Aug 17, 2021
Yichud Hatzala
this pashkevil is rich:
The best part is the opening that accuses Ichud Hatzala of turning into Yichud Hatzala - ie accusing Hatzala volunteers of transgressing the prohibitions of yichud - men and women being alone together in secluded places. That is some really good word play, regardless of whether or not it is true.
Regarding the truth, I have no way of knowing - Hatzala is mostly a first responder organization, so for the most part this cannot be true, as each responder is coming separately to the scene and leaving separately and at the scene there are usually other people as well. I guess there could be some scenarios where it does happen (ie they do have some ambulances, and maybe in the offices, etc), in addition to the fact that not everyone in Hatzala is religious (or even Jewish) and some just won't know about or care about the laws of yichud.
In the second half of the pashkevil, the broadside, they complain explain that this is a result of Hatzala having opened a course for females to become EMTs.
Hatzala has been accepting and training female EMTs in he organization for several years already, so these guys are late to the game.
They then say female EMTs is a double aveira - 1 for being involved in sherut leumi (which most are not) and the second for being a secondary level of prohibited intimacy or sexual exposure. As mentioned, most are not herut leumi - most female EMTs, I think, are volunteers. Additionally, as far as I know, people can do sherut leumi in Hatzala but not as an EMT. The office work can be done as sherut leumi, so this accusation just seems wrong to me. Regarding the "secondary level of gilui arayis", I am not sure why. If they are dressed and careful, what are they doing wrong? Anyways they are saving lives which takes precedence. Maybe they mean just the communication between male and female EMTs. I guess you can decide if that is a form of gilui arayis.
They conclude announcing an upcoming campaign (watch this space for details) against Hatzala and against the "srugi rabbis" who support them. Well, according to the website, the official rabbinic board of Hatzala (though surely other rabbonim are involved in different capacities as well) are: Rav Ezriel Auerbach, Rav Sariel Rosenberg, Rav Aryeh Dvir and Rav Yehuda Silman. Far from a group of "srugi rabbis. These are super Haredi rabbis.
------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel
------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Related Posts
They then say female EMTs is a double aveira
ReplyDeleteActually it says that it is "yehareig v'al yaavor kaful."
How you die twice is never explained.
nope, nothing like the Taliban
ReplyDeleteLove the expression רבנים סרוגים - Knitted Rabbis, I have this image of teenage girls crocheting not just Kipot, but Rabbis.
ReplyDeleteAlso good that that they regard these "Serugim" as Rabbis. That is a public statement that they regard Kipot Serugot as part of the Orthodox Tent (they would never refer to non-Orthodox Rabbis as "רסנים", maybe as "ראבייס" or "spiritual leaders" something similar)
These folks think that having men attend to ill women, often very unclothed (births, chest pains, etc) , is somehow better?? That doesn't involve potential problems of yichud and lack of tzniut??
ReplyDeleteBeyond understanding...
I have never heard anyone, even the most extreme, have a problem with the male EMT and the female patient. That is covered by pikuach nefesh. Just the opposite. they are against women starting their own organizations, like Ezrat Nashim in NY, that would do the same. It is the men who should be treating them and it is fine because of pikuach nefesh. the yichud issue as I always heard it is between male and female EMTs, paramedics and ambulance drivers
DeleteThat may be the case, but it is certainly preferable to have a female EMT, or OB/GYN for that matter.
DeleteAnd there are many women, particularly Charedi women, who become extremely uncomfortable and stressed if a strange man has to help them deliver a baby. Much better in that situation for a woman to do it. And that is medically superior if the woman giving birth is more at ease (or less stressed, childbirth is hard no matter what).
Just because something is muttar does not mean it is ideal, either halakhically, or given the practical circumstances.
As for yichud, how often do EMTs even have a yichud issue? My impression is they generally go out in pairs. And if there are 2 women, so where is the yichud? Sounds like made up bologna.