Rabbi Yosef Sprung
In February 2024, the United States witnessed a significant uproar sparked by the Supreme Court of Alabama’s ruling that frozen embryos are legally considered “children,” thus granting them the same legal...
License to Heal – Part 3
(This is the third and final portion of this series – for the previous essays, see our website[1]) The Rambam and Ramban The Rambam states (Peirush haMishnayos, Nedarim 4:4) that the source for the Mitzva of Refua is...
Guide to Hilchos Pesach for Cholim – Part 2
Chapter 2 – Pesach Preparation For Those Who Cannot Do It Themselves Mi’d’Oraisa, a person may not own any form of Chametz on Pesach. This is why the Chachamim enacted Bedikas Chametz on the eve of the 14th Nisan...
Guide to Hilchos Pesach for Cholim
Chapter 1 – Hakpada on Minhagim Pesach is a time of abundant Mitzvos and Minhagim. Some of these customs were enacted to minimize the risk of eating Chametz, and others were established for different reasons. The...
License to Heal – Part 2: The Mitzva to Heal
Last week’s essay discussed the Torah’s granting of permission to heal. This week’s essay will discuss the Mitzva to heal. The Shulchan Aruch rules that...
License to Heal – Part 1
As opposed to most other professions, the very nature of the physician’s career seems to interfere with Hashem’s Hashgacha of the world. We believe in Hashgacha Pratis: “No man bangs his finger below (in this world)...
From the Rabbi’s Desk: Missing Megila on Motzei Shabbos
Question: Dear Rabbi Sprung, I am a surgeon in an Israeli hospital. This year Purim falls on Motzei Shabbos and I am scheduled to begin operating shortly after Shabbos ends. I will need to leave for the hospital...
Tiny Beginnings: Halachic Considerations on Prematurity and Incubators
Medical and technological advances have raised many Halachic questions that the earlier Poskim did not contemplate. Some have become the subject of immense debate, such as paternity testing or determining maternity in...
Are Thermometers Muktza?
Medida shel Mitzva In the past[1], we have discussed measuring and weighing on Shabbos for medical purposes and identified two reasons for the Issur d’Rabbanan of measuring on Shabbos. First, it may constitute...
Age vs. Wisdom
It was taught in a Beraisa, R’ Yishmael b’Rabi Yosi says: Torah scholars attain increased wisdom as they age, as it states (Iyov 12:12): “With aged men is wisdom and length of days brings understanding.” As for Amei...
“Take a Little Off the Top, Doc”
A Practical Halachic Guide to Shaving and Haircuts in the Medical Setting Shaving and haircuts are routine activities that are subject to many wide-ranging Halachos. Comprehensive Halachic knowledge is required to...
From the Rabbi’s Desk: Making It Up
Question: Dear Rabbi Sprung, I work in the hospital emergency room. I try to find the time to Daven, but I don’t always manage to due to the intense nature of the work. This is especially common in the winter when...
From the Rabbi’s Desk: Shabbos Showers
Question: Dear Rabbi Sprung, I am a resident in Chutz laAretz. My supervisor allows me to go home for Shabbos, provided that I leave the hospital just before Shabbos begins and return immediately after Shabbos. Baruch...
From the Rabbi’s Desk[1]: In Hot Water
Question: Dear Rabbi Sprung, Last Shabbos, I stayed at my father’s bedside in a hospital (in Eretz Yisrael). As I walked through the hallway, I saw one of the workers repairing the Shabbos urn. The urn in question had a...
Etzem Yom haZeh: A Halachic Guide to Asara b’Teves[1]
On the 10th of Teves, Nevuchadnetzar, king of Babylon, arrived and laid siege to the holy city of Yerushalayim. This marked the onset of the destruction of the first Beis haMikdash, prompting the Sages to designate this...
Ba’Yamim haHem ba’Zman ha’Zeh: Vaccination and Preventive Medicine
Ever since Hashem granted medical scientists the wisdom to eradicate a vast array of terrible, deadly diseases with vaccination, many millions of lives have been saved. Despite this, there is division among the general...
