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29 DAMAGE CAUSED BY AN This volume is dedicated to the memory
of our dear parents
ALTERNATIVE HEALER

Saul Feingold
ל״ז קחצי ןמלז
)1999 רבמטפסב 2( ס״שת לולא ב״כ רטפנ


1 Question

Esther Feingold
If an alternative healer caused damage to a patient, is the ruling re- ע״נ ןהכה ןרהא תב רתסא
garding him the same as for a conventional doctor who erred?
)2008 רבמבונב 27( ט״סשת ןושח ט״כ הרטפנ

1 AnsweR 

James Janus Liebowitz
In the United States there is a law that if a physician causes damage
unintentionally, he has to pay huge sums of money. In Torah law, there ל״ז ריאמ ןב בקעי
is no basis for this obligation. Rather, a physician who is licensed by )2003 ץרמב 21( ג״סשת ׳ב רדא ז״י רטפנ
a beis din, meaning by the licensing authority (according to Aruch 
Hashulchan, Yoreh Deah #336:2), and causes damage unintentionally
is exempt from payment. This implies that he fulfilled his obligation Bettie Liebowitz
with due seriousness and attention. Torah law exempts him by Rab- ע״נ הקבר תב הכרב
binic decree so that physicians will continue to practice medicine. )2011 ינויב 10( א״עשת ןויס ׳ח הרטפנ
Thus by Torah law, a physician who caused damage unintentionally
does not pay, as explained in the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah #336:1).
According to some poskim, the physician also needs the permission .ה.ב.צ.נ.ת
of a beis din made up of talmidei chachamim, as clarified in Responsa
Menachem Meishiv (Kirschbaum, Part 2 #21).
Aaron Joel Feingold, MD
I once witnessed the dedication of hospital physicians. They were
in the middle of resuscitating a patient and the nurse rushed in with Brenda Ina Liebowitz
the cart containing the necessary equipment. There was a bag in the

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