The Mishnah says that one who cohabits with an Aramean woman (any
idolatrous woman per Rashi), zealots may kill him. How is this Mishnah applied today?
How do I understand why a Mishnaic rule is not applied today? If it is
because it was Rabbinic, it could be because that law was changed. If it
was Biblical, it would be harder to ignore it, unless it was passively not
observed (like blowing the Shofar on Shabbos) or that we passively don't do
it to keep non-Jews from being violent to K'lal Yisrael.
How do you understand the reason for its abeyance?
Barry Epstein, Dallas, USA
The Mishnaic rule of "Kana'im Pog'im Bo" does not mean that it is *obligatory*. Rather, it is a voluntary act. Hence, a zealot is not obligated to kill such a sinner.
Nowadays, this law does not apply, because it requires that the zealot be acting entirely for the sake of Heaven, with no personal motivations. Today, no one can be so sure of himself and his internal motivations.
M. Kornfeld