Sakana - Matters of Danger

QUESTION: What is meant by the statement of Chazal “chamira sakanta m’issura” (matters of danger are more stringent than prohibitions)?

ANSWER: The Rema (YD 116:5) lists various precautions one is obligated to take to avoid dangerous situations. For example, one may not walk alone outside at night or walk under a leaning wall or on an unstable bridge. The Rema explains that we are more stringent with a sofek sakana (possible danger) than with a safek issur (possible prohibition). Presumably, the Rema means that regarding issurim we rely on chazakos (status quo) and rov (majority), while we would not rely on such considerations when it comes to matters of Sakana (see Chasam Sofer Avoda Zara 30a).

The Levush (OC 551:18) writes that during the “3 weeks”, one must be even more careful regarding aspects of sakana (danger), because this is a time when many tragedies occurred. He writes that this is alluded to in Eicha (1:3) - All her pursuers overtook her “bein ha’mitzarim”. Chazal understood the phrase “bein ha’mitzarim” (between the narrow places) to refer to the 3 weeks between Shiva Assar b’Tamuz and Tisha b’Av. Though one must be mindful to avoid dangers and not take unnecessary risks all year long, this applies even more so during the three weeks. 

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.