Q. A medical resident that is completing his residency must take an advanced trauma licensing course. The available courses at this time are offered on shabbat throughout Canada. When the course is completed there is a test. The test is multiple choice so an oval in front of the letter A,B,C or D must be filled in.Can the Jew tell the nonJew to fill in the ovals on the test for him. Is there any difference if the test is on paper or on the computer, in terms of telling the nonJew to do this for him. The administrators of the course refuse to let the Jewish resident take the test after shabbat , the administrators claim that in the past when there have been religious Jews at the saturday course they had a non Jew fill in the answers for the Jew.
A. Learning medicine with the intention to help the suffering is a Mitzva. We permit two interrelated rabbinical prohibitions (Shvus d’shvus) in a case of great need while performing a Mitzva (O.C. 307,5 – 325,2 – 331,6). One rabbinical injunction would be telling a Gentile to do a Melacha for you during Shabbos. The second one would be if the work he performs were done in an uncommon way, such as writing with the left hand for someone that is right handed. (Rambam, H. Shabbos 11,14 – Mishna Berura 340,22).
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit"a opinion is, that it is permitted to instruct the Gentile to fill in the answers with his left hand, in case of great need. The above does not apply to the use of a computer, as people type using both hands.
As not all cases qualify for the above heter or permission, you must consult with a competent rabbinical authority on each instance.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a
Is this in the spirit of Shabbos, that instead of enjoying the Shabbos seuda with his family, he will be going to the test center, possibly carrying his ID, etc., taking a test and instructing a goy to fill in the answers?
Posted: 2/28/2016 4:16:13 PM by:
Michoel
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