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May a man look at and/or touch his reproductive organ while bathing? made me think of another related question.

It has been medically suggested that men do a regular self-check for testicular cancer. Would it be Halachically appropriate to perform such a regular check, being that this involves examining the testicles carefully using one's hands (as well as looking at them)?

An answer to this question should be a thorough treatment of the subject, covering many of the Halachic bases (such as touching the scrotum in general, cases of fear, the factors that the statistics may play, etc.), or a source that directly discusses this issue.

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  • For anyone who wants to write a comprehensive answer, I would suggest looking up and reading through שו"ת ציץ אליעזר חלק יט סימן ד, which addresses a very similar question. If no one else wants to do it, at some point I will write it up...
    – רבות מחשבות
    Commented Dec 31, 2017 at 23:00
  • you can always get married and then it will be ok, (the tzis eliyezer hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14518&st=&pgnum=15 )
    – hazoriz
    Commented Jan 1, 2018 at 0:51
  • @Hazoriz thanks for the link. You're right about getting married (presumably ishto imo too), although thats obviously not a real solution to the problem... :)
    – רבות מחשבות
    Commented Jan 1, 2018 at 0:52
  • it is the real solution to many problems, people (are very influenced by the non Jews) do not want to admit it (end of sefaria.org/Kohelet_Rabbah.9.9?lang=bi and sefaria.org/Yevamot.62b.13?lang=bi )
    – hazoriz
    Commented Jan 1, 2018 at 1:04

1 Answer 1

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Shulchan Aruch in Orach Chaim siman 3 rules that touching ones scrotum is allowed even for someone who is not married.

Mishna Berurah explains that his member will not be warmed by this action.

The discussion there is to help aim while urinating, but this is at least as important. I only mention this as perhaps one can argue touching ones scrotum for no purpose is not allowed.

יד.יזהר שלא יאחוז באמה וישתין אם לא מעטרה ולמטה מפני שמוציא שכבת זרע לבטלה אלא אם כן הוא נשוי ומדת חסידות ליזהר אפילו הנשוי: 

טו. אפילו מי שאינו נשוי מותר לסייע בביצים: 

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  • "I only mention this as perhaps one can argue touching ones scrotum for no purpose is not allowed." certainly that can be argued. Also, perhaps one can argue on "this is at least as important", as if you learn the sugya there, the heter is only so the urine will not fall straight down, and there are significant reasons as to why that is very important, see there.
    – רבות מחשבות
    Commented Dec 31, 2017 at 22:44
  • Additionally, it is clear that touching is different than rubbing or rolling, or many of the actions done during such an examination
    – רבות מחשבות
    Commented Dec 31, 2017 at 22:45
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    Even more so, Shulchan Aruch says that an unmarried person may NOT touch his scrotum in EH siman 23:4, see SA and Biur Hagra there.
    – רבות מחשבות
    Commented Dec 31, 2017 at 22:46
  • Your quote from eh is incorrect. It specifically says ama, not beitzim. אסור לאדם שאינו נשוי לשלוח ידיו במבושיו כדי שלא יבא לידי הרהור ואפי׳ מתחת טבורו לא יכניס ידו שמא יבא לידי הרהור ואם השתין מים לא יאחוז באמה וישתין ואם היה נשוי מותר ובין נשוי ובין שאינו נשוי לא יושיט ידו לאמה כלל אלא בשעה שהוא צריך לנקביו (ועיין בא״ח סימן ג׳) :
    – user6591
    Commented Dec 31, 2017 at 23:21
  • The significant reason in b.h. to allow touching the scrotum is to not to be motzi laz that his children are not his. A safek of pikuach nefesh is more important than a safek of laz.
    – user6591
    Commented Dec 31, 2017 at 23:23

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