Shabbat, Medication, and Minor Ailments
If someone has a "מיחוש בעלמא" (a lower level than a חולה שאין בו סכנה) we generally don't administer medication on Shabbos. Why? Where is the boundary between מיחוש בעלמא and a חולה שאין בו סכנה?
במקום חולי לא גזרו רבנן: when it comes to a גזירה, Chazal suspended their decrees in the case of illness (e.g. a minor toothache, a minor cough for the average person).
Taking medicine is prohibited because one may come to grind herbs (שחיקת סממנים). Would this still apply today when we no longer take medicine by grinding herbs? Under what circumstances do we say that the halacha should be different because this reason no longer applies?
The Rambam discusses treatments that are considered medicinal but have no relationship to grinding herbs.
Delivered at the OU Israel Center, January 23rd, 2019, 17 Shevat 5779