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heard, signaling an attack, a Jew felt severe discomfort in his chest.
He called a famous chesed organization and asked for an oxygen tank
to help with his shortness of breath. They told him that they didn’t
have a volunteer willing to bring it to him, because the authorities
had warned people not to leave their homes. Magen Dovid Adom
(the Israeli Red Cross) did not have a volunteer either. This beloved THE HALACHA REGARDING
#
Jew died because of our enemies. May Hashem avenge his blood…. 92 MEDICATIONS THAT
The question is: Were the volunteers obligated to provide him with CONTAIN CHAMETZ ON
oxygen? 8 PESACH
1 AnsweR
There is a halachic ruling in the Mishnah Berurah (329:19): If there 1 Question
is danger to the rescuer, he is not obligated to save a life, because his
life takes precedence to that of his friend. This applies even if it is There are patients who need to take medications that include ingre-
only a possibility of danger. However, one needs to weigh the matter dients which are chametz. Some take them on a regular basis. When
well. He should not be exceedingly cautious about placing himself in Pesach approaches many patients ask: What is the halacha regarding
a mere possibility of danger. As our Sages said (Tractate Baba Metzia those medications that contain chametz and were prepared before
33a), if one is exceedingly cautious about giving charity at the cost of Pesach?
his own loss, he may come to the same straits himself.
In the Sefer Dinim V’hanhagos of the Chazon Ish, a letter is cited 1 AnsweR
which the Rav wrote in the year 5700, during World War II. He
writes as follows: Medications containing chametz, whose taste is not bitter and are fit
The ruling to the public to hurry into the shelter, in light of the for human consumption, such as sucking pills and syrups, even if the
present situation, is equivalent to saving lives. However, one must amount of chametz in them is very small it is forbidden to eat them on
be careful not to violate any biblical laws, as much as possible, since Pesach. It would only be allowed if the patient was in danger and there
ultimately, there are no actual lives to be saved. Although we do not was no other medication available.
follow the rule of the majority in pikuach nefesh, nevertheless, if there If the medications taste bitter, the Chazon Ish writes (#116:8) that
is only a very remote chance that a situation will turn into pikuach there is no prohibition of chametz in taking them. Here the halacha of
nefesh, we do not rule as pikuach nefesh. And it depends on the level food which became unfit for human consumption applies. Since one
of bitachon (trust in Hashem). If someone is stringent in this matter, cannot separate the flour from the medication, and the medication
we do not stop him, except when it comes to ruling for the public, in cannot make another dough chametz, it is permitted to take this med-
which case one must rule as pikuach nefesh. For Rabbinic laws, one ication on Pesach. Although it is forbidden lechatchilah to eat chametz,
should not be stringent. And those who are stringent with biblical even if it became disqualified from consumption by a dog, because
laws are forbidden to refrain from telling others about the sirens. when a person eats it, he shows that he stills views it as something ed-
242 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein Medications that Contain Chametz 2 211
