NOTE: For professional medical advice, please contact your physician.
5
votes
1answer
73 views
are bionic abilities legal for shabbos
Today the world is high in technology; many medical fields are experiencing breakthroughs in artificial limbs and what not.
What are the legalities of these in Jewish law?
For example, a pace maker ...
5
votes
0answers
65 views
Fasting for Medical Recovery
Yesterday, a request was publicized in the name of R' Chaim Kanievsky to accept a fast in the afternoon to fast today for the medical recovery of R' Y.S. Elyashiv, unless it interferes with one's ...
4
votes
2answers
172 views
Yichud with someone who can't have an erection
If a man is in a physical situation where he is unable to have an erection will there still be an issur of yichud (the prohibition of being alone with someone that it is forbidden to have relations ...
4
votes
2answers
672 views
Chazon Ish neurosurgery diagram
There is a well-known story about the Chazon Ish, where someone who was scheduled to undergo a neurosurgical procedure came to him for advice, and the Chazon Ish drew a diagram for the surgeon ...
4
votes
2answers
218 views
Is a Cohen Allowed to Perform CPR?
CPR is performed when the heart has stopped but the brain is still alive. We have a general rule that a Cohen is not allowed to come in contact with a dead body. If so, does this mean that a Kohen ...
4
votes
1answer
121 views
Where is the source not to walk over someone because it stops him growing?
I have been brought up with the belief not to walk over someone because it can stunt their growth. Can anyone else here say where they have also heard of this? If yeah, where is the source?
4
votes
4answers
722 views
children's Tylenol on Pesach
This year, Rabbi Bess's list of non-chametz products doesn't AFAICT include any kosher-for-Pesach children's analgesic/fever reducer (acetaminophen/paracetamol) (except one that includes also ...
4
votes
1answer
255 views
Kosher status of medicine that comes in a gel capsule
What are the kashruth issues involved in the taking of non-prescription gel-capsule medicine which does not have kosher certification?
4
votes
1answer
103 views
May one have augmentative cosmetic surgery?
I realize much of the discussion on plastic surgery can be found in the answers to this question. However, the actual question was only addressing nose surgery. I would like to to know:
If there ...
4
votes
2answers
131 views
Exercises to prevent eyes tiring
It often happens to me that after learning the whole day and reading lots of text especially with small letters I feel my eyes very tired. Who knows good set of exercises that don't takes lot of time, ...
4
votes
3answers
221 views
Is the brain the seat of the soul?
There are disturbing ideas in the Feb 21, 2011 Time magazine cover article 2045: The Year Man Becomes Immortal. The article attributes to Raymond Kurzweil the prediction that within the next 25 years ...
4
votes
2answers
351 views
Washing after Haircut and modern day blood letting
What are the rules for Washing after Haircuts and or Shaving and or is there a requirement at all? Also after donating blood is there a requirment to Wash hands and or a blood test and is there a ...
4
votes
1answer
138 views
Permissibility of removing wisdom teeth
Dentists often recommend that teenagers have their wisdom teeth extracted to avoid future problems. However, the medical need for these extractions is unclear at best. Is removing teeth without ...
4
votes
1answer
46 views
What medical condition was this “epilepsy that causes mental instability at all times”?
Rambam's laws of testimony (written about 800 years ago) describe disqualification for testimony (eidut) due to mental instability. He writes:
The epileptic is disqualified when having a seizure, ...
4
votes
0answers
32 views
Are placebos permitted without telling the person they are getting one?
Does Judaism allow placebos where the person thinks it does something, and is thereby cured, even though the item does nothing?
Is this gnevas da'as (or some other issur), or because it can help them ...
4
votes
0answers
104 views
Must a parent vaccinate her child?
Is a parent compelled by Halacha to vaccinate her child if it can be statistically proven that, without the vaccine, the likelihood of the child contracting the disease that he is being vaccinated for ...
4
votes
0answers
62 views
Is the idea that there is always at least one illness with an unknown cure - a Jewish idea?
I have heard many times that there will always be at least one illness that is uncurable. Is this a Jewish idea? What is its source?
3
votes
2answers
455 views
What's with the 5th rib killing?
2 Sam. 20:10:
וַעֲמָשָׂא לֹא נִשְׁמַר בַּחֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר בְּיַד יוֹאָב וַיַּכֵּהוּ בָהּ אֶל הַחֹמֶשׁ וַיִּשְׁפֹּךְ מֵעָיו אַרְצָה וְלֹא שָׁנָה לוֹ וַיָּמֹת
M'tzudos says this means he stabbed him ...
