17 Sep SPACEWALKS AND BEYOND: THE TORAH’S STANCE ON RISKY ADVENTURES

Jewish billionaire
Jared Isaacman and
SpaceX engineer
Sarah Gillis achieved
a major milestone as

the first non-
professional astronauts to conduct a spacewalk

on a commercial mission.
On Thursday, the pair left the SpaceX Dragon
capsule, orbiting 435 miles (700 km) above
the Earth. Isaacman, who financed the Polaris
Dawn mission, was the first to exit. “From up
here, Earth looks like a perfect world,” he
said, reflecting on the view.
Spacewalks pose serious risks, including
exposure to the vacuum of space, extreme
temperature changes, and dangerous levels of
radiation. Space debris moving at high speeds
can also damage spacesuits. Additionally,
astronauts face the threat of decompression
sickness and life support system failures, all
while working in a physically demanding
environment.
Many who read about this journey may feel a
sense of envy, knowing they will never be able
to afford such a thrilling experience. Since this
challenge was undertaken by a Jewish
individual, some might even feel an added
reason to admire such a figure. In response,

they may look for more affordable yet risky
alternatives, seeking similar excitement in
dangerous but accessible activities. We would
like to explore how the Torah views engaging
in such adventures.
This article will not focus solely on space
travel but will also consider other high-risk
activities like skydiving, mountain climbing,
big wave surfing, cave diving, hang gliding,
and even less dangerous pursuits such as
helicopter tours or skiing in risky areas. This
also extends to activities like riding
motorcycles and electric scooters, which carry
inherent dangers.
Much of our youth are seeking greater thrills,
finding that traditional activities like roller
coasters at amusement parks or ice skating no
longer satisfy their desire for excitement. The
growing urge to visit risky places is a real
concern, one that the Torah itself warns
against.
The Torah is a set of mitzvot (commandments)
and averot (prohibitions). It doesn’t typically
comment on matters outside these categories,
yet interestingly, it strongly emphasizes the
importance of avoiding danger. In fact, the
Torah uses even stricter language regarding
safety than it does for sins, stating:(טו ,ד דברים (
“You shall guard your soul very much.”

(חולין י, א חמירא סכנתא מאיסורא)explain Chazal
that the obligation to avoid danger is treated
more seriously than the obligation to avoid
sin.
שולחן ערוך סימן קטז)states clearly halacha The
ס״ה (:” One should be careful of all things that
cause danger, because danger is stricter than
transgressions, and one should be more careful
with an uncertain danger than with an
uncertain issur. They also prohibited going to
a dangerous place, such as under a leaning
wall, or alone at night… All of these things are
because of the danger, and a person who
guards his soul will distance himself from
them and it is prohibited to rely on a miracle in
all of these matters.”
But one may ask: how do we evaluate danger?
Is there a way to measure it? On one hand,
almost anything can be considered risky—
even stepping outside involves some level of
danger from accidents, crime, or terrorism. On
the other hand, the Torah clearly doesn’t
expect people to stay sheltered their entire
lives.
The Gemara quotes the pasuk “Hashem
protects the simple” to illustrate that when a
person lives their life simply, without
excessively calculating what is permissible
based on safety or risk, Hashem will protect
them.
Poskim of the previous generation addressed
this dilemma, offering similar perspectives
ראה הרב אלחנן ואסרמן הי״ד)variations slight with
They .) קובץ שיעורים, כתובות קלו ושם אריה סימן כו
mainly explained that a person is permitted to
engage in routine activities, as one is expected
to live life normally, provided there is no
obvious danger. However, they advised
against participating in activities considered
risky if they are not part of one’s regular
schedule.
According to this view, one may go about
their day normally but should avoid
adventures, trips, or activities that are not
considered very safe.
The definition of “safe” is shaped by what
society considers dangerous or
שלמה זלמן אורבעך )מנחת שלמה תנינא)acceptable
In .example for ,smoking Take . סי‘ ל‘‘ז ד‘‘ה
the past, it may have been socially acceptable,
but today, with a clear understanding of its
risks, it is widely regarded as unsafe.
According to this view, a person can’t rely on
the notion that “Hashem protects the simple”

to justify smoking, as the dangers are well-
known. Therefore, one is obligated to avoid it.

On the other hand, something like eating fatty
foods or consuming sugar, though potentially
harmful in large amounts, is not generally
perceived as dangerous. People tend to
consume these without a second thought. As a
result, someone who is otherwise healthy and
chooses to eat such foods wouldn’t be seen as
violating the Torah’s command to avoid
danger, since society doesn’t commonly label
these actions as inherently unsafe.

It’s interesting to note that, a generation ago,
smoking was not considered unsafe and was
extremely common. As a result, Rav Moshe
Chacham and) אגר״מ יו״ד ב‘ סימן מט)Feinstein
the applied) יחוה דעת ח״ה סימן לט)Yosef Ovadia
same logic we discussed, but in reverse, to
permit smoking at that time.
Accordingly, engaging in the activities
mentioned above, especially spacewalking, is
prohibited as they are widely recognized as
risky. Moreover, people often pursue such
activities precisely because of the risk
involved, seeking the thrill that comes from
engaging in dangerous endeavors. For
example, the current trend of taking selfies at
high altitudes or on the edge of buildings is
driven by the allure of danger, as individuals
aim to garner likes and followers on social
media by showcasing their risky behavior.