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One of the most important Jewish sayings: If You save one life its as if you saved the world. Now keeping this in mind analyze the mindset of the persons who make thesetwo speachs in 1938: Vladimir Jabotinsky:For three years I keep addressing you, Jews of Poland, the Crown of World Jewry. I keep warning you time and again that the catastrophe is approaching. My hair has turned white and I grew old during all those years, because my heart is bleeding for you, dear brethren and sisters, for not seeing that the volcano is about to erupt and spit the fire of destruction. I foresee a terrible vision; there is no much time left to save your life. I know: you are too preoccupied and busy with your daily concerns to see it. Listen to my words on the very last moment: For heaven’s sake! Save your lives, every one of you, as long as there is time – and time is short! And another thing I would like to tell you on this day, the Ninth of Ab: Those who will run away from this catastrophe will have the privilege to live and see this festive moment of great Jewish Joy – the rebirth and revival of a Jewish State. I do not know if I will live to see it, but my son will! I believe in this as strongly as I believe that tomorrow the sun will rise. It is my strongest belief/.

David Ben-gurion speech "If I knew that it was possible to save all the children of Germany by transporting them to England, and only half by transferring them to the Land of Israel, I would choose the latter, for before us lies not only the numbers of these children but the historical reckoning of the people of Israel".

Vladimir Jabotinsky and David Ben-Gurion were prominent Zionist leaders in the 1930s, and their speeches reflect fundamentally different mindsets regarding the value of Jewish lives in the face of the impending catastrophe in Europe. Jabotinsky's appeal prioritized saving individual Jewish lives immediately, while Ben-Gurion's controversial statement subordinated individual salvation to the long-term, collective goal of securing a Jewish state.
The Jewish saying, "Whoever saves a single life is considered to have saved the world," comes from the Talmud and emphasizes the infinite value of each individual human l

