Residency work on shabat

שתפו:

3 בספטמבר 2010

הרב המשיב: הרב ד"ר מרדכי הלפרין

שאלה:

Dear Rabbi,

Shalom, I have a question regarding residency work on shabat.

As you know, a resident is a Medical Doctor, but he is not a licensed physician! And in many places in the USA it is impossible to refrain from doing surgery related work on Shabat.

Q1) Is it allowed to le challel shabat as a resident to non-Jewish and Jewish patients.

Q2) How do I act according with the basic Halachic allowances (like: עבודה בשינוי) as per assisting with lights, writing medical reports, suturing etc.    In some cases, the work must be done for non-Jews and sometimes there are non-critical conditions (אין פיקוח נפש).  

Q3) Also, what is a proper and concise book (In Hebrew/English) that guides a religious physician, as to what is allowed to do and in what manner to avoid Chillol Shabat and that would apply to the treatment of both Jewish and non-Jewish patients.

Sincerely,

J. E.

תשובה:

A1)   Both Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach Ztz"l and YbL"A Rabbi Ovadia Yosef ruled that in cases where חילול שבת is permissible for a Jewish patient, it is today obligatory to do the same for a Gentile (see #4834).

See also:

נשמת אברהם (מהדורת תשס"ז), או"ח סי' של, עמ' תתקכ"א, ד"ה נמצא לבד עם העכו"ם.

A2)    When it is not the case of a חולה שיש בו סכנה but a חולה שאין בו סכנה, it is permissible in practice to perform the מלאכות necessary for the care of the patient BeShinuy (see #4473)– and here also there is no distinction between caring for Jews or Gentiles.

See:

נשמת אברהם (מהדורה חדשה תשס"ז) חלק או"ח סי' שכ"ח ס"ק מ"ח; שמירת שבת כהלכתה (מהדורת תשל"ט) פרק לג הערה יז*

A3)   The recommended literature is the the Nishmat Avraham series – in Hebrew (available through the Schlesinger Institute website and the retailers in the US) New adittion, Vol. I  (אורח חיים)

An older version is available in English – "Nishmat Avraham : Medical Halachah for Doctors, Nurses, Health-Care Personnel and Patients" – Artscroll Mesorah Publications – Vol. 1 Orach Chaim (But this volume is not sold separately).

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