[Avodah] switching with a chiloni

[Eli Turkel]

<In the Minchat Asher (quite popular haredi work) on parshat yitro, he
has an essay whether shabbat is dechuya or hutra with pikuah nefesh -
quite erudite and interesting. At the end, he brings the question whether
someone who has on call responsibilities should either try to switch his
call with some one else, or, recognizing that he will be more
diligent, deliberately take call on shabbat.   He brings down Rav
Moshe's answer that this depends
on the issue whether shabbat is dchuyah or hutra - if hutra, one
should take, if dchuya, one should switch. He then adds - that he
disagrees - that it is better that one tries to keep an intact shabbat
with one's family even if shabbat is hutra -
and therefore avoid call.

My sense is that this is actually a quite radical position - which
reflects the reality and comfort of depending on others to fulfill
vital functions - and therefore reflects ways in which current reality
seep into all aspects of psak.>>

I am not sure I agree. Actually in Israel many poskim discuss the
question whether one can switch either duty time as a doctor or in the
army with a chiloni so as to avoid working on shabbat. My impression
is that the overwhelming psak is that one cannot switch with a chiloni
since the religious person will be more careful.

Nevertheless R. Chaim Dovid HaLevi Zt"l former chief rabbi of Tel Aviv
paskens that one can switch with a chiloni based on the fact that the
chiloni will almost definitely do melacha on shabbat in any case.

It is not always easy to identify a psak with the community of the posek.
Another example is the question of making a brit on shabbat when it
will cause chillul shabbat on the part of close family who are not
religious. Many poskim say that milah in its time overrides any fears
about what others might do. RAL strenously objects to postponing a
brit milah and says one need not be concerned about averot of others
after explaining to them the problem of traveling on shabat. However,
it is R. Wosner the very charedi posek who suggest postponing the brit
to avoid chillul shabbat by chilonim even though every effort will be
done to try and accomodate them to avoid chillul shabbat. Thus, he was
not concerned about the parents of the infant who will try their best
but was concerned that there will be chillul shabbat by the chilonim,

-- 
Eli Turkel