If two people were walking on a desolate path and there was a jug [kiton] of water in the possession of one of them, and the situation was such that if both drink from the jug, both will die, as there is not enough water, but if only one of them drinks, he will reach a settled area, there is a dispute as to the halakha. Ben Petora taught: It is preferable that both of them drink and die, and let neither one of them see the death of the other. This was the accepted opinion until Rabbi Akiva came and taught that the verse states: “And your brother shall live with you,” indicating that your life takes precedence over the life of the other.

(11) Concerning both cases Rabbi Joshua said: This is not the kind of terumah over which I am cautioned lest I defile it, but rather to eat of it and not to defile it. If one was passing from place to place with loaves of terumah in his hand and a Gentile said to him: “Give me one of these and I will make it impure; for if not, I will defile them all,” let him defile them all, and not give him deliberately one to defile, the words of Rabbi Eliezer. But Rabbi Joshua says: he should place one of them on a rock.

(12) Similarly, if gentiles say to women, “Give us one of you that we may defile her, and if not, we will defile you all”, then let them all be defiled rather than hand over to them one soul from Israel.

(7) A man takes precedence over a woman in matters concerning the saving of life and the restoration of lost property, and a woman takes precedence over a man in respect of clothing and ransom from captivity. When both are exposed to degradation in their captivity the man takes precedence over the woman.

(8) A priest takes precedence over a levite, a levite over an israelite, an israelite over a mamzer, a mamzer over a natin, a natin over a convert, and a convert over a freed slave. When is this so? When all these were in other respects equal. However, if the mamzer was a scholar and the high priest an ignoramus, the scholar mamzer takes precedence over the ignorant high priest.

(6) As they said on the subject of duress, so they said of sickness. How so? For example: One who takes sick and his life is despaired of, and doctors prescribe a remedy for him consisting of a certain thing which is forbidden, the doctor's orders are followed. Healing is effected by everything that the Torah forbids, where there is danger of death⁶Pesahim, 25a. C., save only idolatry, adultery and murder, which even in case of danger, must not be employed as means of healing. If he transgress and be cured by such means, the tribunal may visit upon him due punishment.

(7) Whence do we know that even when life is in danger, none of these prohibitive commandments may be violated? From what it is said: "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deut. 6.5), even though He taketh thy life.⁷Berakot 65b. G. And, the taking of one life in Israel to give healing to another life, or to save a man from an assassin is a thing which reason dictates not to do, for one life must not be sacrificed for another life. As for adultery, it is likened unto life itself, as it is said: "For as when a man riseth against his neighbor and slayeth him, even so is this matter" (Duet. 22.26).

Mar Zutra said: This is not difficult. With regard to preserving his life and rescuing him from captivity or from a dangerous situation, it is preferable to preserve the one anointed for war.

What is the reason for this?

The reason is that the public depends on him in a time of war. But with regard to ritual impurity, it is preferable that the deputy High Priest remain ritually pure.

Therefore but a single person was created in the world, to teach that if any man has caused a single life to perish from Israel, he is deemed by Scripture as if he had caused a whole world to perish; and anyone who saves a single soul from Israel, he is deemed by Scripture as if he had saved a whole world.