Soaking a hand on Shabbat

Hi,

On Shabbat, one may not engage in medicine-related activities, unless one is in danger or in debilitating discomfort. However, one may engage in therapeutic activities which 1) do not relate to taking medicine, and 2) are not visibly medicinal.

Therefore, one whose hand is injured, and who needs to soak it in order to relieve the pain, may do so on Shabbat. It is not visibly therapeutic; also, we are talking about a case in which the pain is considerable.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:222:6)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai

Medicine and Muktzeh

Hi,

Medicines are not muktzeh on Shabbat [even though their use is prohibited for those who are not very ill].

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 5:21:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Payment for providing medical treatment on Shabbat

Hi,

It would be a good idea for doctors to refuse payment for offering medical treatment on Shabbat, lest they err in their judgment of what requires treatment on Shabbat.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:79)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Vitamins on Shabbat

Hi,

One may take vitamins which are only intended to preserve one's strength or to insulate one from illness, or which give energy boosts, on Shabbat; these are not viewed as medicine.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:54)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Medicine to improve one's appetite

Hi,

One may take medicine on Shabbat if (1) he would otherwise suffer illness affecting his whole body (even without actual danger), or if (2) the medicine is normally consumed by healthy people as part of normal eating.

Therefore, one may not take medicine intended to improve one's appetite on Shabbat, unless it meets one of those two criteria.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:54)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Medicine for a secondary illness

Hi,

One who is permitted to take medication on Shabbat for a certain severe condition is not automatically permitted to take a separate medication on Shabbat for an unrelated, non-severe condition.

[Note: Rav Moshe elsewhere permits treatment of pain, where that pain might make healing from a dangerous condition more difficult. That must not be the case under discussion here.]

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:53)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Taking medicine on Shabbat

Hi,

Medicine is prohibited on Shabbat, unless:
a) It is to save a life, or
b) Taking it involves only the rabbinic prohibition against medicine on Shabbat (as opposed to biblical prohibitions), and it is necessary to alleviate great pain.

However: One who needs a medicine which is only taken when mixed into food or drink may mix it into food or drink before Shabbat and take it, assuming that on-lookers will not know it is medicine, and assuming that the patient himself will do the mixing [as opposed to purchasing a pre-mixed product]. This ensures that the patient will remember and not mix and take it on Shabbat itself, and it ensures that no one will be mis-led regarding the general issue of taking medicine on Sahbbat."

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 2:86)

גמר חתימה טובה,
Mordechai

Accompanying a woman in labor to the hospital

Hi,

A woman's husband or mother may accompany her to the hospital in a vehicle on Shabbat when she is in labor, if she requests it and she would be panicked without that person present. Although that person is not providing medical treatment, we are concerned that the panic might make her medical situation worse.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 1:132)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Taking call on Shabbat

Hi,

The issue of taking call on Shabbat is rather complex, with many views; you may wish to listen to my shiur on the topic here.

Rav Moshe Feinstein ruled that a physician who knows before Shabbat that he will be needed to save lives on Shabbat is required to arrange a place to stay in the hospital, or nearby, for Shabbat.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 1:131)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Use of a thermometer on Shabbos

Hi,

One may use a mercury thermometer to gauge the temperature of an ill person on Shabbos, even where it is known that the patient is not dangerously ill.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 1:128)

Have a great day,
Mordechai