2842 —זהירות הלכתית בנוגע לניתוח פראסטאטע ודאגות פוריות

B"H, 3 Menachem Av, 5714.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g vavac"h iy"a nu"n tzm"s chov"b Yaakov HaKohen

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from the 27th of Tammuz: The reason I did not cite the Yerushalmi Rosh Hashanah chapter 4 regarding what is stated in the discourse of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, on Rosh Hashanah 5703 is because according to the Yerushalmi, the prohibition against blowing shofar on Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos is from the Torah and not rabbinic, which matches Rav Chama bar Chanina's initial understanding in our Talmud. See also Sifra Parshas Behar (this teaching is also brought in the Yerushalmi there), where although several commentators say it is only an asmachta in Sifra—see also Pnei Yehoshua Rosh Hashanah chapter 4—nonetheless, the Yerushalmi is not relevant to my father-in-law's discourse. As for saying that the Yerushalmi does not agree with Rabba's decree and follows Ben Azai as cited in Yerushalmi Shabbos and also quoted in Tosafos Shabbos 5b—this cannot be said because Rabba's decree is also the reasoning for Megillah and Lulav, where there is no scriptural derivation; even according to the Yerushalmi it is prohibited, as per a plain Mishnah.

Regarding why Rif would blow shofar on Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos: his reasoning is explained as he holds that nowadays one may blow wherever there is an important court even if it is not semuchin (ordained). See Ran, Ritva, and Milchamos on Rosh Hashanah there.

As for what you wrote about surgery for prostate issues—that since it comes due to illness it is considered "by Heaven," etc.: Besides that in such cases it begins by Heaven but ends by man—the actual surgery—there are many opinions about this brought in Otzar HaPoskim Even HaEzer siman 5; see there. The Heavenly aspect of this case has no connection to lack of procreation because usually this surgery is performed when the prostate begins pressing on passages so that semen and urine exit slowly; thus, this has nothing to do with castration at all.

Regarding your statement about being elderly and unfit for procreation: It is surprising how one can determine or who can determine if someone can still have children—I have never heard of doctors acting this way except as mere speculation; from a certain age most people generally do not have children.

As for your wish to permit because the surgery does not involve the testicles but rather near a tendon—I do not understand what practical difference this makes since "cut off in all cases" was said (Yevamos 75b).

With honor and blessing.

Summary

The Rebbe discusses halachic caution regarding prostate surgery, clarifying that such procedures typically do not constitute castration and urging careful consideration before making leniencies based on age or surgical details.