Expert: Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner - 1/16/2011

Question
Hi my name is Jessica and I am a nursing student, currently working on a research paper about Judaism and I can't seem to find anything on how jewish people feel about patient care in a hospital setting and if it would affect the "normal" routine. And also any daily rituals jewish people may have other than their daily prayers? Thanks!

Answer
Dear Jessica,

Thanks for writing.

I'm frankly surprised that a book doesn't exist for hospital professionals that enables them to be familiar with the faith expectations for an individual hospitalized or in any similar medical situation.

Under most interpretations of Jewish law, healing and medical requirements take precedence and set aside all Jewish law, although the patient's Rabbi should be consulted on how to modify and resolve individual situations. Speak with the patient and be guided by their answers - that is the most logical and probably most helpful way to proceed. Each Jew will choose however strict they wish to be, whether in the hospital or even in life.

There are useful books, "How to Be a Perfect Stranger: The Essential Religious Etiquette Handbook" volumes I and II. It helps to describe just what it says, but in essence it is an introduction to the religious rituals and sensitivities of many faiths, not just Jewish.

One of the most important issues for many Jewish patients is that of diet, whether on a "normal" weekday, Sabbath or a Festival/holiday/holy day. Many Jewish patients, especially in situations when they become very much aware of their mortality, will become more concerned about observing Jewish ritual practices. Eating more consistent with kosher rules is such a probability.

In brief, have your hospital dietitian consult a local Conservative or Orthodox Rabbi. There are books but personal consultation is most often best. You may have to ask the patient about their personal affiliation as there are some subtle differences between Orthodox, Conservative and Reform practices.

See on dietary laws: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=351&letter=D&search=dietary%20l... although there is a much more contemporary "Encyclopedia Judaica" 2007 edition.

Passover is in particular more complicated in terms of food laws, and I would especially urge that you would consult a Rabbi. For background you should see http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=98&letter=P&search=passover

Observant Jews pray 3 times a day, morning, afternoon and evening, individually or in a group at the synagogue. Men in the morning have ritual garments to don - tallit and tefillen.  Regarding tefillen/tefillin/phylacteries see
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=290&letter=P&search=phylacterie... for some intyroduction. Check the more contemporary "Encyclopedia Judaica" 2007 edition for a more updated article.

Tallit is a "prayer shawl" see http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=29&letter=T&search=shawl and as before check the new EJ for an updated entry.

This is a very large subject and I would suggest that you find a way to limit the extent to which you attempt to cover a tradition that is minimally thousands of years old, to have lived and adapted in every known country on the face of the earth for a few years or for hundreds of years and to have adapted (and adopted) host cultural beliefs and patterns into/out of Jewish practice.

Good luck. The internet will contain points of view from Orthodox - including internal sect differences of Hassidic, Ultra-orthodox, Modern Orthodox - Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist and even additional smaller philosophic ideologies,.

Rabbi Dov