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In our case, as described by the physicians, the aforementioned
young woman’s state is probably similar to one of melancholy, in
which a person is considered annus on his actions. In the singular sit-
uation into which she has been cast she is unable to live according to
the Torah [that bades her to keep her fetus]. Therefore, even though
she is not considered a shotah in all respects it is permitted to violate
a sin in order to prevent her from committing suicide.

Accordingly, it appears that if someone threatens suicide unless we
violate a certain sin, it is forbidden for us to violate that sin in order
to save him. Therefore in the second case we mentioned, about the
butcher who was found selling non-kosher meat, it is forbidden to
give him kashrus certification in order to prevent him committing
suicide.

This is particularly true in light of the remarks of the Kovetz
He’aros (49:7) on the topic of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza (Gittin,
56a), where Bar Kamtza made a blemish in the sacrifice and the
Sages intended sacrificing it thus [despite the Torah prohibition of
offering a blemished animal, because it had been sent by the Roman
Emperor]. Rabbi Zechariah ben Avkulas dissuaded them from doing
so, arguing,“People will say that blemished animals may be sacrificed
on the altar.” The gaon Rav Elchanan Wasserman zt”l expresses his
amazement at this, for we are forced to say that maintaining good
relations with the authorities was a matter of piku’ach nefesh and
that it would have been permitted to offer the animal if not for the
decree “lest people say it is permitted to sacrifice blemished animals.”
In that case, what was Rabbi Zechariah’s reckoning? Since the Torah
prohibition of sacrificing a blemished animal is set aside in the in-
terest of maintaining good relations with the government, surely the
rabbinic decree of “lest people they say that blemished animals can
be sacrificed” should be set aside in order to maintain good relations?

He answers that since the Torah prohibition is set aside for pi-
ku’ach nefesh, no prohibition is being done [by offering the animal]
however, if this leads people to conclude that blemished animals may
be sacrificed, they will sacrifice them even when there is no piku’ach

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