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to travel to the hospital on Yom Tov? What does halacha dictate
that I do with this often-occurring situation?
2. A similar question arises with the physicians who are Torah ob-
servant Jews and request their off-days for Shabbos and Yamim
Tovim, so that they do not have to travel to the hospital. Should
we accommodate them, when doing so will cause other Jewish
physicians to travel to the hospital in their place?
Dr. Yehonatan Dovid Dovick,
specialist in internal medicine and nephrology,
Petach Tikvah
1 AnsweRs
It seems preferable that the Torah observant person come to the hos-
pital on the holiday, because he will not desecrate the Yom Tov with
unnecessary prohibitions which can be prevented beforehand. Some
examples are as follows:
1. Staying near the hospital – If it is possible for the patient to
stay in or near the hospital from before the holiday, he should
do so. Only if no such possibility exists, is he allowed to travel,
as explained below.
2. Arranging for a driver before the holiday – Even when driving
is permitted for pikuach nefesh, the patient should arrange for
the driver before Yom Tov, to avoid using the phone on Yom Tov
itself.
3. Not activating the taxi meter – Activating the taxi meter in-
volves several prohibitions: lighting a fire, writing, building, etc.
When one has to ride a taxi on Yom Tov, he is obligated to set a
price with the driver in advance, in order to preclude use of the
meter.
4. Payment before the Chag – If a patient knows before Yom Tov
that he will have to travel because of pikuach nefesh, he is obli-
336 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein
Refused to Sign on Shabbos for Release from
Prison, but Agreed to Sign for his Friend. How is
this Possible?
The Grand Rebbe Gedaliah Moshe of Zvhil zt”l, was interred in Si-
beria for a long time, and abused by the wicked Bolsheviks. When the
period of his imprisonment finally ended, the day of his release, along
with a fellow Jewish prisoner, was set for the Holy Shabbos. Before he
could be released he had to appear before the captain to sign for his
release.
The day of Shabbos arrived but Reb Gedaliah Moshe did not
appear before the captain to sign the papers. The captain, who had
never seen such a phenomenon, decided to investigate. When the
Rebbe appeared before the captain, he asked him: Do you not want
to be released? The Rebbe answered that he very much wanted to be
released. Immediately, the captain gave him the papers and asked him
to sign them for his release. The Rebbe, however, refused, telling him
that under no circumstances would he sign on Shabbos. When the
captain saw that he was not prepared to sign, he warned him that he
would remain in Siberia for an indeterminate amount of time, but the
Rebbe stubbornly refused to desecrate Shabbos.
Next to the Rebbe stood his fellow Jewish prisoner, who was also
scheduled to be released. The captain gave him the papers, and asked
him to sign, but the Jew, who had seen the Rebbe refuse to sign be-
cause it was Shabbos, decided to refuse as well and remained at the
Rebbe’s side.
When Rebbe Gedaliah Moshe zt”l, saw that the Jew was refusing
to sign, he approached the captain and told him that he would sign
for the Jew’s release. “Why are you not prepared to sign for yourself,
but for your friend’s release, you are willing to desecrate Shabbos”
asked the captain. The Rebbe answered: “I still have the strength to
tolerate more time in Siberia, but my friend does not.” For him, this
is clearly pikuach nefesh. Therefore, it is permitted for him to sign and
that is why I want to sign for him!
Shabbos in an Ophthalmology Department 2 309
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