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a question of this sort was already asked by merchants, who claimed
that if they close their stores on Shabbos, they will have nothing to
eat, and is this not a question of pikuach nefesh? The answer is that
desecrating Hashem’s Name is worse than pikuach nefesh. When
the definintion of pikuach nefesh is broadened and issues involve the
uprooting of a halachah completely, this becomes a desecration of SHABBOS DESECRATION
Hashem’s Name, and it suspends pikuach nefesh. The matter is then IN ORDER TO PREVENT
given over to the Torah scholars of the generation, who rule with their 102 ANXIETY
discerning eye, in light of the situation and the times.
However, if there is a woman in labor in one of the settlements,
and she has regular contractions every five-to-ten minutes, meaning
that within a short time it will be necessary to move her by ambulance
to the hospital, then it is permissible to start the engine already. 1 Question Shabbos DesecRation to PRevent Anxiety
1 SuMMaRy and Conclusions Because of the emergency situation [during the Gulf War], the
Ministry of Health instructed all mental health clinics to set up call
Regarding the question at the beginning of our discussion, how centers to provide guidance and emotional assistance to people who
should the physician reach the hospital, and how should he go home? suffer from anxiety. This service enables people to call at all hours of
1. If during the extra half-hour it will take him to walk, there is the day or night and receive guidance over the phone.
more than a 5% chance that he will be needed, it is forbidden for During the early days of the war, the demand was very high. (Hun-
him to walk.
dreds of calls came in every day.) Mental health professionals in Jaffa
2. He should return home with a gentile driver or ride on his bicy- kept the Center open day and night. Lately, people have been relative-
cle. ly calmer, and the number of calls has decreased. Presently, a person
who calls the center after work hours gets through to an answering
machine which provides him with the private phone numbers of sev-
eral mental health professionals, who are prepared to answer calls at
home after hours, including Shabbos.
Moreover, in case of an attack, the Call Centers are to be opened
immediately in the clinics themselves, even on Shabbos.
As stated above, we have answered hundreds of calls. Our impres-
sion is that the care provided over the phone has definitely helped to
calm down the people who called. Simultaneously, we must point out
that many of the calls have nothing to do with the emergency situa-
tion and are not urgent. The percentage of such calls was lower in the
246 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein Shabbos Desecration to Prevent Anxiety 2 271
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