(1) To not kill the innocent: To not kill a soul, as it is stated (Exodus 20:13), “You shall not kill.”

(2) The root of this commandment is well-known and revealed to all that see the sun. As God, may He be blessed, created the world and commanded us be fruitful and multiply, in order to settle it in front of Him. And [so] He prevented us, that we not destroy it with our hands, to kill and destroy the creatures which are the settlers of the world. However, the total evildoers — for example, the heretics and the talebearers — are not from the settlers of the world. And about them, the verse states (Proverbs 11:10), “with the destruction of the evildoers is there glee” — because they do not settle (civilize) the world, but rather destroy it with all their might. And this is what one sage from our Sages, may their memory be blessed, said about the destruction of the evildoers (Bava Metzia 83b), “I am ridding the thorns from the vineyard” — meaning to say that with the destruction of these, the world will be more settled, [just] like with the removal of thorns (weeds), the fruits of the vineyard multiply and are better.

(3) From the laws of this commandment — that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sanhedrin 88a) [that] it is the same whether one kills a healthy person or a sick person close to death, and even if he is dying from a sickness by the hand of the Heavens, he is [still] killed for it; the law of the trial of a murderer; and the rest of its details — are elucidated in the ninth chapter of Sanhedrin and the second chapter of Makkot. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat 425.)

(4) And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And we kill with the sword one who transgresses it and kills volitionally, [if] there are witnesses who warned him (Sanhedrin 71b). About inadvertence, we will write its law below, with God’s help, in the Order of Eleh Masei (Sefer HaChinukh 409).

(5) ... Similarly, if gentiles told [a group of Jews]: "Give us one of you to kill. If not, we will kill all of you," they should allow themselves all to be killed rather than give over a single soul to [the gentiles]. However, if [the gentiles] single out [a specific individual] and say: "Give us so and so or we will kill all of you," [different rules apply]: If the person is obligated to die like Sheva ben Bichri, they may give him over to them. Initially, however, this instruction is not conveyed to them. If he is not obligated to die, they should allow themselves all to be killed rather than give over a single soul to [the gentiles].

(1) A person who is very near death is considered as a living being in every respect.1Nevertheless, a kohein is forbidden to enter the house of a dying person. See Chapter 205:1 for details. It is, therefore, forbidden to touch him, for anyone who touches him is considered like one who sheds blood. To what can this be compared? To a dripping [flickering] candle, which becomes extinguished as soon as someone touches it. Even if he is critical over a long period, and he and his family are in great agony, it is, nevertheless, forbidden to hasten his death in any way.2There is a question if it is permitted to give him a drastic, medicine that could either cure him or perhaps hasten his death. According to Shevus Yaakov Volume III Response 75, it is permitted to do so only if the majority of the doctors concur and the chief Poseik agrees. [It is forbidden] for example to remove a feathered pillow from under him, because some people say that feathers of certain birds defer death, or for example to place the keys to the synagogue under his head; all these things are forbidden. However, if there is something which prevents the departure of the soul, such as a pounding noise or something similar, it is permitted to remove it since this is not a direct act, but merely the removal of the deterrent [to his death], without touching the dying person.

(2) Although it is forbidden to touch a dying person, nevertheless, if a fire breaks out, he should not be left in the house, rather he should be taken out of the house. His removal takes precedence over the rescue of sacred books.