Igros Moshe (O. C. IV #80) Question: A volunteer in the Hatzala organization who leaves his home to save a life on Shabbos when can he return home? Answer: It is a great thing that they do and there is no need to delay and have a non Jew do this. The main question is if he goes by car to minimize delay. If we require that he wait to the end of Shabbos to return by car, there is concern that it reduces the likelihood he will be available to save another person on Shabbos Tosfos has a principle that we allow things sometimes to avoid an undersirable consequence of prohibition regarding saving life. Rambam also rules that someone who goes to rescue his fellow Jew from attack on Shabbos is permitted to return home afterwards with his weapons on Shabbos in order to ensure that in the future people will be willing to help on Shabbos.
This is a dispute between Rav Moshe, zt"l, and Rav Shlomo Zalman, zt"l. I think it's fascinating because it can be explained by local realities.
ReplyDeleteRSZA doesn't allow you to drive home. Rav Moshe does. Why? I think it's because in New York, if you don't drive home you're stuck in a non-Jewish hospital or neighbourhood until the end of Shabbos with nothing to do, nowhere to go and nothing to eat. In Israel, there's going to be a local shul, people to learn with and stuff to eat.