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Shawl Woman Refuses Transport to Hospital on Shabbos


A women affiliated with the so-called ‘shawl women’, those who opt to wear burkas in an effort to achieve maximum tznius has made the news after refusing transportation to a hospital after giving birth for fear of chilul shabbos.

The women gave birth at a home close to 08:00 on shabbos (27 Tishrei 5773) morning in Bnei Brak. She was unwilling to be transported to a hospital because of chilul shabbos concerns.

The story begins with the arrival of a man in a shul on Avraham Ben-David Street in the city, calling for assistance, asking someone to call an ambulance. Mispallel Dovid Steiner of Ichud Hatzalah went with the man.

As they made their way to his home Steiner summoned an ambulance but the husband told him to cancel it, explaining his wife was not going to the hospital because she feels its chilul shabbos.

Upon their arrival, and the arrival of another EMT, they attempted to persuade the woman in labor to agree to be taken by ambulance to a hospital, but she refused. David summoned his mother, who is a midwife, and delivery took place at home. After the delivery they attempted to persuade her to agree to transport but she was adamant in her refusal.

It was learned the woman, 31, is a resident of Yavniel and arrived in Bnei Brak for a shabbos family simcha. She has another child, about 2-years-old.

Chadrei Chareidim quotes “Bnei Brak rabbonim” who heard the story expressing anger over the woman’s actions, which they insist were contradictory to halacha for she should have agreed to transport, which was justified on shabbos for a woman in active labor.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)



15 Responses

  1. This article is a bit confusing.

    The “shawl” women wear a shawl or cape that drapes over their shirts. This is far more accepted and while not mainstream, is not widely condemned by leading rabbanim and gedolim.

    The “burka” women wear a burka that covers their entire bodies and faces. This practice is very different from the “shawl” women who are commonly seen in many chareidi areas.

  2. The lady is a chosid shoyta! She and her newborn were in a sakona & there was no Shayla that she should have transported to the hospital.

    Total tipshis!

  3. Of course. What else should we expect. They ignore all rabbonim when it comes to how they dress, so why should they suddenly listen when it comes to Shabbos?

  4. The world is full of people who are psychiatrically challenged and the frum community has its fair share. This woman is one of them. Hopefully the social services where she lives will consider to what extent she is fit to be a mother to her two year old and this baby and if they reach the conclusion that she is not a fit person, will immediately take the children away.

  5. The story is told of Rav Chaim Volozhiner who went to visit and old sick man on erev Yom Kippur. The old Yid was very sick, lived in a shack which was on the verge of caving in and had meager rations. After helping him clean himself, feeding him something and cleaning up the shack, Rav Chaim was about to take leave. After wishing him a Gut Yom Tov, Rav Chaim sais to him: I suppose you are not going to fast tommorrow being you are such a choleh (sick person). “Oy,” said the old man. “How can I eat on Yom Kippur? All my life I never ate on Yom Kippur” Without hesitation Rav Chaim said, “so I suppose you would never make a Bris on Shabbos either!!!”
    If this woman had a boy, did she agree to a Shabbos Bris?
    The same Chachamim Zichronom Livrochoh who expounded the Torah to teach us that Bris Mila, which is a melachah, is permitted (and is even a mitzvah) on Shabbos, also taught us from that very same Torah Kedoshah that we must be mechalel Shabbos Kodesh for a Choleh or even a Safek choleh with hesitation>
    PS: Would she call members of Hatzalah, those Malachim Kedoshim, mechalelei Shabbos, Ch”V? Get a (real Torah) life!

  6. Please make the following corrections:
    4 lines from the end: Safek choleh WITHOUT hesitation>
    5th line from the top, end of line: Rav Chaim SAID

    THANK YOU!

  7. Lunatics in the place of true yirat shamyim. What can we do?

    Our generation loves externalities: black hat, black coat, white shirt; women with shaitels, hats, long dresses and sleeves, etc. But these shawl ladies have made a kal v’chomer from our dress pattern that if covering up as we do is good, then covering up totally as they do is even better. Sounds good, but there is no yeras shamiyim involved just sickness that leads to a reverse of a kiddush haShem: it can lead to a chillul haShem.

  8. Shawl women and burka women are not the same thing at all. Burka women cover their entire body with a burka – except for their face/eyes. Shawl ladies dress normally but wear a standard shawl on the upper part of their body as an extra measure of tznius. This woman was a burka lady. Please edit the title and article accordingly.

  9. why not wear the “birkas” to cover their eyes as well – cant WE all SEE that they are blinded to reality – isnt sakana and ushmartem al nafshosechem a bigger chilul hashem under these circumstances??????

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