May a Person With Asthma Walk to Shul on Shabbat

May a Person With Asthma Walk to Shul on Shabbat Day: Tuesday Date: May 26, 2015 Parshat: Naso Hazon Ovadia: Shabbat 3, Pg. 381 A person with asthma may walk to shul on Shabbat, even though afterward he may be short of breath and have to take medications. The issue in this case is not whether he is allowed to take medications or not. Of course, once he's short of breath he must help himself. The issue is whether or not he's allowed to cause himself to be in that situation. Maybe, since he can pray at home he is required to do so and not cause himself to possibly need to take medications. However, since it is not certain that he will be short of breath and have to take medications, it is not considered to be a Pesik Resha and is therefore allowed. Even according to the Poskim who hold that it is a Pesik Resha, he is still permitted to go since it is a Pesik Resha Derabanan and it is being done for a mitzvah. The DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org