Two or three figs? (Re: Shabbos candles (Was Re: What's wrong with Conservative Judaism))

moshes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
"Henry Goodman" <henry.goodman@xxxxxxxxxx> writes:

I would be interested in comments by scjmers on a theoretical shaaleh
on this subject that came up in a shiur I attended a few years ago.
There is a seriously ill person (pikuach nefesh) in the house; his
essential medication is in the fridge and you have forgotten to remove
the bulb/set the Shabbos switch.
Peshita that you are allowed to open the fridge, even though it
switches the light on, to give him his medicine and at the same time
you may remove food from the fridge for the rest of the family. The
shaaleh is more subtle.
The sick person requires his medicine several times over shabbat and
it must be kept in the fridge, it will spoil if allowed to reach room
temperature (assume a hot day).
The alternatives are:
(a) open and close the fridge (which are both melachot) every time he
needs the medicine or
(b) the first time do the extra melachah of removing the bulb (or
setting the switch to Shabbos) so that on subsequent occasions no
melachah is required.
Comments?

Cute question.

Perhaps it compares to the question Tosaphos mentions in Kesubos. A
doctor determines that a critically ill person requires _two_ figs.
On the tree are three branches. Two have on fig each. The third has
three. What is better? To do two acts of cutting, but both are
required to save a life? Or to do just one act of cutting, but to cut
an extra, unneeded fig?

Moshe Schorr
It is a tremendous Mitzvah to always be happy! - Reb Nachman of Breslov
The home and family are the center of Judaism, *not* the synagogue.
Disclaimer: Nothing here necessarily reflects the opinion of Hebrew University


Speaking PRACTICALLY, not theoretically (so CYLOR):

Given that I HAVE a fig tree (YUM! but be *very* careful), I'd say it'd be best to cut the three figs, to increase the chances that two would NOT have worms. (BTW, the worms in figs are WHITE, the same color as much of the normal fiber of figs, making it less than easy to find them).

Yaakov K. in Y-m
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Two or three figs? (Re: Shabbos candles (Was Re: Whats wrong with
    ... There is a seriously ill person in the house; ... Peshita that you are allowed to open the fridge, ... the first time do the extra melachah of removing the bulb (or ... doctor determines that a critically ill person requires _two_ figs. ...
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