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Traveling to the Hospital

< 1 min read

Interior of an ambulance with all its new material while paramedic are out in an emergency.

When rushing someone sick to the hospital, the driver of the car or ambulance should drive normally, without any shinui (as that might slow them down or lead to dangerous driving). Shabbat violation can still be minimized by choosing the closest hospital. Only if there is a medical directive to travel to a more distant hospital may one do so.

All the items a patient will need – such as medications, medical documents, proper identification, clothing, and food – may be taken to the hospital. One additional person should go with them, since patients need someone to be with them in the hospital, both to offer emotional support and to ensure they receive proper care.

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Except where otherwise noted, The Jewish Tradition by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.