Dear Rabbi Sprung, I am an anesthesiologist, and when I am on-call, I divide my time between the various operating rooms in the hospital and the delivery rooms. As the leader of the on-call team, I direct a group of...
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Rabbi Yosef Sprung
Accepting Yisurim – Chodesh Elul
As we enter the Yemei haRachamim, it is time to reflect upon our spiritual condition and our relationship with Hashem. These days are dedicated to Teshuva and Selichos. Looking back on the past year, both as a community...
Hands Off – Part 2
In last week’s essay, we quoted the Rema’s ruling (E.H. 195:16) that a husband may attend to his sick wife when she is a Nida if nobody else is available and she greatly needs it. Many other Poskim concur. In this...
Do It Again?
[This is the second essay in a series on Halachic ramifications of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).] We will begin this week’s essay with the powerful words of the Steipler zt”l (Orchos Rabbenu 4, p53): You must...
Say It Again?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas, or sensations. These cause affected people to feel compelled to engage in repetitive behaviors to alleviate the...
Handling Sponges on Shabbos
Many medical procedures require cleansing to create a sterile field for surgery or wound treatment. May a sponge be used for this process on Shabbos? The Mishna states (Shabbos 143a): A sponge – if it has a leather...
