Who obeys every traffic law?
Traveling through lone country in summertime, fields of yellowing hay flash by. Traffic is unusually light, even for this out-of-the-way hick town. There are no other cars on the road, no pedestrians, county sheriffs or even a grazing herd in sight. I come to the crossroads—and the only red light for miles around. Must I obey the law and wait it out?
Traffic laws are implemented for order and safety of the population. For some laws, the link between the institution and the prevention of danger is readily apparent, while others seem more farfetched: for example, waiting at a red light when there is no cross or pedestrian traffic or keeping a license updated when a person is confident in their driving acumen.
May we violate some of these lesser injunctions, where the relationship between the law and travel safety are specious—for example the one that demands we carry our license with us whenever we drive?
The concept of sakanah (danger) in halachah is far-reaching: “Chamira sakanta me’issura” (we are more stringent in matters of sakanah than in prohibitions). We are required to take even highly improbable situations into consideration.
Even when we are absolutely certain that safety is assured, having judged that there is no possible sakanah, there are other precepts to consider: Dina d’malchusa dina (the law of the land is Torah law) as well as takanas hatzibbur (ratification by the public), those precautions that are universally accepted—especially on communal property. In addition, every driver effectively agreed to follow traffic law upon receiving their driving license, and this acceptance of terms is halachically binding. Alongside these is the basic obligation to avert a chillul Hashem (the desecration of Hashem’s name) and comport oneself with derech eretz (respect for authority) by being law-abiding citizens.
With regard to taking preventative measures beyond the letter of the (Torah) law, the Gemara says, “Hei man d’bo’i l’meheve chassidah l’kayem mili d’nizikin “ (how does one reach the level of chassid? By being extra careful in matters of damages).
So the next time you’re asked to pull out your license, will it have the appellation, “chassid?”
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