Rabbi Yosef Sprung
A. General Guidelines Medical tests to determine whether a Choleh can fast A patientin a state of Safek Pikuach Nefesh can sometimes clarify whether he can fast safely through medical testing before Yom Kippur. For...
Halachos and Minhagim of Tishrei: Guidelines for Hospital Patients, Visitors, and Staff – Part II
Aseres Yemei Teshuva Slichos[2] The ideal time to say Slichos is from Chatzos haLaila until Alos haShachar. If someone cannot recite them then, he should do so in the morning. Bedieved, Slichos can be recited...
From the Rabbi’s Desk: Streamlined Slichos
Question: Dear Rabbi Sprung, I work the morning shift and must arrive very early at the hospital. It is impossible to attend the entire recitation of Slichos in Shul, and even if I Daven alone, I can only recite some of...
Halachos and Minhagim of Tishrei: Guidelines for Hospital Patients, Visitors, and Staff – Part I
Erev Rosh Hashana Some individuals have a custom to fast on Erev Rosh Hashana. Individuals who are weak or ill, however, need not fast. If one has generally observed this custom, performing Hataras Nedarim to...
האם מותר לרופא לסרב לבצע ניתוח מסוכן בחולה טרמינלי?
לא תראה את שור אחיך או את שיו נדחים והתעלמת מהם, השב תשיבם לאחיך. ואם לא קרוב אחיך אליך ולא ידעתו, ואספתו אל תוך ביתך והיה עמך עד דרוש אחיך אותו והשבותו לו. וכן תעשה לחמורו, וכן תעשה לשמלתו, וכן תעשה לכל אבדת אחיך אשר...
Guidelines for Rosh Hashana for Patients
By the Rabbanim of the Beis Medrash Gavoha l’Halacha u’Refua Shli’ach Tzibur 1. The Shli’ach Tzibur must stand throughout the Tefila, not just Chazaras haShatz.[1] Therefore, a weak or elderly person shouldn’t serve as...
Measles Vaccination
In the past month, the Charedi community in Israel experienced two tragic losses when young, unvaccinated infants died from measles infections. Unfortunately, a troubling attitude has emerged in recent years that...
Mourning Matters
The effects of new medical discoveries and technologies on established Halachic principles have generated extensive debate. In certain areas, such as determining paternity or maternity through genetic testing...
Newborn Screening on Shabbos
Many nurses have asked recently about performing the newborn metabolic screening test on Shabbos. Newborn screening is intended to detect an extensive list of serious but treatable medical conditions.[1] Early diagnosis...
Medicinal Music & Therapeutic Tunes
During this period, the question frequently emerges regarding the permissibility of listening to music for alleviating anxiety or for other therapeutic reasons. This essay will present the perspectives of various Poskim...
Halachic Guidelines for Shiva Asar b’Tammuz for the Ill, Elderly, Pregnant or Nursing Women, and Medical Professionals
Five things befell our ancestors on the 17th of Tamuz… the Luchos were broken, the [daily offering of the] Korban Tamid ceased, the [walls of Jerusalem were]breached, Apostomus burned the Torah, and he set up an...
הרב ישראל מאיר מלכהPermanent Wigs & Chatzitza
Patients receiving cancer treatment frequently experience hair loss, which can present various halachic challenges. For example, we have previously examined the permissibility of permanent eyebrow makeup in these...
Holy Texts
A substantial portion of contemporary communication occurs through instant messaging on platforms such as WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram. Professionals in medical, emergency, and rescue services commonly use WhatsApp...
What’s cooking?
Thousands of patient meals are prepared daily in the kitchens of the Shaare Zedek Medical Center. All food preparation is conducted according to the highest Kashrus standards. Aside from ensuring the kosher status of...
“Lest I Sleep the Sleep of Death”: Birchas haMapil before Anesthesia
One should recite Krias Shema and the Bracha of “haMapil” – Krias Shema sheAl haMita – before bed. There are Halachos associated with Krias Shema sheAl haMita that pertain to individuals who are ill or have...
Segula or Science
Conducting human research and utilizing experimental drugs involve several aspects of Halacha, including Hilchos Shabbos and Pikuach Nefesh. Drug development invariably encompasses a phase of human trials, which is an...
Too Early To Count?
There is a well-known Machlokes Rishonim as to whether the Mitzva of Sefiras haOmer is d’Oraisa or d’Rabbanan today, hinging on whether Sefira is dependent on the harvesting of the Korban haOmer that can no longer be...
