Surgery On a Neo-Nazi

Race and religious profiling is a problem. As soon as a patient sees me with my kippa he stays a while but never comes back for follow-up consultation. The other way around.

The doctor was right to not do surgery on the patient. It was not an emergency surgery. If anything had gone wrong, the patient could have sued the doctor saying that because the doctor was a Jew, he was trying to kill him. I once had a patient who had a very large swastika across his chest, as a nurse, I was not allowed to refuse to take care of him. It is difficult to do your best for the patient knowing they would like to see you dead.

As I understand, this was not a case of emergency. Another doctor can help the patient. I think, the doctor has the right to refuse a nazi his help in this case. Also a nazi can change in his life, maybe even by realising, that a jew saved his life. But also a doctor is a human being, and he has the right ro decide. And also can he suppose, that a nazi wouldn't want to get help from a jew. Everybody should have fully understanding for the doctor's decision. By the way, nazis are not just another group of people like arabs or moslems or christians, not every arab or moslem hates jews, nazis do hate jews, its part of their program.

Nazis are not human beings. They are monsters. They had and have no compassion for our people. Why do you think that the dr should have compassion on monsters. Believe me, if they were able to kill any Jew they would do it in a minute without thinking. The dr was 100% correct not to treat a monster with compassion. I hope the Nazi died on the table in a lot of pain. I am surprised that any child or Holocaust survivors would think differently.

I believe Rabbi Solomon was right. By not doing the surgery this showed irresponsibility. Suppose there was no one else there to take over? He should have done the surgery and then referred the patient elsewhere for post-op if he didn't feel comfortable treating him afterwards.

A swastika tattooed in plain sight is a warning sign to all jews: "Stand clear - I wish you nothing but harm; I don't want your help". Had the surgeon interviewed the patient before the operation as procedure requires, this would be clear to him.

It is not a doctor's right or responsibilty to pass judgement. It is our responsibility to treat. MD in Chicago

As a doctor you can not turn away from a patient, unless you know prior to the surgery that the patient is a Nazi or what ever like rabbi Solomon said. I was for 12 years a EMT in Jerusalem. If there is a car accident you don't walk away if there are Arab victims. Its not the Jewish way of being a doctor , medic or nurse!

Its forbidden to concealing hatred... http://www.aish.com/jl/i/s/48948916.html Also, we dont turn the other cheek when we are slapped. And im surprised that to some people a swastika tattoo doesn't feel like a slap.

Since all of my eight great-grandparents were brutally murdered by the evil Nazis (Amalek, no doubt) I am wholly entitled to express an opinion that is not in any way emotional but rather based on the simple logical and truthful approach to dealing with these bloodthirsty killers ACCORDING TO THE TORAH. (That was the one source the rabbi failed to seek out before stating his politically correct stance) We are taught by the Torah to hate evil. YES "HATE" (see Psalms 97). Additionally, the patient in question, by wearing such a murderous tattoo has clearly stated for the record that he agrees with the mutilation and torture of innocent women and children. I don't simply disagree with the rabbi. I am actually hurt and angry at the fact that he and the majority of those responding to him here on this site seem to exhibit a total disregard to the pain experienced a million times over by so many innocent Jews. I guess it takes someone, like the brave surgeon, who really loves those 6,000,000 martyrs to stand up to those monsters who would, if given a chance, G-d forbid, do it all over again. The rabbi says that he is a child of survivors, and he is a rabbi. It is those two facts make his position so much more offensive and morally weak to me.

I dont' agree with you! Why do we always have to be concerned of what the world thinks about us? dowe always have to be politically correct? the patient clearly supports the mass murder of our people, therefore he doesn't deserves ANYTHING coming from us!

I am an Orthopedic Surgeon and feel that the surgeon was totally wrong. We are mrally responsible to provide the best care for a patient. During the ZYO Kippur war the rescue helicopters bough wounded to us from the battlefield and the wounded were all tyreated by us with the same skill no matter who they were.

You cannot change someone whose ideology is so distorted. If he displays a swastika, he is like the all extremists, he can't understand a noble attitude, on the contrary, it might inspire more hatred in him. The doctor's attitude was the only way to give him a lesson, because that's the language he understands. It's a pity it can't be as idealistic as the Rabbi sees it, because we are not dealing with the average good person, it's more like helping a terrorist to gain his strength to be able to throw another bomb!

