Rav Elyashiv: Barzilai Bones May Not Be Moved for Medical Center

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rav-elyashiv2Plans to build a rocket- and missile-proof new emergency room at Ashkelon’s Barzilai Medical Center were put on hold yesterday when the posek hador, Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, told Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman that it involves halachic concerns. Rabbi Litzman visited Rav Elyashiv at his home on Rechov Chanan in Meah Shearim yesterday and Rav Elyashiv said that the 90-million shekel construction project does not constitute pikuach nefesh and should be halted because of bones of Jewish bodies said to be at the site.

Rabbi Litzman said that the bones found on the site, based on his research, are Jewish bones and thus, as per Rav Elyashiv’s psak, cannot be moved according to halacha.

Some archeological experts claim that the bones are from Christians from the Byzantine period, but lehalacha Rav Elyashiv said it is assur. An Israel Antiquities Authority study in 2008 of ancient remains claims that the plot shows the bones are those of “Christians or pagans.”Litzman said the emergency room should be built on an adjacent parking lot. That, however, would cost 100 million shekel more and take 18 months longer to plan and put up, but he is adamant about protecting the dignity of the remains at the site, as required by halacha.

{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}


5 COMMENTS

  1. “take 18 months longer to plan and put up

    Two kassam rockets have fallen in the last 2 days, one causing injuries and one death. Aren’t the southern residents of Israel living in a situation of Pikuach Nefesh – to wait an additional months for an emergency room sounds like Pikuach Nefesh — is there more information available regarding this hospital reconstruction?

  2. “Some archeological experts claim that the bones are from Christians from the Byzantine period, but lehalacha Rav Elyashiv said it is assur. ”
    What a stupid statement. If they are not Jewish bones, then it is permissible to move them, and you don’t need Rav Elyashiv for this.

  3. as orthodox jews we believe in emunas chachamim. meanning even if we don’t agree for any reason with a posek, we do what he says bvecause we realize that he is far wiser then we are. #2 what you just wrote goes against our idea nof emunas chachamim and i think you should someohw ask the biggest tzadik of our generation(hence gadik hador) for mechila

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