Last week we discussed the Rabbinic decree prohibiting medical treatments. This week I would like to discuss an interesting loophole built into the prohibition. A few weeks ago we discussed all of the dispensations given to sick people. It seems unusual that the Rabbi’s would come and add restrictions to them! The Radvaz has an ingenious explanation. He explains that the entire decree prohibiting medical treatments is only for healthy people. As soon as a person is classified as a choleh sh’ayn bo sakanah, the prohibition falls off. That is to say that the Rabbis prohibited medical treatments for healthy people in an effort to remind of the Biblical prohibition that could be violated. Practically, most healthy people do not need any medical treatments (although taking vitamins may be prohibited). The main prohibition would fall on people with slight aches and pains.
We have finished the discussion of sick people on shabbos, and next week we will hopefully start a new topic.
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