[Avodah] [Areivim] jews?

[Ira Tick]

I'm not certain that it has any valid halachic connection to gerus, but the
following story may have some value for understanding the concept of
kabbalas ol mitzvos:

R Aryeh Rottman, Dean of the American-chareidi "Yeshiva Mercaz HaTorah" in
Israel, told me that when he served as a Rav in Miami Beach, FL, he slowly
brought a middle aged couple back to Torah observance, with just one hitch.
The husband told R Rottman that he refused to accept life threatenting
illness as the drawing line for violating shabbos in connection with
refuah.  "If my wife has a medical problem, or is in any pain, I'm driving
her to the doctor, Rabbi"  he said.  R Rottman wanted to know if this man
could be considered a "Shomer Shabbos" for halachic purposes involving
kashrus, etc.  R Rottman asked R Aharon Kotler if the man was considered a
shomer shabbos.  R Kotler said it was apparent that this man had in mind to
accept the mitvos and halachos of shmiras shabbos, but could just not fathom
that G-d would want him to forgo seeing a doctor unless the situation was
life-threatening.  Therefore, the man's shmiras shabbos is acceptable enough
to consider him a "shomer shabbos," even though he denied a halacha that he
knew was in the Torah.  The man was not considered a Yisrael Mumar or a
"mchalel shabbos" individual.  (Obviously the man would still be mchalel
shabbos, at least bshogeg, whenever he drove on shabbos, as am I if I forget
the halachos of borer).
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