[Avodah] Leading Charedi Posek Says metzitza' Should Not

[hankman]

RMB wrote:

Realize that the health risk doesn't rise up to halachically significant
levels. There are a few cases of permanent harm among hundreds of
thousands of berisim. And while "even one is too many", the same is true
of traffic fatalities. More Jewish kinderlach die or are permanently
injured in car accidents, r"l. Do you think we have to assur letting
children cross the street, too?

CM notes:

I think there is a clear difference between the examples you raise like “crossing the street” and a mohel actively passing on a disease via metsitse bepeh. While both may may have a very tiny probability of occurrence (I have no idea of the relative size of tiny here), but from my point of view, metsistse bepeh is your act beyodayim and a risk you can 100% eliminate by merely only permitting mohalim who are not carriers of the virus, whereas accidents when crossing the street are not your act beyodayim, nor is it possible to live your live so that you avoid that risk 100% and live risk free.  So I think there is room to consider the pikuach nefesh you may cause beyodayim if you are infected by the virus, even if the probability of a bad outcome is small, and to be CERTAIN that you are not the cause of even a minimal risk to the life of the infant, by only permitting those who are not carriers to perform metsitse bepeh (if you are among those who insist upon it).. 

Kol Tuv

Chaim Manaster


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