Israel’s Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the Health Ministry does not have the authority to ban the operation of independent natural childbirth centers outside hospitals.
The ruling was in response to an appeal filed by a natural childbirth center and a natural childbirth organization against the Health Ministry’s order to close the Beit Yoldot childbirth center. The ministry had ruled that childbirth centers should not be operated outside hospitals and they must be licensed, citing the risks involved in childbirth outside the hospital setting.
In a lengthy 73-page ruling, the judges wrote that childbirth centers where women can give birth without the presence of doctors, using midwives only, are not considered hospitals under the Public Health Ordinance, and therefore the Health Ministry cannot prevent their operation.
The judges quoted the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who vouched for hospitals to be called ‘beit rofiim’ rather than ‘beit cholim’ – literally a “house for sick people.”
“And in conclusion,” the judges wrote. “It’s told about the Lubavitcher Rebbe that he refrained from using the term ‘beit cholim’ and pushed a suggestion for an alternative name – ‘a house of doctors.'”
“In this context, the Rebbe said that ‘the patient got sick at home. Why is he going to this ‘bayis?’ Because the doctors are there. So it’s better and a greater zechus to call it a ‘beis rofiim.'”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
Was the lubavitcher rebbe also ok with using turkish common law as the main standard instead of shulchan aruch in a “Jewish” state?
People must be careful to watch out not to get sick in a hosptal, hence beis cholim.
Yet the Democrats in the U.S. are pushing for even more free-for-all abortion laws that would not require doctors. “Maine’s Democratic Governor Janet Mills signed a bill allowing health care providers who are not physicians to also perform abortions.”
I believe Rav Schneerson would generally refer to Doctors as a Rofei Choilim. His point was not that Hospitals should be referred to as “houses of doctors”, but as “houses of healing”. Just makes things a little more sense.
‘beit rofiim’ theres another girsa: Lubavitcher Rebbe, said…. ‘beit refuah’
because they are both kofrim
The Lubavitcher Rebbe referred to hospitals as a “Beis Refuah,” a house of healing. Not a “house of doctors.” And also not as “Rofei Cholim.”
Ibj
כל הפוסל במומו פוסל
How dare the moderators allow let’s comment to go through and be posted?
@lbj
Israel’s secular Supreme Court quoted The Lubavitcher Rebbe zt”l because he said something that suited the court’s ideas. No other reason. It would quote Mickey Mouse if Mickey agreed with what it thought. Whilst childbirth is usually a straightforward exercise there are many times when this is not the case and serious medical intervention is required. It makes no sense that childbirth centers are not considered hospitals under the Public Health Ordinance so therefore do not need licensing. What is needed is immediate legislation to bring these centers under the wing of the law.