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...
Yom Kippur 5780
Rabbi Yosef SprungMourning 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...
Rabbi Yosef SprungHoly 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...