In 1938, Zionist leaders Vladimir Jabotinsky and David Ben-Gurion held starkly different views on rescuing European Jews. Their respective speeches reflect contrasting mindsets rooted in their competing visions for the Jewish people and the future Jewish state. While Jabotinsky prioritized saving individual lives through immediate emigration, Ben-Gurion prioritized building the Jewish state, even if it meant sacrificing the lives of some in the process.
Both speeches, delivered in the shadow of rising Nazi persecution, must be analyzed in the context of the Jewish Talmudic dictum Pikuach Nefesh ("Whoever saves a single life is considered by scripture to have saved the world"). The contrasting ways they interpreted and acted upon this principle highlight the deep ideological rift within the Zionist movement at the time.
Vladimir Jabotinsky: The prophet of catastrophe
Jabotinsky's speech on the Ninth of Av (a day of mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples) reflects a mindset of urgency, despair, and individual responsibility.
Prioritizing immediate survival: He saw a "catastrophe is approaching" and was consumed by a desperate need to save lives,urging Jews to "Save your lives, every one of you, as long as there is time". This is a direct appeal to the principle of Pikuach Nefesh on a mass scale, prioritizing the physical preservation of individual Jews above all else.
Emphasis on individual agency: He called on every individual to act for their own rescue, rather than relying solely on collective political action. His message was a pragmatic and emotional plea for escape, not a strategic calculation for the collective good.
The state as a sanctuary: While he framed the future Jewish state as the ultimate destination for those who escape, its establishment was a long-term goal, secondary to the immediate act of survival. The state is presented as a reward, not as a tool that justifies immediate sacrifice.
Prophetic urgency: His language is that of a prophet seeing a terrible vision, a bleeding heart, and white hair, suggesting a deep personal distress and an overriding moral imperative to warn his people. He was focused on the lives at immediate risk, not on long-term national projects.
Jabotinsky, a leader of the Revisionist Zionist movement, had a mindset rooted in urgency and the moral imperative of immediate rescue.
Focus on the individual: Jabotinsky's speech is a passionate, direct plea for every single Jew in Poland to "Save your lives, every one of you, as long as there is time." He sees the looming "catastrophe" and believes that the immediate preservation of life is the paramount concern. This aligns with the spirit of the Talmudic saying.
A prophet of impending doom: He frames his warning with prophetic urgency, stating, "My heart is bleeding for you, dear brethren and sisters, for not seeing that the volcano is about to erupt". He was convinced that the situation for Jews in Eastern Europe was untenable and that a mass exodus, which he termed "Evacuation," was the only way to avert disaster.
The state as a safe haven: Jabotinsky did not see the future Jewish state as merely a political end in itself, but as a necessary safe haven for the millions of Jews he was trying to rescue. He linked the act of survival to the ultimate "great Jewish Joy—the rebirth and revival of a Jewish State". Those who flee are not just saving themselves, but also becoming the founders of the future state.
David Ben-Gurion: The architect of the state
Ben-Gurion's speech, in contrast, reveals a mindset dominated by long-term, collective national priorities, even at a devastating human cost.
Prioritizing the national project: His rationale is explicitly framed around the "historical reckoning of the people of Israel," not the immediate number of lives saved. The imperative to establish a Jewish state (Eretz Yisrael) outweighs the fate of individual children, making the collective future the supreme moral priority.
Instrumental view of rescue: For Ben-Gurion, rescue was a tool for state-building. Rescuing children to be part of the future Jewish state was fundamentally different from rescuing them to be assimilated elsewhere. He viewed the emigration of Jews to non-Zionist destinations like England as a loss for the Zionist project, even if it saved more lives.
Devaluation of individual over collective: His words directly contradict the spirit of Pikuach Nefesh by suggesting that the value of the Jewish collective is greater than the sum of its individual parts. He essentially argues that the children's lives are more significant when they contribute to the nation, rather than existing simply as individuals.
Pragmatic and cold calculation: The speech is a dispassionate, strategic calculation focused on a demographic and historical outcome. It lacks the emotional, visceral urgency of Jabotinsky's appeal. It reveals a mindset focused on the ends (a Jewish state) justifying the means (sacrificing individual lives).
Ben-Gurion, the head of the mainstream Labor Zionist movement and later Israel's first Prime Minister, operated from a different ideological framework that prioritized the collective Jewish destiny.
Focus on the collective: In his statement, Ben-Gurion explicitly chooses the collective "historical reckoning of the people of Israel" over the individual lives of German children. His mindset was focused on building a strong, self-sufficient state in Palestine as the ultimate and only long-term defense against antisemitism. This goal outweighed the immediate needs of some individuals.
The "realist" perspective: While chilling, Ben-Gurion's calculation can be seen as a form of political realism. He saw the creation of a Jewish state as the only way to ensure the long-term survival of the Jewish people. From this perspective, the loss of some lives was a tragic price to pay for the ultimate preservation of the nation.
The state as an existential project: Ben-Gurion's mindset was shaped by the idea that Zionism was an all-encompassing, transformative, and even revolutionary project. He believed that the national rebirth in the Land of Israel was the highest goal. This focus on the collective, national project stands in stark contrast to the Talmudic principle of the infinite value of a single life.

Comparison and analysis
Jabotinsky and Ben-Gurion's speeches highlight a central, and deeply painful, ideological clash within Zionism.
Individual vs. collective salvation: Jabotinsky embodies the Talmudic ideal of saving individual lives, one by one, to save the world. His appeal is emotional and urgent. Ben-Gurion, in his controversial statement, represents a utilitarian and nationalistic perspective that places the collective fate of the Jewish people above the lives of some individuals.
Short-term rescue vs. long-term solution: Jabotinsky advocated for immediate evacuation as a short-term survival strategy. Ben-Gurion viewed the immediate crisis through the lens of a long-term, nation-building project. For Ben-Gurion, a Jewish state was not just an end goal, but a tool that could eventually ensure no Jew would ever need rescuing by the kindness of others.
The ultimate tragedy: Both men failed in their 1938 goals. Jabotinsky's warning went largely unheeded, and British immigration quotas severely limited the flow of immigrants to Palestine. Ben-Gurion's desire for a rapid, mass settlement was also thwarted by political realities. Both men, tragically, witnessed the systematic destruction of millions of European Jews during the Holocaust, reinforcing Jabotinsky's warnings and adding a horrific weight to Ben-Gurion's calculus.

