Page 29 - HaMizrachi Yom HaAtzmaut AUS 2021

ISRAEL AS A JEWISH STATE HOLIDAY READING

Rabbi Yitzchak Feldman

Halacha in the Hospital

eturning to the Land of Israel and gramma mechanisms, which allow prevent fires, G-d forbid. In wards in
establishing our own medical indirect opening of electric doors, and which it is not possible to light candles,
Rcenters has brought with it the millions of shekels have been invested we do so using electric lights, relying on
blessings and the challenges of balanc- in adjusting the hot water system for the psak of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zt”l.
ing halacha and medicine on a national the public hospital in Ashdod. Every
level. As Rav of the 10 Assuta medical patient also has a “Shabbat lamp” fixed Corona has brought many challenges,
centers in Israel and the Assuta Hos- above his or her bed. among them Shabbat meals and candle-
pital in Ashdod, these are challenges I Another system in place ensures that lighting in Corona wards, and even
face daily. How do I create a religious kohanim can enter the hospital. Our Megillah reading and Simchat Torah.
atmosphere in a large-scale public hos- hospital in Ashdod is all one building, Every time we brought an object into
pital? How do I ensure both halacha such that when a patient is pronounced the ward (tefillin, a Sefer Torah, a
and medical protocol can exist hand dead in one department, it means Megillah), we had to leave it there, for
in hand? fear of contamination. Besides there
kohanim are not allowed to enter the being a shul in every Assuta hospital
The main challenge of combining these entire area of the hospital. Because center, during Corona the religious
two elements is in the area of kashrut. of this, a smart “kohen alarm” system leaders have had to come up with
We need to organize kosher mehadrin was installed, which is operated by the alternative solutions to allow tefillot to
meals for the patients, and therefore we paramedics who move the deceased continue.
have a system of mashgichim who work to the morgues. Immediately upon
24/7 in all of the kitchens overseeing determining the moment of death, I often feel that religious staff and
kashrut, with very strict rules. Besides electronic monitors with the caption hospital Rabbis are also part of the
this, inpatients who are makpid on a “warning kohanim” are activated near medical team, to an extent. Halachic
higher level of kashrut, like glatt, can the main entrances of the hospital, questions occupy perhaps 20 percent
order a personal meal via the nurses. informing kohanim that they cannot of the requests I receive. We are
enter the hospital until the deceased is blessed that in Israel today, halachic
Then there is the issue of keeping issues are mostly taken care of, even
Shabbat. There are clear rules the removed. Once the deceased has been
staff are required to abide by, such as taken out of the hospital, the warning in public hospitals, and we have
using “Shabbat pens” and “Shabbat sign is replaced with “welcome.” ensured a foundation that deals with
keyboards” when admitting a patient Shabbat meals, Seder Night, Megillah almost every possible eventuality (even
to ER. Once the patient has been reading, and even lighting candles in special doors which help avoid yichud
admitted, staff no longer need to use a hospital require coordination and issues). Most of the requests I receive
these devices and can break Shabbat for creativity. In Assuta, we set up special are specifically regarding service –
him or her because the rule of pikuach candle-lighting areas adjacent to the booking appointments, advancing
nefesh now applies. We’ve organized security guard’s station in order to appointments, coordination between
doctors and patients, and medical
inquiries. True, this is not the official
role of the Rabbi, but as Jews who know
that in every place we find ourselves,
and in every position we are, it is our
responsibility to help others, we try
to do these tasks with dedication and
integrity.

Rabbi Yitzchak Feldman is Rabbi of
Assuta hospitals and medical centers.

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