Joseph #42 gives good advice. I read "The Sunflower" several years ago. Small book, huge reaction. Its a compeling look at a similar situation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Physicians are healers. In an emergency situation he must do all he can to save that mans life. I don't know and can't judge the Doctors state of mind about performing this non-emergency surgery. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Remember, just as in "The Sunflower" that the patient asked to speak to a Jew....... so did this patient choose a Jewish doctor..

I agree with Bunny Schuch.He made a good point about the results if something went wrong. Just as the Nazi soldier's excuse" I was just doing my duty" isn't an excuse, so, too, it is not an excuse to say "my responsibility as a doctor does away with my moral disgust."

I ment #52 not #51

I am also a Jewish physician and son of a Holocaust survivor. We have a very slippery slope once we inject our personal feelings into patient care. What next..a liberal physician refuses to treat conservative Republican; a pro abortion physician refuses to treat an anti-abortion patient? There was a great opportunity to display to this Nazi, that the Jewish people can overcome our personal disgust with this philosophy, which had taken the lives of 6 million innocents, and pursue a professional obligation (read Maimonides Prayer for ther Physician). Perhaps this Nazi or another Nazi or many would have reflected on this personal act of courage and righteousness of a Jewish physician who could treat them. Would they then reflect on their philosophy of hatred and genocide, and could we therefore change the thinking of even a single Nazi, to abandon that way of life and return to the mainstream?

I love Torah and Aish but somehow could not agree with you. My soul rejects what you said whether you or right or wrong, I don't know. I just know I would have done what the doctor did. He did not abandon him to NOTHING, he, himself, just could not operate. As far as any of us sitting in judgment, that is all it is. I guess one would have to be there. Some can get over some things and do things others cannot. I, myself, would not have done the operation. At least, I say that, unless I felt compelled to within my spirit. Otherwise, I would have walked away as well. What I find heinous in all of this is that this man is GETTING AWAY with WEARING his SWATZIKA. How DARE HE???!!!! That is my opinion. He should be hauled to court and stand guilty as soon as he is able!!!!!!!

I agree with Rabbi Salomon. As Beruriah told her husband, R' Meir (Berachot 10a) we are to pray not for the destruction of sinners, but for their repentance, the destruction of sin. And truthfully, we do not know if this patient was guilty of ANY actual sins, merely sympathy with mass murderers. As many of the responses here show, doing what were are supposed to be, being a light to the nations, erasing ignorance, often turns a person around to follow the way of Ha Kodesh Baruch Hu. If the surgeon COULD have performed the surgery, he should, and informed the patient of his Jewishness afterwards.

Rabbi, I disagree with you. Judges recuse themselves when a case comes before them and they feel they may be prejudiced either because they know the person or for some other reason that would make it difficult for them to be impartial. This surgeon had the right to “recuse” himself because in his view, he could not objectively provide surgical care for this patient. In a hospital, there is always another surgeon that can be found and this was not to the patient’s detriment. The doctor, in my view, showed good judgment. Another slant on this is that should something have accidentally gone wrong during the surgery (which is always possible) the surgeon may have been accused of purposely doing something to harm the patient because of the patient’s sympathy for the Nazis. If this had happened, it would have possibly damaged the surgeon’s entire career, which would have been unfair. Both of these scenarios may have been operative in the surgeon’s decision. I think the surgeon did the right thing.

i did a similar thing in a similar situation

"If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; If he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will bring fires of coal upon his head, and the Lord will reward you". This proverb speaks to this issue, to be sure. Every day, doctors save those who have committed murder, rape and other heinous crimes in order that true Judgement should have an opportunity to be forthcoming. While I despise Nazis and the Nazi ideology absolutely no less than any other Jew, and would give no quarter to anyone found guilty of a crime involving Nazi idealism, up to and including the death penalty as the Law (both man's and Hashem's as given to Moses) would prescribe, there is no question that until that individual would sit before a trial of men who have given an oath to G-d, then it is my duty to treat that person as a child of G-d, and a brother of mine, and to releave him or her of their physical burden as much as I can. Easier said than done? Perhaps, but from the Proverbs comes the Wisdom of the Law of G-d, and it is not for me to deny.

Just imagine the face of the neo-Nazi when he woke up from his operation and was told that despite his Nazi sympathies, a Jewish doctor operated on him! The doctor missed a great opportunity there.

