Harav Dovid Cohen, Shlit'a and HaRav Shmuel Meir Katz Shlit'a P'sak Halacha

You know what, what, what was done a few years ago with Reb Dovid Cohen Shlita and Rav Katz putting out that video and you know, people make a big mistake. They thought the video was only COVID. We made it very clear. This was the first time in breakthrough that a two poskim, huge halachic authorities were able to get up there and say something and I want you to know afterwards Reb Dovid Cohen had told me the amount of pressure he got from talmidim to do a retraction, do with this, people are going to take it out of context. And you know what, those calls that we got over Yom Tov on the support line spoke volumes for itself. I poskin this in the past l'maaseh and I want to make it clear now that anybody in recovery anybody doing their step work and has a chashash that he needs help has to make sure that his recovery is rock solid. He has a chashash that he has to call a meeting, call into a Zoom meeting, attend a meeting call up a sponsor, whatever shouldn't make any chashashes, no, shouldn't make any cheshbonos. He has to make sure not to start on that slippery slope. Forget about Shabbos, forget about Yom Tov, forget about Yom Kippur. You have to make that call, you have to log on, you have to attend, you must avoid that slippery slope. Ribbono shel Olam, should bench us all, have rachmanus on all of the Yiddishe Kinder. I poskin this l'maaseh before and I want to make it clear now. Anyone with mental health issues, behavioral problems addictions, working on the 12 steps NA SA doesn't matter. He has to make sure that his recovery is rock solid. He has to stay away from the slippery slope. If he thinks he or she thinks this chashash that that he must speak to a sponsor he must travel to a meeting join a Zoom meeting whatever it is, whenever Shabbos, Yom Tov doesn't make a difference. He should not hesitate. He shouldn't think maybe maybe it isn't. He should make sure he should make that call, he should log on, whatever it is, he has to reach out to help, to a sponsor, to a meeting. He must get help and has to stay away from the slippery slope. This is what poskin halacha. Ribbono shel Olam, have rachmanus on all of us t kind of love. Machal Chaim Bnei Yisrael we're living in an epoch or as the Brits say in an epoch which is unparalleled as far as we can see in in history. And we have to understand that albeit it's very uncomfortable to be mechallel Shabbos what I'm going to tell you is not chillul Shabbos. As Rav Chaim Brisker used to say he was very, very much as we would say colloquially meikel in inyanei Shabbos for the sake of pikuach nefesh. And he used to say I'm not meikel in Shabbos I'm machmir in pikuach nefesh. And pikuach nefesh stands high above all the other mitzvos of the Torah except for the gimel aveiros chamuros and chillul Hashem. Rebbeim say there's no doubt in my mind that for those people who need to fight their habits which which is a loshon nekiyah but if they're if they're in that matzav where they have to share their problems with others and in all these situations there are gedolim of pikuach nefesh. Therefore it's permitted to use all these machineries so to speak, the Zoom and everything else in order to stay in touch only because meitav pikuach nefesh. I am incidentally very strongly against people who want to make this sayder with this Zoom or any other contraption. That shailah is halacha. We're talking about pikuach nefesh. However, what's very important to know is that everything that you do should be done with a shinui which takes it out of the realm of de'oraisa. And you will be instructed exactly how these shinuiim will work and please conform to everything that you're instructed to do. And the Ribbono shel Olam should send us send us the geulah shleimah bimheira v'yameinu amen. To all my friends we have just heard from the great posik Reb Dovid Cohen that anyone who's facing a challenge, be it addiction, someone in recovery, an abuse victim or someone facing a mental health crisis and they feel the need to maintain their clinical care, be it speaking to their sponsor, continuing with support with support groups or continuing to to participate in a 12 step meeting they are permitted to do so even on Shabbos and Yom Tov. As the posik Reb Dovid Cohen quoted from Reb Chaim Brisker, we are machmir on pikuach nefesh. In these times when the only way to have this communication is by Zoom or by using the phone to call a sponsor or support line, it is considered pikuach nefashos and one can do so. If there's a matter of pikuach nefashos, which means right now you're in the situation of pikuach nefashos and every single person knows exactly what that means. He or she can pick up the phone, call their sponsor, their mental health professional. If it's a question of prevention and a person needs to participate in the Zoom or a phone meeting to maintain sobriety and stability he or she is allowed to use Zoom or similar to or similar technology on Shabbos or Yom Tov and it's not a question of chillul Shabbos and Yom Tov because that is also considered pikuach nefashos and is deif shabbos as we just heard from Reb Dovid Cohen. But in that case when it's prevention to participate in a Zoom meeting then it should be done with a shinui while the person is logging in. Which means if the person he or she is a righty they should use their left hand, preferably a finger or a knuckle. If that's impossible because they cannot swipe their finger or knuckle then they can use just the alternative hand. If he or she is a righty they should use their left hand left hand. If he or she is a lefty they should use their right hand. Again, that is a question of prevention when a person's mental health professional or a moodin feels they should participate in whatever meeting they have to participate. If it's a question of real pikuach nefashos and every person knows exactly what that means, they shouldn't hesitate and call the proper place where they have to call. I wish everybody in klal Yisrael a lot of siyata dishmaya and chaim shalom and anyone who is struggling and overcoming any addiction, victim or abuse or those with mental illness should not think twice and be in touch with their sponsor, mental health professional or call a moodin right away and deal with their crisis appropriately. I wish you all a safe and chab kosher sameach. I will stand [music and singing] for you. We can face the world together. If we raise our voice and make [music] the choice to learn to live again. I will stand for you. When you need me more than ever. We will face the truth and find a new way through. We will stand for you.