Siman 618 – Fasting for the Ill

וChelek 6

104. The following halachos apply to any choleh even if not in danger. (BeH “choleh”)

105. If the doctor says the patient must eat or else his situation could deteriorate, we feed the patient even if he personally does not feel the need. (ShA 1)

106. Ask a rov regarding the reliability of the doctor – many doctors nowadays both Jewish and gentile do not understand the seriousness of a jew fasting on Yom Kippur. Actually, a jew does not need to be an official doctor so long as he claims to understand the particular illness. (BeH “choleh” – MB 1)

107. If the doctor is in doubt, despite his expertise, we consider the patient’s case a sofek pikuach nefesh and therefore feed him, even when the patient doesn’t feel the need to eat. (ShA 5 – MB 13, 14)

108. Whenever the patient feels the need to eat, (because otherwise his illness will increase), we feed him even against the advice of 100 doctors. First remind the patient that today is Yom Kippur; if he still asks for food, feed him. (ShA 1 – MB 4, 5)

109. If the patient himself is a doctor and is in doubt despite his own doctor saying that he does not need to eat – then it depends: If the patient has fever, do not feed him – if he does not have fever, do feed him. (MB 15)

110. Any doctor who honestly does not understand a particular illness is like any other layman regarding that illness. (ShA 6)

111. Whenever the patient looks like he is in danger to most of the people around him, he must be fed. (Rama 6)

112. When feeding pregnant women and the ill, we feed them less-than-the-shiur quantities: A. For food we use 2/3 of a medium sized egg-volume or a little more. Just be sure not to come close to a kebaitza-volume. B. For drink, use slightly less liquid than you can fill into your mouth. Test this volume before Yom Kippur and record the amount. (ShA 7 MB 18, 21)

113. Between each eating session, delay for an amount of time it takes to eat 4 egg-volumes. If this is difficult, you can rely on the poskim that hold to delay for the time it takes to eat 3 egg-volumes. Test this timing on yourself before Yom Kippur. (ShA 7 – MB 19, 20, 21)

114. The Chassam Sofer writes that the above mentioned intervals should be 9 minutes. (MB 21)

115. Food and drink do not combine so you may eat less-than-the-shiur quantity and then immediately drink less-than-the-shiur quantity, wait the interval, and repeat the session of food and drink. (MB 21)

116. L’chatchila, the time interval for drink sessions should be the same as for food. But at least wait the amount of time it takes to drink a r’viis between drinking sessions. (ShA 8 – MB 23)

117. If a doctor thinks that the patient will still be in danger after eating or drinking less-than-the-shiur quantities, feed the patient all he needs immediately. (ShA 8)

118. If the patient himself says he will be in danger, bring him an entire meal and say to him, “Today is Yom Kippur. If you are worried that you will be in danger if you do not eat normally, eat normally. If not, eat less-than-a-shiur quantities.” (ShA 8 – MB 24)

119. Each rov needs to be fluent in these laws before Yom Kippur. If the rov needs to look up the din, a student that knows the din may say the halacha in front of the rov and it is not considered disrespectful. (MB 24)

120. Anyone who is allowed to eat on Yom Kippur (e.g. ill, yoleddes, children) should insert Ya’alle V’yavo (and R’tzay when it falls on Shabbos) into Birkas Hamazon. If you forgot to, do not bentch again. (ShA 10 – MB 28, 29)

121. No Kiddush is said on Yom Kippur. (MB 29)