The halachah is, if Reuven sees Shimon drowning, and his life is in danger, if Reuven can jump in and save him, he is obligated to do so. However, even if Reuven is unable to swim, he is obligated to hire someone who can in order to save Shimon’s life. Reuven is obligated to do all he can to save Shimon, if he doesn’t, not only does he transgress on the prohibition of lo suchal l’hisalem, he violates the prohibition of lo samod al dam rei’echa, don’t stand by when your brother's blood is being spilt. The Gemara in Sanhedrin writes, that if one must return his friend's money, how much more so, must he save his friend's life.
The question is, however, what is the halachah if Reuven who is a big talmid chocham, and rosh yeshivah is walking down the street with his frack and hat on, and he suddenly sees Shimon drowning in the river. Do we say that it is unfitting for the Rosh Yeshivah to jump into a river, especially with his hat and frack on to save Shimon, or do we perhaps not apply the rule of zokein v’eino lefi kavado in such a case and Reuven must forgo his kavod?
Believe it or not, R’ Shlomah Kluger in Chochmas Shlomah (Choshen Mishpot 426) is mechadesh that in a case where it is beneath Reuven’s dignity to do such a thing, he is exempt. If Reuven is able to hire someone, then he is obligated to do so, however, if there is no one available for hire, and it is beneath Reuven’s dignity he is exempt.
However, R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe, Yoreh Deah 2:174) brings the aforementioned chiddush and argues very strongly, he writes: פשוט במחילת כבוד גאונים אלו אשר הוא טעות גמור ושרי להו מרייהו דדברי חכמת שלמה הא ודאי ח"ו לאומרם – “It’s obvious that the above is a big mistake, and I hope the Ribbono Shel Olam forgives him, as G-d forbid one should say such a thing”.
R’ Moshe then writes, if we push aside Hashem’s honor to save another life, i.e., we desecrate Shabbos to save another’s life, then certainly one must push aside his own honor to save another life.
Just in case one needs proof to the above, R’ Moshe offers a very compelling proof. We mentioned above that the measuring stick for the halachah of zokein v’einoi lefi kavado goes based on what would do for himself, if a person would be drowning, however great and important he is, he would certainly do something to try and save himself, he will hardly turn around and say, “Me, I am such a chosuvah rosh yeshiva, it’s disgraceful for me to put on a life jacket”, therefore, in such a case, one is obligated to save someone else drowning as well.
