Question:
My wife is due to give birth in the hospital on Shabbos. Is there anything we should know regarding entering and staying in the hospital over Shabbos? Are we permitted to transgress any melachos on shabbos?
Answer:
It is halachically preferable to have a non-Jew drive a person to the hospital even in a case of pikuach nefesh. If one cannot get a non jew to drive him, and is in immediate danger he may drive himself or ask anyone around to drive him there as fast as possible. A shinuy is always best but in case of pikuach nefesh, if driving with a shinuy would be dangerous or take longer then one should not do so.
In a case that one knows they will need to go to hospital on Shabbos, for example an expectant mother whose due date falls on a Shabbos, or someone having surgery that could not be postponed to another day, one should try make plans before Shabbos to minimize the chilul Shabbos, .e.g. pay the taxi in advance and leave any necessary documents at the hospital before Shabbos. Some poskim say that one should try and stay in close proximity to the hospital if at all possible.
Upon arrival at the hospital, walking through electric doors is an issue. If there’s no other door, one can walk immediately behind a non-Jew who is walking there anyway and is opening it for themselves according to Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchosa 40:19. If that is not an option and there is a Jew who isn’t religious or someone who does not realize the issue and walks through the doors, one can follow him closely and walk through once he already opened them.
Regarding a woman in labor, anyone who will help woman in both the physiological or psychological ways is permitted to be picked up and driven along with the woman. Included in this may be a husband, mother, doula, birthing coach etc Igros Moshe O.C. 1:132. If the hospital will not allow the patient to light Shabbos candles, as most will not due to safety concerns, then one may light with electric candles
Regarding the food that the hospital serves, a non-Jew may heat up food for a sick person on Shabbos. However, a healthy person can not eat any of that food.
Someone who isn’t in the category of pikuach nefesh can not eat the food that a non-religious Jew intentionally cooked for him on Shabbos. 40:20
If a person does not have a silver, metal or special kiddush cup, one could use a disposable cup for Kiddush. If a person does not have grape juice or wine at all, he could recite kiddush over the challah or the bread that he is using for Friday night.
When performing Havdalah, if one can not light a flame, it is not permitted to use an electric light, rather one should leave out that brocha and perform the rest of the Havdalah service.
If a person is in the hospital on Shabbos, he should not press the electric buttons to ring for the nurses to have someone come help them. Obviously if there’s pikuach nefesh it is permitted in any way. Otherwise, if it is not a dire need, a person should try to call, knock, use a mechanical bell, or ask a non-Jew to press the button for you. If that is not an option he can use the electric button if it isn’t going to turn on a light. Even then it is best to use a shinuy.
If there is a pikuach nefesh reason, such as if the patient needs a serious surgery immediately and the hospital will not proceed unless he signs consent, then it is permitted to sign. Otherwise it is better to orally declare that one accepts whatever agreement he is presented and have them sign it for him or ask them to let them sign after Shabbos. |