Posted on 05/05/16
| News Source: YWN
Some people in the medical profession are not going to be too happy about this particular column.
So what did Rav Moshe, zt”l, feel about doctors?
Rabbi Mordechai Tendler, grandson of Rav Moshe Feinstein, zatzal, has authored volume two of Mesoras Moshe which has a section that can shed some light on that.
Essentially, Rabbi Tendler had kept notebooks and letters of his saintly grandfather’s rulings and thoughts in his 18 years as serving as his grandfather’s Gabbai. The Mesoras Moshe is comprised of Rav Moshe Feinstein’s oral rulings, conversations and thoughts, and other unpublished material. The rulings number well over one thousand, and most of them are quite fascinating.
APPROBATIONS
Like its predecessor, the book has approbations from both of Rav Moshe’s sons, Rav Dovid Feinstein Shlita, and Rav Reuvain Feinstein Shlita, as well as Rav Shmuel Fuerst from Chicago and Rav Dovid Cohen from Brooklyn, both leading and well-respected Poskim in the United States. Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita, of Bnei Brak, appended his signature as well to Rav Dovid Cohen’s approbation. [Rav Dovid Cohen and Rav Chaim Kanievsky are very close]. [...]The back of the Sefer has a number of biographical details, just like the first volume of Mesoras Moshe.
The section about medical issues begins on page 397 and the section on doctors begins on page 401.
BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTS
Years ago, I posed the question about taking a bone marrow transplant from a child to Dayan Yechezkel Roth Shlita. The question dealt a child whose parents were not married and the father had a previous older child that needed bone marrow. The mother of the younger children refused. Dayan Roth ruled that a kotton, a minor, has no daas until the age of 12 or 13, and since it is not an innocuous procedure, the parents has no right to take the bone marrow.
Now, for the first time in print, we see that a bone marrow question was asked to Rav Feinstein zt”l as well. He also rules that a parent has no rights over the child’s body, but that a parent would be able to speak to the child and explain matters to him so that he will understand. His view was that a child close to maturity can also understand matters.
MEDICINES AND INJECTIONS
Once Rav Moshe was in Beth Israel Hospital and had a negative reaction to the drugs that were administered to him. Rav Moshe explained that this was the meaning of the Rambam when he writes that all cures are a type of drug and if it is possible to be cured without a drug – that is preferable. However, if one needs the drug then one should take it without qualms.
A father had voiced his concerns about giving his own son injections because he was aware of the complications that the injections could cause. Rav Feinstein explained the above to the father and said that if it still bothers him he could request that someone else give the injection. After the father had left, Rav Moshe commented, “Nu nu, these are the feelings of a father – he has rachmanus on his child.”
PRAYER
Rav Moshe davened that the hands of the surgeon not stumble. In conversation he commented that the notion of not seeing the hand of Hashem in all that we do is something that gentiles are also punished for. The erroneous thought processes of “Kochi v’otzem yadi – the power and might of my hand” has accomplished all this – is a universal concept, it is just that Jews are held to a higher standard. Rav Feinstein proves this from Sisrah.
CONCERNS ABOUT DOCTORS
He was once asked about whether to send a child suffering from cancer r”l to a regular hospital for treatment or to a hospital that specialized in cancer care with clinical trials. He responded that there is a concern that the doctors in the research facility would care more for the research than for the patient’s individual health – so to treat the child in a regular hospital.
By the same token he expressed concern about the motivations of doctors in a simaese twin separation operation. Were they attempting it to learn more or was it out of concern for the twins themselves?
He also expressed this concern regarding top doctors in a field. Do they just want to ensure a successful operation or is their concern for the overall health of the patient?
NEW YORK AREA DOCTORS
Often people search for specialists far away. Rav Moshe did say that since New York City is a big metropolis with many, many people and patients – there is something to be said about the experience of doctors who treat a large number of patients – they do gain an expertise as well.
He also suggested that since most procedures and medications are administered by technicians, one could also seek consultation with other experts that are further away, rather than actually travelling to see them in person.
CANCER TREATMENT IN US VS. ISRAEL
A Kollel student in Israel had cancer r”l that spread throughout many organs. He was advised by some doctors to come to the United States for treatment. Rav Moshe responded that if there are good doctors there [who follow the same protocols for treatment] as in the United States, there really is no reason to travel. In general, in this area doctors have limited knowledge and when doctors make recommendations to travel they do not care at all about chayei sha’ah the extension of temporary life, so it is better to remain in Israel.
RAV FEINSTEIN’S REACTION TO HIS OWN SURGERY
On a side point, after one of Rav Feinstein’s surgeries, we see how Rav Moshe reacted when he was informed that some 6000 Yeshiva students came to daven for him at the Kosel. He responded that he was concerned about the Bitul Torah and hoped to make up for the loss of Torah by learning more after he recovers.
The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com