Bal Teshaktzu - Medical Circumstance

Q. Is one permitted to violate bal teshaktzu for medical reasons?

A. If one suffers from a life-threatening ailment, non-kosher medicines and foods may be consumed because pikuach nefesh (saving a life) overrides all Torah and Rabbinic prohibitions, except for three cardinal sins. Certainly, the prohibition of bal teshaktzu, which is only Rabbinic, is deferred as well. These rules do not apply to a choleh she’ein bo sakanah (a non-life-threatening ailment), as Torah prohibitions are definitely not deferred for medical treatment when there is no acute danger. What is the status of violating rabbinic prohibitions to cure or heal a choleh she’ein bo sakanah? The Shulchan Aruch (YD 155:3) distinguishes between consuming and deriving benefit from foods that are rabbinically prohibited. Thus, one who is ill may wash himself with non-kosher wine for medicinal purposes (even though the Rabbis forbade deriving benefit from non-kosher wine), but one may not drink non-kosher wine to cure an illness, even though this is a Rabbinic prohibition. The same restriction on the consumption of wine for a choleh she’ein bo sakanah applies to all non-kosher food. (See Shach, YD 81:21 and Rav Akiva Eiger quoted by Pischai Teshuva 155:8) The question we are posing is whether one who suffers from a non-life-threatening condition may violate bal teshaktzu for health benefits. Sefer Shraga Ha’Meir (74) addresses this issue. He was asked if one may restrain themselves from using the bathroom if medically advised to do so because of a medical condition, or is this prohibited because of bal teshaktzu. He rules that one may violate bal teshaktzu for medical reasons. The Seridei Aish (2:32) as well rules that it is permissible to take medicines that contain repulsive ingredients if necessary for one’s health, as refuah outweighs the prohibition of bal teshaktzu.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.