Page 387 - EFI-RAV ZILBERSTIN_VOL 8.EFI-RAV ZILBERSTIN_VOL 8.1A

Pg: 387 - 13-Back 21-10-31

the physician has determined is of unstable mind etc. and whose view
should be taken into account, even if she has only exhibited imbecilic
behavior once.

ɳ Summary and Conclusions

We have deliberated over two questions:

What is the halachah when a person threatens suicide unless we
commit a certain sin – should we commit that sin? We cited two
examples of this situation:

1. A butcher who was presumed to be selling only kosher meat
was found selling non-kosher meat and threatens suicide should his
kashrus certification be removed. 2. A young girl became pregnant
through promiscuity and threatens suicide unless we perform an
abortion.

We cited the ruling of the Etz Chaim and Melemed Leho’il that a
suicide threat does not create a situation of piku’ach nefesh and we are
thus forbidden to commit a sin in order to prevent the suicide. The
reason for this is that our obligation is to help a fellow Jew who can-
not help himself and who is in a situation where fulfilling the mitzvos
of the Torah is incompatible with his continued living – but not when
he intends to commit suicide. This also explains why we are allowed
to kill a thief who breaks into a house to steal, rather than require
the homeowner to forego his money [so as to spare the robber’s life].
We find moreover that in a situation where a fire that breaks out on
Shabbos may not be put out, we are not concerned that the person
whose property is going up in flames may become endangered.

In the case of the butcher it is therefore forbidden to leave him
with his kashrus certification, particularly in light of the comments of
the Kovetz He’aros and the Chasam Sofer; I believe that this was the
course followed by the gaon Rav Rephael Hacohen Kook zt”l. How-
ever in the case of the young woman, who is mentally unbalanced and
is unstable, and who has suicidal tendencies, it appears that we must

Abortion to Prevent Suicide 2 371