ט"ז בשבט ה'תשס"ט (Feb 10, 2009) 9
Do you give semicha (Rabbinic Ordination)?
There are certain requirements to be recognized as a rabbi (teacher) within Judaism. Read the rest of this entry »
ט"ז בשבט ה'תשס"ט (Feb 10, 2009) 1
Is it lawful to save the life of a Gentile on Sabbath?
I have been studying Rambam’s Hilchos Melachim, and I am not sure how certain portions of it are applied in today’s world. I was wondering if you could possibly shed some light on this: If a goy requires medical treatment on Shabbos, does the Halacha hold that: a) A Jewish doctor is obliged to treat him, b) A Jewish doctor is forbidden to treating him, or c) A Jewish doctor is permitted to treat him, but may refrain from doing so if he so chooses. I understand there may be other factors involved that may complicate a ruling. Obviously I’m not asking for a specific psak, I just want to understand the general rule here. Thanks a lot.
The rule is that it is not only permissible, but it is commanded, and it is prudent to save the life of anyone, even on Shabbat, if it is within your ability to do so, whether the patient is either a Jew or gentile; and to even hesitate over such a decision on Shabbat, is itself a violation of Shabbat. Read the rest of this entry »