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Pidyon Shvuyim – Redeeming Captives

Grades: 9th-12th grades

Introduction

On October 7th, 2023, the Jewish world was devastated and horrified by the news of the infiltration and massacres in southern Israel. Perhaps the most shocking result of that day is that over 200 people were kidnapped from Israel and brought as hostages to Gaza. While this is an unprecedented event, the concept of hostages and kidnapped Jews is far from unprecedented in our history. 

As you will see below, the Sages of the Talmud considered the mitzvah of redeeming captives (Pidyon Shevuyim) to be a “Mitzvah Rabbah,” a Great Mitzvah. In every era of Jewish history, Jewish communities contended with incidents wherein Jews would be kidnapped and held ransom for large sums of money. In modern times, the State of Israel has dealt with different types of hostage situations—hijackings of planes, citizens kidnapped by terrorists, and bodies of our slain soldiers being held captive by the enemy. As always, it is helpful to look at the events that unfold through the lens of our tradition. How have Jews, throughout history, contended with the difficult situation of hostages? 

This study guide/lesson plan will guide you through sources and discussion questions to help students understand the Jewish approach. While some of the sources are halakhic in nature, the goal of this lesson is not to walk away with a legal understanding, but rather an overall understanding of the topic and some traditional as well as historical context for this difficult topic.

Lesson Plan: 

  • Open with one (or both) of the two triggers 
  • Learn through some (or all) of the sources along with the guiding questions
  • Take Action. Look through the list at the end of actionable items and choose some that might be appropriate for your students (or let them choose/brainstorm ways to take action). 

Materials:

Trigger #1: 

1) Hand out strips of paper with different tzedaka opportunities. Feel free to add/change to this list, but make sure that redeeming captives is included.

  • Providing food for the poor
  • Providing clothing for the poor
  • Giving money for building a synagogue
  • Providing funeral assistance to the poor 
  • Giving money for building a Jewish School 
  • Giving money for redeeming captives (for ransom) 
  • Giving money to provide medical care for the poor 

2) Ask students to walk around and look at the different opportunities and see if they can come to a consensus about which one would be the most important, or would take precedence over the others. You can also ask them to put the papers in order, prioritizing the most critical. Ask them to explain their choices. 

3) Regardless of their decision, explain that according to Jewish Law, redeeming captives takes precedence over everything else. Today’s lesson will explore how and why that is true. 

Trigger #2:

If you are teaching this in connection with Parashat Lekh Lekha (or even if not), you can open with a review of the story of Lot and Avram found in the parasha. The relevant pesukim can be found in Bereishit 14:14-16. 

Story Recap: After Avram and his family had settled in Canaan, he and his nephew Lot parted ways. Lot went to live in the area near Sdom, a good distance from where Avram settled. During the story of the war between the 4 Kings and the 5 Kings found in Bereishit, perek 14, we discover that Lot has been taken captive. Though Avram had not gotten involved in the military campaign up until that point, when he heard that his relative (whom he was estranged from) had been taken, he mobilized forces to get him back. 

Questions for consideration: 

  • What prompted Avram’s involvement in the war? 
  • What lengths did Avram go to to redeem Lot? 
  • Why do you think Avram went to those lengths when this was not his war? 
  • Do you think it makes a difference that Avram and Lot had parted ways and were no longer close? 
  • Do you think it would make a difference if Avram were endangering the lives of the men he brought with him? 
  • Do you think there was any other option for Avram, other than entering the war, to redeem Lot? 

After discussing the story, explain that in this lesson you will be exploring the idea of Redeeming Captives in Judaism. The story of Avram and Lot is the first place where we see the idea in the Torah, but was certainly not the last. 

The Sources:

1. From the Torah: 

  • Vayikra 19:16

‘לֹא-תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּיךָ, לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל-דַּם רֵעֶךָ: אֲנִי, ה 

You should not go up and down as a talebearer among your people; neither should you stand idly by the blood of your neighbor: I am the LORD.

  • Vayikra 19:18

 ‘לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר אֶת בְּנֵי עַמֶּךָ, וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ: אֲנִי, ה

You should not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you should love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

1) What differences do you see between the bold sections in the two sources? 

Note to teacher: One possible difference is that one is a positive commandment to DO something, whereas the other is a negative commandment to NOT DO something. 

