As a child and even as an adult, I loved swimming in a pool. Immersing in the water, splashing, and feeling almost weightless brought me instant joy. I imagined everyone else felt the same too. Yet, pools are always protected behind fences. As a child, it was explained to me that if you own a pool, you are responsible for preventing someone from sneaking into the pool and drowning. As I read the laws delineated in Ki Teitzei, I see a biblical command to this very effect. Deuteronomy 22:8 tells us that if we build a house, we need to build a small wall around the roof. Walking on a flat roof is dangerous and it is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that no one injures themselves from the hazard.
How can we protect others from the dangers we create?