a boy who is restrained, bound, and sexually violated, or someone who has wine poured down his throat and experiences pleasure from it without any intention or action whatsoever—just as a sleeping person experiences pleasure without awareness, or a sleeping patient is given an enema without being aware of it—such a person performs no act whatsoever. Rather, he is the locus of another’s action and an instrument for it. Since he performs no act, it cannot be said that he has done something forbidden or otherwise. Rather, someone else has committed a forbidden act upon him or through him, and the sin then rests upon that perpetrator. However, if he allows some measure of acquiescence by failing to do everything within his power to resist, or has some degree of willingness, in that his will to resist is not firm, then this involves some action on his part.

A firm will is one accompanied by ability. A person subjected to coercion can resist what is being done to him only to the extent of his ability. Whenever a person’s will to resist is firm, he must necessarily do whatever lies within his power. Once he has done everything within his power, he has the same standing as someone whose resistance was complete and upon whom nothing was done. For one whose firm will is accompanied by full ability is treated, with regard to reward and punishment, as one who has fully carried out the act.