2) How does one fulfill each of the commandments in bold? This can be based on past learning you have done, or your own thoughts when reading the pesukim. 

Note to teacher: The first commandment seems more active—in order to not stand idly by, one must actively do something to help. Whereas the second commandment, while positive in nature, seems much more passive. Loving someone in your heart does not seem to require action. 

3) Which of these, if any, would seem relevant to the discussion of redeeming captives, and why? What would you need to do (for redeeming captives) based on these commandments?

2. From the Jewish Legal Codes: 

  • Talmud Sanhedrin 37a:

 וכל המקיים נפש אחת מישראל מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו קיים עולם מלא

He who saves one life in Israel the Torah considers it as if he saved an entire world.

1) What do you think this means? Why is one life considered like an entire world? 

2) How is this relevant to the discussion of redeeming captives? 

  • Rambam Mishneh Torah: Laws of Gifts to the Poor 8:10 

פדיון שבויים, קודם לפרנסת עניים ולכסותן; ואין לך מצוה רבה כמו פדיון שבויים: שהשבוי הרי הוא בכלל הרעבים והצמאים, ובכלל הערומים; ועומד בסכנת נפשות. והמעלים עיניו מפדיונו–הרי זה עובר על “לא תאמץ את לבבך, ולא תקפוץ את ידך” ועל “לא תעמוד על דם רעיך” ועל ” לא ירדנו בפרך, לעיניך”; וביטל מצות “פתוח תפתח את ידך” ומצות “וחי אחיך, עימך” “ואהבת לרעיך כמוך” ו”הצל, לקוחים למוות” והרבה דברים כאלו. ואין לך מצוה רבה כפדיון שבויים

The ransoming of captives has precedence over the feeding and clothing of the poor. Indeed there is no religious duty more meritorious than the ransoming of captives, for not only is the captive included in the generality of the hungry, the thirsty, and the naked, but his very life is in jeopardy. He who turns his eyes away from ransoming him, transgresses the commandments Though shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand (Deuteronomy 15:7), Neither shall you stand idly by the blood of your neighbor (Leviticus 19:16), and He shall not rule with rigor over him in your sight (Leviticus 25:53). Moreover, he nullifies the commandments Thou shall surely open your hand unto him (Deuteronomy 15:8). That your brother may live with you (Leviticus 25:36), Thou shall love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18), Deliver them that are drawn unto death (Proverbs 24:11), and many other admonitions like these. There is no religious duty greater than the ransoming of captives. 

1) Why do you think these laws are discussed in the section about the laws of gifts to the poor?

2) How does Rambam use the above verses in his analysis of the mitzvah of redeeming captives? 

3) Do you agree with Rambam that “there is no religious duty greater than the ransoming of captives?” Why or why not? 

But, there are limits to redeeming captives…

  • Rambam Mishneh Torah: Laws of Gifts to the Poor 8:12

אין פודין את השבויים ביתר על דמיהן מפני תקון העולם, שלא יהיו האויבים רודפין אחריהם לשבותם. ואין מבריחין את השבויים מפני תקון העולם, שלא יהיו האויבים מכבידין עליהן את העול ומרבים בשמירתן

We do not redeem captives for more than their worth (for exorbitant amounts) because of Tikkun HaOlam, so that [our] enemies will not pursue people to kidnap them. And we do not assist captives in escaping because of Tikkun HaOlam, so that enemies will not oppress captives harshly and be very strict when guarding them.

Note: Explain to students that in the case of helping captives escape, Rambam is assuming that there is more than one captive and you may not be able to free all of them. If one escapes, it may cause the captors to treat the remaining captives more harshly. 

1) How might redeeming captives for exorbitant amounts cause our enemies to kidnap people? 

2) How do you think you can figure out what is considered “more than their worth” or “exorbitant” when it comes to the amount for redeeming a captive? Can you actually put a price on someone’s freedom? 

3) Do you think it makes a difference if there are hundreds of captives? 

4) Notice the use of the phrase Tikkun Olam here. Where else have you seen that phrase? How else is it used? How do you think that concept fits into the discussion of captives? 

Other commentators have added the insight that the above ruling does not apply in cases where the captive’s life is in danger. In such a case, the community would need to go to any lengths to redeem the captives. 

