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So, too, in our case regarding question one. It is the physician’s
obligation to reveal to the bride that there is a problem. He is not
considered to have violated his oath by doing so. It is enough for the
physician to tell someone to write a letter to the bride informing her
groom has a medical problem. Thus the physician will be rescued
from violating “Do not stand idly by the blood of your fellowman,”
because he has revealed a bit although he concealed most of it.
If someone specifically requests information from the physician
(case #2), he should answer: I cannot comply before I obtain consent
from my patient. This way he reveals a little but does not violate his
oath.



It is forbidden to request medical information
from the physician if one knows he will transmit
the information without annulling his oath

1 Question

Reuven wants his daughter to marry Shimon. He heard that Shimon
is being treated by a physician. Is Reuven permitted to persuade the
physician to tell him about Shimon’s state of health, knowing that the
physician will not act as described above and will not annull his oath?

1 AnsweR

If the physician swore not to reveal his patients’ secrets, he is forbid-
den to reveal details about Shimon, and it is therefore prohibited for
Reuven to convince him to do so because he would then violate the
prohibition of “Do not put a stumbling block before a blind man.” It
would be halachically preferable for the physician to annul his oath
and then he would be permitted to talk in order to fulfill the precept
of “Do not stand idly by the blood of your fellowman.” But if the
physician is not yet a Torah-observant Jew and he will not annul his

Revealing a groom's illness 2 15

1