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ment, it is a mitzvah to save him and it is forbidden to allow him to
perish.” In our case too, if it appears that he is not always on a sinful
path even though he occasionally slips and sins, it is a mitzvah to save
his life1.

Now, in response to the questions:
1. The medical team treating him, physicians and nurses included,
are obligated to inform the police of the sinner’s whereabouts, as is
clear from Bava Metzia (83b): “I am purging the vineyard of thorns.”
Why, the police will not kill him but will place him under lock and
key and it is a great mitzvah to do so. There need be no concern over
the Hippocratic Oath which binds a physician to maintain medical
confidentiality, for we have sworn at Har Sinai that we would “not to
stand idly by the [spilled] blood of [our] fellowman” (Vayikra 19:16)
and to uphold“you shall destroy evil from your midst.” (Devarim 17:7)
The oath of Har Sinai preceded the Hippocratic Oath.2
2. There is no obligation to treat him, particularly if he endangers
the lives of the medical staff. Chazal have said (Medrash Tanchuma,
parshas Metzora, 1) that whoever shows mercy to a cruel person will
end up showing cruelty to the merciful. However, my father-in-law
zt”l, takes the view that we need to consider whether or not he is an
imbecile.
3. He should not receive a kidney transplant unless we have seen
some progress on his part towards mending his ways.



1. See earlier, siman 274, where we cite the Yaavetz who writes that even if a mur-
derer has repented his life should not be saved, however we note there that this
is highly novel.

2. On the topic of conflict between the Hippocratic Oath and the oath of Har
Sinai see earlier, siman 61.

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