A Necessary Death Sentence

Lesson from weekly Torah reading: Parashat Shelach (Nu 13:1-15:41)

In this parasha we read an execution of death sentence which probably would raise big controversy in this modern era. The guy was sentenced to death for public Sabbath desecration after ignoring his fellow's warnings.

The entire assembly removed him to the outside of the camp; they pelted him with stones and he died, as Hashem had commanded to Moses. (Nu 15:36)

For Jews, the law to keep the Sabbath is binding as part of the Covenant. Torah juxtaposes the sins of idolatry and Sabbath desecration because they represent the same concept. Just as the idolater denies the sovereignty of G-d, so, too, one who flouts the Sabbath, which testifies to G-d's creation of the universe, declares his lack of faith in the Creator. (This law is not binding to non-Jews however, because they only need to keep the seven laws).

In this modern era, where we tend to place human-rights above anything, what could be the moral of this story we learn this week ? Why is the death sentence necessary ? Why don't we forgive him and let him go ?

The answer lies within the phrase "the entire assembly". Torah constantly teach us that we have to serve law enforcement, i.e. the penalty was to be carried out in the presence of assembly (Sifre), so that others would see the consequences of sin and be deterred from committing it (Deuteronomy 17:13).

It resembles an old Chinese saying, ‘Kill a chicken to warn the monkeys’.