Spending Shabbos in the Psychiatric Ward

Question

My daughter is in the psychiatric ward of Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Israel, as she was diagnosed with schizophrenia and hears voices telling her to commit suicide. Because of the delicate condition of my daughter and many of the patients in that ward, they are locked in with double doors that are secured by an electric lock.

During the week, when a visitor needs to enter or leave the premises, they ring a bell and one of the staff buzzes open the doors. Sometimes, non-Jewish workers do this, but generally, the doors are opened by the Jewish nurses on staff.

This week, I will be spending Shabbos with my daughter, and I realized that I am in a bit of a pickle. There is no place for me to sleep in her ward, so I have to go outside the hospital to sleep. In addition, although there is wonderful Shabbos hospitality, I need to leave the ward and go downstairs to get food, and I like to go downstairs to daven. Is there a permitted way for me to get in and out of this ward on Shabbos, given that the electric doors need to be buzzed open and this is often done by the Jewish nurses?

Thank you.

Rav Zafrani 

First of all, I am sorry and pained to hear that your daughter is in the psychiatric ward of Hadassah Ein Kerem and that she is suffering from such a severe and dangerous condition. I give her a brocha from the depths of my heart that she should have a speedy recovery and that these voices should disappear quickly.

The halacha is that if another Jew is in a situation of pikuach nefesh—a life-threatening circumstance—then one may certainly violate almost any Torah prohibition to save them. However, as far as your question is concerned, I do not think that we can consider buzzing open the doors to let you through to be pikuach nefesh, and the issues involved in this question are not simple at all, as I will explain.

Under certain circumstances, it is permitted for a Jew to perform an issur derabbonon for the sake of a choleh kol haguf, a sick person who is bedridden. However, there are numerous factors that must be considered before applying this heter to your situation:

1. 1. For this leniency to apply, the door must be opened for the benefit of the sick person and not simply because you personally need to go out (unless your leaving directly benefits the patient).

2. 2. Even if you need to do something for the sick person, the need must be significant, such as obtaining food for her. Something done merely for comfort may not be considered a true need.

3. 3. It is well known that the Chazon Ish ruled that the use of electricity necessary to open such a door constitutes a Torah prohibition.

4. 4. While there are prominent poskim who disagreed with this ruling, we generally would not rely on their opinion unless it is an extremely pressing situation.

5. 5. There is a major dispute regarding which issurei derabbonon are included in this leniency.

6. 6. There are plenty of non-Jews available who can open the door.

7. 7. We must determine whether walking through an electronically locked door constitutes ma’aseh Shabbos, benefiting from an act that resulted from chillul Shabbos.

   
   

As you can see, many factors govern your question. Even if we were to follow the most lenient opinions on all these points, there still would not be a clear heter to ask the nurses directly to open the doors on Shabbos. Therefore, you certainly should not instruct the Jewish nurses to open the doors for you on Shabbos.

However, I would permit you to stand in front of the door, and if the nurses independently decide to open the doors, you may then walk in.