
Certainly, one must exercise careful consideration when deciding whether there is a net gain on the world stage. On one hand, we are sacrificing the dignity of the victims, and on the other, we risk fueling the enemy's desire to see more Jewish people suffer. This delicate balance underscores the importance of weighing the potential benefits against the potential harm before using such images and videos for advocacy or demonstration purposes.
A great rabbi once remarked, "I would rather the world hate Israel when it wins, than witness them love Israel when it dies." While these words carry weight and truth, it's important to note that such sentiments are relevant only if these are the sole choices available. However, employing techniques to gain the world's support is evidently the preferable and more constructive choice when available.
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel