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IS IT PERMISSIBLE TO
REATTACH A FINGER
THAT WAS CUT OFF ON
SHABBOS?

1 Question Reattaching fingeR on Shabbos

A man’s finger was cut off from his hand and the physician violated 20818_efi-ab - 20818_park-C_efi-ab | 10 - A | 18-08-20 | 13:46:25
several Torah prohibitions on Shabbos in order to sew the finger and #20818_efi-ab - 20818_park-C_efi-ab | 10 - A | 18-08-20 | 13:46:25
reattach it to the hand on Shabbos. Did he do the right thing?

1 AnsweR

It says in the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim #328:17): If a patient has
become bedridden and there is no danger to his life, we do not dese-
crate Shabbos with Torah prohibitions for him even if there is danger
to one of his organs or limbs. Rather we tell a gentile to do what
is necessary to heal the Jew. It is forbidden for a Jew to do a Torah
prohibition in the normal way but only in a different way (shinui).
Rabbinic prohibitions can be done even without a shinui.
For example, if someone has a fractured finger that is not an open
wound, which, according to the physicians, is not a danger to life, but
if it is not treated on Shabbos, the finger is liable to become endan-
gered, then one is permitted to treat it in the following way:

1. It is permissible to instruct a gentile to do all the necessary pro-
hibitions.

2. If no gentile is available, it is permissible to do it through a mi-

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