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...
Yom Kippur 5780
Rabbi Yossi SprungFrom the Rabbiโs Desk: A Shift Shโeila: Shofar or Shabbos?
Question: Dear Rabbi Sprung, This question is relevant both personally and to many physicians. I am a resident in a hospital in Chutz laโAretz and cannot opt out of working on Shabbos and Yom Tov. For Rosh Hashana, I...
Accepting Yisurim โ 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...
From the Rabbiโs Desk: Shabbos Scales
Question: Dear Rabbi Sprung, I have Type 1 diabetes, and I am meticulous about the amount of carbohydrates that I consume at each meal and use a scale to weigh my portions. During the week I use a digital scale but I...
Hands Off โ Part 2
In last weekโs essay, we quoted the Remaโs 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...
Hands Off
There is a fundamental Machlokes between the Mechaber and Rema regarding the Harchakos between a man and his wife when she is a Nida. The Shulchan Aruch rules (Y.D. 195:15 & 16): If he is ill and there is no one to...
Do It Again?
[This is the second essay in a series on Halachic ramifications of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).] We will begin this weekโs essay with the powerful words of the Steipler ztโl (Orchos Rabbenu 4, p53): You must...
Selected Halachos for Cholim on Tisha bโAv
Seuda Mafsekes Even if a Choleh will not be fasting on Tisha bโAv he should still eat a Seuda Mafsekes because it is one of the Minhagim of Avelus. He is obligated to observe the Avelus even if he cannot fast. He may...
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...
Cholim & Bein haMetzarim
Beginning with Shiva Asar bโTamuz, we observe many Minhagimas an expression of mourning for the Beis haMikdash throughout Bein haMetzarim. Some customs are observed for the entire period, others only to the โNine Daysโ...