Mindsets and the principle of Pikuach Nefesh
The contrast between the two speeches highlights the deep conflict between the particularist Zionist political imperative and the universal Jewish ethical precept of saving life.
Jabotinsky's mindset operates within the traditional interpretation of Pikuach Nefesh, viewing each individual life as an entire world. His focus is on the sanctity of life in the present, regardless of location.
Ben-Gurion's mindset represents a radical reinterpretation of Jewish values, subordinating the value of individual life to the national-political project. While still acting in the name of Jewish survival, his view expands the "world" from a single life to the historical destiny of the Jewish people, a collective entity. This reinterpretation allows for a utilitarian calculation that would be considered anathema under traditional Jewish law.
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Yes, rabbinic literature strongly warns against subordinating the value of an individual life to a national-political project. This is based on the core principle of pikuach nefesh (saving a life), which establishes the infinite worth of each human life. The texts warn against prioritizing state power, authority, or national ideals when doing so places individual lives at risk.
The principle of pikuach nefesh
Life above all else: The doctrine of pikuach nefesh dictates that the preservation of human life overrides nearly all other religious commandments. This is derived from the verse in Leviticus 18:5, "You shall keep my laws and my rules, by the pursuit of which man shall live." The Talmudic sages interpreted this to mean, "Live by them, and do not die by them".
Infinite worth of one life: The Mishnah in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 4:5) states, "Whoever saves a single life, it is as if he saved an entire world". This foundational idea underscores the priceless value of every individual, emphasizing that no singular person should be seen as a mere instrument for the greater good of a collective cause.
Overrides most religious laws: Rabbinic literature provides specific examples of how pikuach nefesh takes precedence. For instance, the laws of Shabbat, one of the most sacred observances, can and must be violated to save a person in danger. This illustrates that even divine commandments are secondary to the preservation of human life, making political projects even more insignificant in comparison.
The principle of pikuach nefesh
Life over law: Rabbinic law states that you must violate most commandments in order to save a human life. For example, a person is obligated to break the laws of the Sabbath—such as driving or performing medical procedures—if it is necessary to save a life.
Life over ideology: The justification for this principle comes from a rabbinic interpretation of Leviticus 18:5, which states that humans should "live by" the commandments, not "die by" them. This established that the purpose of all religious observance is the promotion of life, not ideology, thereby confirming the sanctity of the individual.
Infinite value: A famous Talmudic passage in Tractate Sanhedrin declares, "Whoever saves a single life, it is as if he saved an entire world". This concept reinforces the infinite value of each individual, making it impossible to sacrifice one person for the sake of a larger group or political objective.
Warnings against state power and authority
Rabbinic texts express deep suspicion of concentrated power and advise a cautious stance toward government, as it can lead to the devaluation of human life.
Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) warns against entanglement with government: The rabbinic text Pirkei Avot (1:10) contains the warning, "Love work, hate authority, and do not become familiar with the ruling power". Rashi's commentary further explains that government officials may befriend people for selfish ends, and that holding power can corrupt.
"Hate authority": The Mishnah in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers) advises, "Love work, and hate authority, and do not become familiar with the government". According to commentaries like the Bartinuro, this warns against using government to gain authority over others.
The corrupting nature of power: The Talmud (Berachot 55a) goes so far as to state that "three things shorten a man's life," with one of them being the assumption of power. The text cites the biblical Joseph, who died before his brothers because he "held the reins of power".
Corrupting effect of power: The Talmud in Berachot (55a) states that assuming power can shorten a person's life and cites the example of the biblical Joseph, who died before his brothers because he held the reins of power. This illustrates the inherent danger that comes with holding positions of authority.
Critiques of monarchy: The prophet Samuel's warning against the institution of monarchy, as recorded in the Bible, is often cited in rabbinic literature as a lesson on the dangers of unchecked centralized power.
Prophetic critique of monarchy: This rabbinic suspicion of state power has roots in the prophetic tradition. The prophet Samuel, for example, warned the Israelites that instituting a monarchy would lead to the abuse of power and kings "tak[ing] and not giv[ing]," placing themselves and their agendas above the needs of the people.
Condemnation of nationalist excesses
Rabbinic thinkers have warned against forms of nationalism that lead to the glorification of war or the oppression of individuals in the name of a collective.
Critiques of chauvinistic nationalism: Some Jewish thinkers have distinguished between a healthy form of national identity and a dangerous, chauvinistic xenophobia. Critics of mystical nationalism, for instance, have warned that a "spirituality" that justifies war and puts the nation above the concrete reality of individuals is self-defeating.
Protecting individual identity: Some scholars highlight the danger of political recognition, which can impose state-defined identities on citizens and lead to violence and disregard for individuals. This runs counter to the rabbinic ideal of a polity defined by its local members rather than by external imperial power