5) Are there ever captive situations where the captives are not in danger? 

6) Do you think there should be a limit to the price paid for redeeming a captive? Why or why not? 

3. From History

Middles Ages:

  • From the Cairo Geniza – Letters were found written by Rambam to Jewish communities asking them to raise funds to redeem captives. There were also receipts found for funds to redeem captives. You can learn more about this here.

Letter to communities from Rambam asking for funds to redeem captives- found in Cairo Geniza.

  • Rabbi Meir ben Baruch, better known as Maharam of Rothenburg, was the head of German Jewry in the last half of the 13th century. As conditions worsened for the Jews in Germany, many sought to escape the brutal pogroms and draconian taxation by fleeing to Eretz Yisrael. Emperor Rudolf I, fearing the loss of Jewish gold, declared the Jews his personal property and, in 1286, forbade them from leaving Germany. Maharam opposed the emperor and attempted to escape the country with his family. But a Jew who had left the religion informed upon him and he was imprisoned by Rudolf in the castle of Ensisheim. The emperor demanded an exorbitant amount of money before he would free Maharam.

German Jewry, including his star student Rav Asher Ben Yechiel (the Rosh) was prepared to pay the enormous sum of 23,000 talents of silver for his release. But Maharam himself forbade the exchange, arguing that it would only serve to encourage more kidnappings and extortion within vulnerable Jewish communities. Maharam languished in prison for seven years until he died in 1293; his body was not released for burial until 14 years later when it was redeemed by a wealthy Jew.

4. Modern Times: 

Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the topic of redeeming captives has changed but has certainly not disappeared. Our enemies still view kidnapping as a valid way to extort the Jewish world, but rather than seeking money, the captives are used in political or military negotiations. The IDF has always been driven by the Jewish value of life which dictates that they do not leave any soldiers behind, and will even go to extreme lengths to retrieve bodies of fallen soldiers for proper burial. Here is a chart detailing some of the hefty prices Israel has paid over the years to redeem captives: 

Event Released to Israel Released by Israel
Six Day War 11 IDF soldiers, 3 soldiers bodies, 1 civilian body 6,000 Egyptian/Syrian soldiers
War of Attrition 3 soldiers 46 Syrian soldiers
Yom Kippur War 242 soldiers 8,400 Egyptian soldiers
April 1975 39 soldiers’ bodies 92 Egyptian security prisoners
March 1979 1 soldier 76 Lebanese terrorists
November 1983 6 soldiers 4,500 soldiers; 99 security prisoners
June 1984 3 soldiers, 3 civilians, 5 soldiers bodies 291 soldiers, 13 civilians, 74 bodies
May 1985 3 soldiers 1,150 Palestinian prisoners
September 1991 1 soldier’s body 2 Palestinian terrorists
July 1996 2 soldiers’ bodies 123 terrorists bodies
January 2004 3 soldiers’ bodies, 1 civilian 430 Palestinian prisoners, 60 terrorist bodies
July 2008 2 soldiers’ bodies 6 Lebanese terrorists, 200 bodies
October 2011 1 soldier (Gilad Shalit) 1027 Palestinian prisoners 


Following the Shalit exchange of 2011, the Israeli government passed a law in 2014 to limit the extent of negotiations for captives. This was after more than 60 of the prisoners released in the Shalit exchange were re-arrested for terrorist activities.

5. Now/2023

The current situation is different in many ways. There are over 200 hostages being held in enemy territory, and the majority of them are civilians—elderly, women, children, even babies. Additionally, a significant number of the hostages are foreign nationals who have citizenship from countries other than Israel.

After having learned through traditional Jewish sources as well as looking at some of the modern examples of redeeming captives, what do you think are some of the factors at play as Israel considers the different courses of action?

Note to teacher: factors include the morale of the country, the emotional state of the families of the hostages, the possible outcomes of negotiating with terrorists, and the value of even a single life in Jewish thought and law. 

Take Action! 

One way of coping during times of crisis is to keep busy! Whether it means collecting money, sharing letters of support, or getting involved politically, etc., you may find great comfort in taking action. Refer to your teacher for a list of ideas, or share your own!

Learn about the hostages 

Disseminate information

Pray for the captives 

Contact your elected officials