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not necessary to desecrate Shabbos, we do not listen to them and we However, it is not known to me that danger to the eye can cause
desecrate Shabbos. Therefore, one should not circumcise the baby. a situation of danger to life. Therefore, I would like to know
The Avnei Nezer (Yoreh De’ah #320) writes: If the physician says whether it is permitted for the physician to desecrate Shabbos
that even if the baby is in pain he will not be harmed by circumcision, and to write. What is the halacha if the nurse, who as yet does
we do not listen to him against the words of the Sages. But if he says not observe Shabbos, is prepared to write in his place? Should he
that the baby will not have pain, we circumcise him. allow her to do so?
The Rambam (Hilchos Milah 1:18) writes: We do not circumcise a 2. Is it permissible to light a slit lamp (a special eye instrument to
baby unless he has no illness of any kind, because danger to life sets see into the eye) for patients who are not in danger but there is
aside everything, and it is always possible to circumcise a baby later a possibility that they are in danger of losing an eye?
but one cannot restore one lost life of Israel to the world. The Avnei
Nezer (Orach Chaim, Vol. 2 #453-454) wonders why the Rambam At times, the Shabbos-observant physician who is on duty in
saw it necessary to write that “it is always possible to circumcise a the eye department on Shabbos morning asks his colleagues who
baby later.” After all, this does not have to come into account when were on duty on Friday night to leave the light on, and when
we are dealing with pikuach nefesh. He explains that it is a far-fetched he arrives he finds it was turned off, and his colleagues want to
possibility that the baby will become endangered due to pain in his light it for him. Should he stop them from doing so?
eyes. Nonetheless, since one can always circumcise him at a later time,
we take into account even the minute chance that the pain in his eye, 1 AnsweR
combined with the danger of circumcision, will endanger his life. A
person has the right to be stringent in a situation that endangers him- It is written in Tractate Avodah Zarah (28b): If an eye is disengaged,
self, but when it comes to the baby, we have no right to increase the it is permissible to treat it with kchol on Shabbos and to prepare med-
danger and circumcise him. ical ingredients and carry them through a public thoroughfare. Since
I heard that they asked this question of the author of Dovev Meis- this is a danger to life, one violates biblical prohibitions on Shabbos in
harim of Tchebin zt”l: Why do we wait seven days after the fever has order to heal it.
subsided? According to the physicians, once the fever recedes there is In the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim #328:9) it is written: If
no harm in doing any sort of surgical procedure. Our eyes have seen one has pain in the eyes… or his eye is tearing because of the pain,
that this is true. He answered, with great wisdom: Our eyes can only or blood was flowing from the eye, or there was mucus or a sharp
see what happens a short time after the circumcision. We do not have inflammation in the eye, we desecrate Shabbos in order to heal him.
the capacity to see what will happen fifty years after the circumcision. The Mishnah Berurah writes (ibid s.k.22), that although for danger
Similarly, the Chikrei Lev (Orach Chaim, Vol. 2, end of #109, p. to a limb or organ we usually do not desecrate Shabbos with Torah
231a) challenges the words of the Rambam (Mishnah commentary, prohibitions, the eye is different, because the eye is connected to the
Yoma, Ch. 8), who writes that it is dangerous for a child to fast. The heart, Rashi explains (Avodah Zarah 28b) that eyesight is intricately
Chikrei Lev testifies that he saw children fasting, and it did not harm tied to the heart. This means that danger to the eye is danger to lthe
them. The Yad David (Zontzheim, Yoma 82a, s.v. Rashi) responds: heart, which is a danger to life. In view of the above, it is permitted to
Who says that it is not dangerous for them after some time? Do all desecrate Shabbos for danger to the eye, because any danger of blind-
things that we permit because of danger have to involve immediate ness may affect the heart.
284 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein Shabbos in an Ophthalmology Department 2 297
