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prevent him from cultivating the field, he would not have promised she returned, she was shocked to see that the heartbeat of the fetus
one thousand zuz. Therefore the friend has no right to the money. had slowed to the point that his life was in danger. The woman was
Likewise, it is possible that the young physician thought he could rushed to the operating room and a living baby was extracted.
succeed at his new job, and his director would find no fault in him When a woman arrives in the labor room, she is first hooked up
and recommend him warmly to the administration. Had he known to a monitor for half an hour to check the fetus’s vital signs. If all is
the director would give a negative report, he would not have waived well, she is then given permission to walk around for an hour or two.
his right for respect. Therefore it is forbidden to dictate the negative Once, following a six- to seven-minute monitoring with an unclear
report to the secretary. notation, the woman was allowed to roam around for an hour. When
On the other hand, we find in the Chafetz Chaim that forgiveness she returned, she gave birth within six or seven minutes. This is unac-
can be effective when it comes to slander. He writes (in Hilchos Re- ceptable and irresponsible.
chilus 9:6) that if the father of the bride takes the potential groom Toxemia is indicated by a number of symptoms. If they appear,
to Torah scholars to test him on his Torah knowledge, they have to medication must be administered. Once a midwife did not identify
say the truth, because that is what both sides want at the outset. If the signs of toxemia and the woman was endangered as a result.
both sides are willing to hear the truth, there is no slander or gossip
involved. 1 AnsweRs
This is not in contradiction to our words, however, because in the
above example the lashon hara is for the purpose of revealing whether Rav Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: It is
the potential groom is a Torah scholar, while in our case, there is no preferable for a person to fall into a fiery furnace than to embarrass
reason for the secretary to know. The director simply lacks the free his friend in public (Sotah, 10b).
time to type his own letters and there is no real forgiveness on the Tosfos (s.v. noach lo) asks why embarrassing one’s fellow is not
doctor’s part. included among the prohibitions for which one is required to give
up one’s life? Rabbeinu Yonah answers in Shaarei Teshuvah (Shaar 3
We also find in the Chafetz Chaim (Hilchos Lashon Hara 2:13), that
if a man reveals something possibly damaging about himself (such as #139) that embarrassing someone is an appurtenance of murder, and
information about his finances) before three people, then since he is included in the prohibition against spilling blood. (See also Responsa
obviously unconcerned about revealing it, it is permissible to repeat Binyan Tziyon, Part 1 #172, and the Netziv in Meromei Sadeh, Sotah,
it to others. This shows us that forgiveness is valid when it comes to there).
lashon hara. But no – in that case the person himself revealed the According to the above, it would be proper to prohibit this act of
information, showing that he doesn’t care if it becomes known, so embarrassing someone. The exception would be for midwives who
it is not lashon hara. But in our case the fledgling physician certainly haven’t yet begun working; if they were to be warned ahead of time
does not want his weaknesses to be revealed in public, and therefore that these meetings are part of their job, then it would be permissible
his prior knowledge of protocol and his so-called forgiveness may not to continue holding the meetings.
help. If the hospital insists on holding these meetings, one can be lenient
in this matter based on what is explained in maseches Gittin (43a).
 Rabbah bar Rav Huna explains that a person cannot establish words
Regarding Rabbi Dr. A. Sofer’s question about writing a discharge of Torah unless he has erred in them. Rashi explains that only after

208 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein Criticism of a medical omission 2 197