יורה דעה של״וYoreh De'ah 336

Se’if 1א׳

נָתְנָה הַתּוֹרָה רְשׁוּת לָרוֹפֵא לְרַפְּאוֹת. וּמִצְוָה הִיא. וּבִכְלַל פִּקּוּחַ נֶפֶשׁ הוּא. וְאִם מוֹנֵעַ עַצְמוֹ, הֲרֵי זֶה שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים, וַאֲפִלּוּ יֵשׁ לוֹ מִי שֶׁיְּרַפְּאֶנּוּ, שֶׁלֹּא מִן הַכֹּל אָדָם זוֹכֶה לִהִתְרַפְּאוֹת. וּמִיהוּ לֹא יִתְעַסֵק בִּרְפוּאָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הוּא בָּקִי, וְלֹא יְהֵא שָׁם גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁאִם לֹא כֵן, הֲרֵי זֶה שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים. וְאִם רִפֵּא שֶׁלֹּא בִּרְשׁוּת בֵּית דִּין, חַיָּב בְּתַשְׁלוּמִין, אֲפִלּוּ אִם הוּא בָּקִי. וְאִם רִפֵּא בִּרְשׁוּת בֵּית דִּין, וְטָעָה וְהִזִּיק, פָּטוּר מִדִּינֵי אָדָם וְחַיָּב בְּדִינֵי שָׁמַיִם. וְאִם הֵמִית, וְנוֹדַע לוֹ שֶׁשָּׁגַג, גּוֹלֶה עַל יָדוֹ.

The Torah gives permission for physicians to practice, and it is in fact commanded under the category of saving a life. Furthermore, if it is withheld from someone, it is equivalent to murder [lit. spilling blood]. This is true even if [the patient] has [another] physician, since not just anyone is qualified to practice medicine. Someone should not occupy themselves with practicing medicine unless they are an expert, and there is not a greater [physician] available. If [one practices medicine although] this is not the case, it is equivalent to murder [lit. spilling blood]. If one practices medicine without the permission of the court, they are liable to pay [a penalty for malpractice], even if they are an expert. If one practices medicine with the permission of the court, but makes an error resulting in injury, they are exempt from human judgement but liable to heavenly judgement. If [a physician] killed [a patient] and knows it was [the result of] an error, [the physician] it exiled on account of it.

Se’if 2ב׳

הָרוֹפֵא, אָסוּר לִטֹּל שְׂכַר הַחָכְמָה וְלִמּוּד, אֲבָל שְׂכַר הַטֹּרַח וְהַבַּטָּלָה, מֻתָּר.

The physician is forbidden to exact payment for advice or teaching, but payment for effort and lost wages (assuming that the person would otherwise be working a regular paying job) are permitted.

Se’if 3ג׳

מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ סַמָּנִים, וַחֲבֵרוֹ חוֹלֶה וְצָרִיךְ לָהֶם, אָסוּר לוֹ לְהַעֲלוֹת בִּדְמֵיהֶם יוֹתֵר מִן הָרָאוּי. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ פָּסְקוּ לוֹ בִּדְמֵיהֶם הַרְבֵּה, מִפְּנֵי צֹרֶךְ הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁלֹּא מָצְאוּ סַמָּנִין אֶלָּא בְּיָדוֹ, אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא דְּמֵיהֶן. אֲבָל אִם הִתְנָה בִּשְׂכַר הָרוֹפֵא הַרְבֵּה, חַיָּב לִתֵּן לוֹ, שֶׁחָכְמָתוֹ מָכַר לוֹ וְאֵין לוֹ דָּמִים. הַגָּה: וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ מִצְוָה עָלָיו לְרַפְּאוֹתוֹ; שֶׁכָּל מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה דְּרַמְיָא אַכֻּלֵּי עָלְמָא, אִם נִזְדַּמְּנָה לְאֶחָד וְלֹא רָצָה לְקַיְּמָהּ אֶלָּא בְּמָמוֹן, אֵין מוֹצִיאִין הַמָּמוֹן מִיָּדוֹ, וְלֹא מַפְקִיעִין מִיָּדוֹ חִיּוּב שֶׁלָּהֶן (טוּר).

One who has medical ingredients and his neighbour is sick and requires them, is forbidden to raise the price above the standard value.13Derived from Yeb. 106a regarding the daughter of R. Papa’s father-in-law. Furthermore, even if they agreed to pay him an excessive amount, due to the need of the hour, — for they found that only he possessed the medical ingredients, — he is entitled only to the [standard] price.14 ibid. regarding the man who escaped from prison. However, if one stipulated an excessive sum as payment to the physician, he is obligated to give it to him, for he sold him his learning which cannot be valued in [terms of] money.15T.H. Gloss: Although he is required on account of the religious duty16 supra n. 2. to heal him, — for every positive command which rests upon every person [to fulfil], — [yet] if it chances to come to one's hand and he agrees to execute it only for money, — [the law is that] we do not claim the money from him,17If the physician had already received the money — BaḤ. The same applies to the medical ingredients if already paid for — R. A. Eger. Although the physician is forbidden to receive payment (v. supra par. 2), it is different, however, if the patient had obligated himself to pay. For the physician may put forth a valid claim that it was not only his own duty to study medicine, since everyone has the opportunity to master this field. Nevertheless, in the case of the man who escaped from prison (v. supra n. 14) and offered the ferryman an exorbitant fee to take him across the river, the law is that he was obliged to pay only the normal rates, despite the fact, that in this case too, the ferryman may claim that every person has the opportunity to learn his type of work, for in the latter case there exists an established rate, whereas in the former case the knowledge of the physician cannot be measured in terms of money. Consequently the stipulation must be fulfilled — TaZ. nor do we make him cancel his18Thus reading of T.H. and B.Yos. a.l. Cur. edd. have ‘their.’ obligation.19Tur — G. Even if he had not yet received the amount pledged — BaḤ, ShaK.