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day a renowned Av beis din from Tel Aviv came to the Chazon Ish,
confused. A few days earlier, he explained, his beis din had adminis-
tered a divorce for a religious person, at the request of the wife and
husband together, based on the fact that the husband was sterile. As
customary in such cases, the details of the divorce were kept secret by
the judge.
Following the divorce, a Jew approached the Av beis din and ex-
plained that the divorced husband was now proposed as a match
for his relative, a young survivor of the Nazi Camps. He wanted to
know the reason for the divorce. The Av beis din was placed in a very
confusing situation. On the one hand, one does not reveal what is
said within the walls of a beis din. On the other hand, the halacha
rules that in the case of matchmaking, one has to reveal this type of a
defect. What was he to do?
The Chazon Ish instructed him to say as follows: I cannot reveal
the reason for the divorce, but if a similar match was proposed to one
of my daughters, I would not go along with it.
The Av beis din answered exactly as the Chazon Ish had instructed
him. Despite his answer, the shidduch was finalized. A day later, the
man who had inquired informed him that the couple was engaged,
and asked him to bless the divorced man and his new wife that they
should father a generation of righteous Jews. He blessed him as asked.
A while later, they met again, and the man joyfully informed him
that his blessing had born fruit. The couple was expecting a child!
Stunned, the Av beis din went to see the Chazon Ish and told him the
whole story. The Chazon Ish rejoiced for the couple, and then added:
See how much siyata dishmaya there was here. Had you revealed the
reason for the divorce, they would now be complaining that the beis
din does not properly arrange for divorces. Had you remained silent,
your conscience would have endlessly bothered you for allowing the
match to go through. Now that you answered as you did, for that was
what you were obligated to answer, nothing bad resulted. This teach-
es us that if one wishes to follow the righteous path, he is guarded
from on High that he does not stumble (heard from the person it
happened to HaRav Shmuel Boruch Werner zt”l).
14 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein
1
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF
THE INSTITUTE
Our Institute is privileged to present the third volume of the halachic
responsa of one of the greatest Torah instructors of the generation,
Rav of the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood in Bnei Brak, Israel, Rav
Yitzchak Zilberstein shlit”a. Rav Zilberstein, whose halachic rulings
on many topics are renowned for their clarity and wisdom, has dedi-
cated much time and energy to researching and providing solutions to
medical challenges in the framework of halacha, and has been deliver-
ing shiurim to physicians on medical ethics for many years.
This volume is a translation of the first half of volume two of
Rav Zilberstein’s monumental five-volume Hebrew work Shiurei
Torah LeRofim. Its publication comes on the heels of the resound-
ing success of the previously translated “Medical Halachic Responsa
by Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein,” a compendium of varied responsa by
the author, first published in 2013 and then reprinted in 2015 due to
demand, and the recent translation of the first two English volumes.
Enthusiastic reviews of the first English books revealed that many
families had adapted it as an intriguing and challenging addition to
their Shabbos meals, where the discussion often revolves around a
particular question or passage read from the book, bringing much
spiritual joy and unity to the table. This was pointed out to me by
one of the greatest Roshei Yeshiva in the United States, who praised
Rav Zilberstein’s unique approach, and described the “sweetness”
that these responsa brought to his Shabbos table. I am certain that
2 v
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