Community Magazine February 2019

בס“ד “There is no Mitzva greater than redeeming someone from captivity” (Rambam, Hilchot Matanot L’Aniyim 8,10) Rabbi Zilberstein's Halachic ruling EFRAT 1274 49th St. Suite 569 Brooklyn, NY 11219 Tel: 718-697-7022 www.efrat.org.il/english efrat@efrat.org.il . . . It is certainly a great mitzvah to help him . . . Maran Harav Hagaon Chaim Kanievsky Shlita Question: Does the prohibition of "do not stand by your friend's blood" apply to an embryo? Answer: I asked this question to my father in law, HaRav Eliashiv Zatzal, and he answered that we are permitted to break Shabbos to save the life of an embryo. According to the Ritva, one is permitted to break Shabbos for an embryo even in its first 40 days. This means that an embryo is included in the commandment not to stand by one's friend's blood, for if the embryo did not have the status of ''friend'', it would not be permitted to break Shabbos to save it. Question: Is saving an embryo from abortion included in the mitzva of redeeming captives? Answer: In Mishlei 24:11 it says "Rescue those taken to death". It is clear that saving an embryo whose life is at risk, fulfills this commandment; the mitzva of redeeming captives. EFRAT saves babies in danger “There is no Mitzva greater than redeeming someone from captivity” (Rambam, Hilchot Matanot L’Aniyim 8,10) Rabbi Zilberstein's Halachic ruling EFRA 1274 49th St. Suite 569 Brooklyn, NY 11219 Tel: 718-697-7022 www.efrat.org.il/english efrat@efrat.org.il . . . It is certainly a great mitzvah to help him . . . Maran Harav Hagaon Chaim Kanievsky Shlita Question: Does the prohibition of "do not stand by your friend's blood" apply to an embryo? Answer: I asked this question to my father in law, HaRav Eliashiv Zatzal, and he answered that we are permitted to break Shabbos to save the life of an embryo. According to the Ritva, one is permitted to break Shabbos for an embryo even in its first 40 days. This means that an embryo is included in the commandment not to stand by one's friend's blood, for if the embryo did not have the status of ''friend'', it would not be permitted to break Shabbos to save it. Question: Is saving an embryo from abortion included in the mitzva of redeeming captives? Answer: In Mishlei 24:11 it says "Rescue those taken to death". It is clear that saving an embryo whose life is at risk, fulfills this commandment; the mitzva of redeeming captives. EFRAT save babies in danger