Judaism's ancient wisdom on healthcare distribution offers surprising relevance for modern medical resource allocation challenges. Through systematic examination of Talmudic texts, medieval codes, and rabbinic precedents, five distinct formulas emerge: social hierarchy based on Torah knowledge, proximity relationships similar to charity obligations, prioritized communal duties, greatest medical need, and egalitarian principles emphasizing human equality. A pivotal rabbinic case involving siege ethics illuminates the tension between these competing principles. Jewish law establishes both individual and communal duties to provide medical care, viewing healthcare as a religious obligation comparable to saving lives. The sources reveal significant internal conflict regarding distribution criteria, ranging from hierarchical systems to radical egalitarianism. A contemporary Jewish synthesis should prioritize those who can benefit most from treatment while ensuring universal access to basic healthcare, with distribution decisions made by communities rather than individual physicians. Jewish ethics ultimately demands societal responsibility for providing healthcare to all members while recognizing practical limitations in resource allocation, arguing for choosing life through careful stewardship of medical resources.