3
votes
2answers
230 views
Halachic permissibility of a vasectomy
What are the halachic concerns surrounding vasectomies? Are vasectomies permitted by halacha under any circumstances?
The issues that I could see as possibly being connected would be chavala ...
3
votes
3answers
532 views
falling asleep on the left side to aid digestion
Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 71:5 reads, in part (translation my own):
And it's good that he'll lie at the start of his sleep on the left side and at the end on the right side, as this is good for the ...
3
votes
2answers
361 views
Children's Motrin and Advil
Recently it was publicized that certain lots of Children's Tylenol contain a non-kosher form of glycerin, and therefore should not be used in non-urgent situations. Does anyone have information about ...
3
votes
1answer
90 views
Bald men and kippot
How do bald men keep kippah srugas from falling off? (not l'maaseh yet, b"h)
I got a short haircut and am having serious issues, especially in the wind!
3
votes
0answers
52 views
Difference between 'rafa' and 'ripa'
The root רפא, "heal", is used in various places in Tanach, sometimes in binyan paal and sometimes in binyan piel. I wonder what the difference is between these. Does any Tanach commentator, or the ...
3
votes
2answers
176 views
Nebulizer on Yom Kippur
Is someone who suffers from asthma and needs to use a nebulizer to make it easier for them to breath (not pekuach nefesh) allowed to use it on Yom Kippur? (In a way of course that it'll be turned on ...
2
votes
3answers
215 views
Demon or Sheidim
My son since birth never has been peaceful. At around 1 year old he would stand on his crib while sleeping fighting who knew what and crying and crying, I tried to calm him and soothe him. But that ...
2
votes
1answer
45 views
What is the significance of the Diet Information in Shas
It strikes me as I am learning Kesubos that the Gemara takes the time to speak of extensively the shortcomings and praises of dates (the fruit). I know the gemara does the same with cabbage and other ...
2
votes
1answer
45 views
Resuscitation of Aged Nursing Home Patients
Recently, there was a story about an 87-year-old woman who suffered a heart attack in a nursing home. The nursing home called 911 and the dispatcher begged the nurse to do CPR on the patient until the ...
2
votes
1answer
107 views
Postmortem organ donation in halacha
I know we generally accord respect to our dead, which includes not mangling their bodies. On the other hand, obviously saving lives is more important than, well, almost anything, including respect for ...
2
votes
0answers
49 views
Can members of Hatzalah learn how to deliver a baby?
This seems like a very simple thing. Is there anything wrong with male members of hatzalaha (a frum Jewish emergency medical organization) learning how to deliver a baby? I recently heard that ...
2
votes
0answers
64 views
Segulah to remove bone stuck in one's throat
The Gemorah in Shabbos Daf 67a gives a segulah for someone who has a bone stuck in their throat to get it out. The Gemorah says to bring another bone of the same type, put it on the person's head and ...
2
votes
0answers
58 views
Sources on the Halachic status of creating three parent child
See here for the background. The basic idea is that the DNA is taken from the mother and father, but rather than traditional IVF, the nucleus is implanted in a donor egg. So there is no male donor ...
1
vote
3answers
68 views
Maimonides advice about dieting
Maimonides (a.k.a: Harambam, or Rabbi Mosheh Ben Maimon), who was a well-known medieval physician and a philosopher, gave some useful (and common sense) pieces of advice about dieting:
Eat according ...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
Preventive Medicine on Shabbas
Is one allowed to take medicine on shabbas to help prevent something?
Can one for example take tums before eating a meal because he knows he will get heartburn after?
1
vote
0answers
149 views
Must a woman cover her hair during childbirth?
Does a woman need to cover her hair during childbirth or other major medical procedures?
0
votes
1answer
62 views
Is “Ambien” kosher for Pesach?
Is Ambien (taken to help sleep) kosher for Pesach? Also, is there a difference between the Ambien made in USA vs. made in Israel?
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Stitches on Shabbos
If someone cut their finger (lo aleinu!) on Shabbos in a way that wasn't going to threaten them however is a fairly deep cut may they get stitches put in by a non-Jew on Shabbos? Theoretically they ...
0
votes
1answer
77 views
Children of a Cohen who had a vasectomy
A previously asked question on this site was whether a Cohen who had undergone a vasectomy may get married. Assuming that he is permitted to marry in such a case - if he has a child (through invitro ...
0
votes
2answers
74 views
Are homeopathic remedies kosher?
I'm not sure what they put in the remedies but I would like to know if they are kosher and would batel beshishim apply in this case if there was a non-kosher ingredient?
