Treating the Sick on Shabbat & Yom Tov

We will begin by defining what it means to halachicaly be sick. Our first two categories are: (1) life-threatening conditions; and (2) medical conditions with no threat to life. After establishing which patients belong in which category, we will analyse the leniencies that pertain to them.

Today’s class deals with the question “Who should violate Shabbat to save a life.” Given a choice between a Jew and a non-Jew or between an adult and a child doing the work, whom should we prefer?

Who makes the decision to violate Shabbat? Who is a rofeh uman (qualified physician)?

Which medical therapies and which procedures justify violating Shabbat? Why do we violate Shabbat even for a brief extension of a patient’s life? Is there room to refrain from treatment and let the patient die?

Given a variety of prohibited foods for a starving patient, which food should be chosen? Given a variety of options in lifesaving on Shabbat, which option should be chosen?