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wanted to remove the store’s kashrus certification the butcher threat-
ened to commit suicide because he would be left without a livelihood.
It was clear that he wasn’t exaggerating but was liable to carry out his
threat. The question was, was it permitted to leave his kashrus cer-
tification intact because of the danger to his life, or since there were
no non-Jews and no dangerous illness threatening his life, his suicide
threat did not create a situation of piku’ach nefesh that sets aside
Torah laws, therefore the kashrus certification should be removed?

Now, we have discussed this point at length elsewhere3, where we
quoted the comments of the sefer Etz Chaim (Amsterdam, 5501/
1741), concerning a dangerously ill patient who was refusing to drink
milk from a she-ass that the physicians had prescribed to cure him.
We also quoted the comments of the sefer Melemed Leho’il (1, 65)
about a mother who was threatening suicide if her son didn’t desecrate
Shabbos. Both forbid violating sins under threat of suicide and the
like, in flagrance of halachah. We offered two possible rationales for
their ruling: 1. There is no obligation to help someone who is able to
help himself but refuses to do so, such as the case of a miser who“has
assets but only wants to be supported by tzeddakah.” (Kesuvos 67b)
2. We cannot permit violating a prohibition [even if there is piku’ach
nefesh at present] when doing so will lead to the violation continuing
even when there is no longer piku’ach nefesh. This in the view of the
Kovetz He’aros (49:7) in his explanation of the passage of gemara
about Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, which is similar to the Chasam
Sofer’s comments (Even Ha’ezer 2, 82) concerning a widow who was
waiting for either yibum [levirate marriage] or chalitzah from her late
husband’s six year old brother. Medical specialists testified that were
she unable to remarry until he attained maturity she might fall ill and
become endangered. Could she be allowed to marry outside the family
owing to piku’ach nefesh? He responded that it is forbidden because
whoever cohabits with her sins multiple times on each occasion that
they have relations and their union was only allowed in order to save

3. See our lengthy discussion of this topic earlier, simanim 281-82.

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