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about the children… However, in the case of an ordinary recalci-
trant or sinner [who is not currently a heretic, though his behavior
makes him deserving of being placed under a ban which may lead
him to abandon his religion] who can establish that we need not be
concerned about his children?… and the matter still requires further
study and deliberation,” see there.

Perhaps my father-in-law’s remarks can be reconciled so that
they don’t contradict the Chasam Sofer’s comments by saying that
the Chasam Sofer wrote only that the parents should not be placed
under ban where is concern that their children might end up becom-
ing apostates, for in this situation we are refraining from taking any
action. However, a rabbi should not recite blessings in vain [which
involves sinning actively] even when a girl is threatening to abort her
fetus, particularly when she can be persuaded [to desist from carrying
out her threat] by offering her financial and other benefits. Similarly,
if a pregnant woman threatens her son that if he doesn’t desecrate
Shabbos she will commit suicide along with her fetus it will still be
forbidden for him to desecrate Shabbos in order to save them, for he
may not be allowed to actively sin in order to save the fetus in this
roundabout manner.

There was a case involving a couple with a child, who quarreled.
The father was originally from abroad while the mother was a native
of Eretz Yisrael. The father demanded that they go their separate
ways and divorce and planned sending for their child and traveling
abroad with him, with the clear intention of apostatizing him. This
greatly angered many Jews, who together came up with a plan to spirit
the child away from his father. However, this abduction would have
become known to the press and would even become known abroad,
in whose view it would be considered as taking improper action. Rav
S.Z. Auerbach zt”l ruled that this should not be done because it
would lead to desecration of Heaven’s Name. The same logic applies
in our case.

The Chazon Ish (Pe’er Hador 3 p.185) says that proof can be ad-
duced that the sin of desecrating Heaven’s Name is more serious than
the three cardinal sins that a Jew must sacrifice his to avoid violating,

342 1 Medical-Halachic Responsa of Rav Zilberstein