I am myself a jewish physician practicing medicine in Germany, son and grandson of Holocaust survivors. A surgeon unwilling to treat a neo-nazi is as radical as the latter. Either he did not see the patient before the surgery (which is wrong), or he is unable to control his emotions (which is dangerous in a surgeon). Overt Neo-nazis are in this society -as in the US- a very small and socially marginated group. A much bigger problem is the subliminal anti-semitism in wide areas of society, patients on which the surgeon in question has undoubtedly operated many times.

...and with Hashem's help saved my life. It made no difference to him knowing that my husband and I are Orthodox Jews; and this doctor was covering for his partner, also an Orthodox Jew. THIS is how doctors are supposed to behave -- and it's also how human beings should treat each other.

I agree with you Rabbi, unless the sugeon is momentarily incompetant, he should conitnue with the procedure. With that said, while in medical school and during the application process I would ask myself this question all the time. What if I would be faced with this moral challange? I have concluded that as a professinal-especially as a physician- it is your responsibility to take care of your patient to the BEST of your ability. By withholding his/her skills, the sugeon has violated his/her sacred oath. But what about one's alliance with their faith and his Fellow Jews? He is a vile neo-nazi after all. I would see this as an opportunity for a KIDDUSH HASHEM. I would make a point to wear my Kippa, while checking up on him in the post-op room. To me, this would be a stronger statement. Whether or not this would ever move the patient, you have left him with a positive impression.... moment of reflexion. And more importantly, you have continued to make a Kiddush Hashem within your profession.

We're not obligated to help anyone that openly hates us & wishes us dead. Also, how could the surgeon's full heart be in his work under such circumstances?

In Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul - there is a short essay called that....interesting - although not exact - similarites in the logic. As for my opinion - I have none,

I choose to believe the doctor was traumatic. Let's assume that this was indeed what was happening. Now the tramatized dr.'s actions will be reported to the neo-nazi and the neo-nazi will have another excuse to hate Jews even if it happened following the good senario of R. Salomon. If so, then the rabbi's opinion on this outcome would be wrong and we shouldn't save him no matter what scenario there is. There is another aspect..baruch dayan emet...G-d is true judge and He made this situation happen this way. Let's face it. Whether Jews are good to the bad OR whether Jews are bad to the bad, the outcome is the same: Hate of the Jew. So might has well be bad to the bad. There's another aspect: When you are good to the bad, you are bad to the good. Finally another aspect: Perhaps the goodness of the fully knowing dr. to operate will change the heart of the neo-Nazi when he discovers what happened. This scenario is fantasy as anyone who has experience bullies can tell you, no matter how good you are to bullies, the victim will be continued to be harrassed by the bully and the bully (neo-Nazi) will laugh at the "foolish Jew" (which would be his mindset).

I've already added a comment, that I'm in agreement with the Rabbi, but then I read this... Shushan (47)...I would operate on a Nazi, but then, I'm not a surgeon!!!!! Quite funny when u think about it!!

I agree and I'm sure that most Jewish people would too. Plus the fact that obvioulsy the patient was an semi brain dead idiot...but he was not an old Nazi doctor who practiced genocide.

If the patient has such strong views of the nazi regime and its conduct then perhaps the doctor should have acted accordingly in playing the role of Mengela! - no anesthetic, tied to the table, beaten about the head and with whatever instruments available, "operated" on accordingly, conforming and befitting the nazi rite.

Wouldn't want someone who hated me cutting into me. Would you want a fervent Moslem cutting into you?

As a nurse I believe the Rabbi is correct. If the doctor was emotionally hampered from doing is best then he did the right thing. If his reason was political he made a terrible mistake. One of the above comments state that a similar case happened before in order to professional harm a Jewish doctor; I hope this is not the case here. Another comment mentioned that an astute nurse could have covered up the tattoo with a dressing. That is so but did she know this would affect the doctor and why; very possibly not. There is is not enough information given.

I would have done exactly what the doctor did. If I were a doctor, I would NOT be able to operate on someone who was or is involved with the enemy of the Jewish people. I cannot go against my ideology. Maybe that is why I am not a doctor.

If we are what we constantly tell the World: the People of God, then, we must act as such! Remember, the Goys are becoming better educated, in spite of our relentless effort to the contrary.

To: 51, Well said.

Had the doctor known ahead of time that the patient had Nazi beliefs it would have been appropriate for him to seek out another surgeon to do the job. Not knowing it prior to the prep time, he should have continued lest the Nazi's preconceived ideas were proven. I've had the misfortune to meet and talk with people like that and they are so filled with myths and outright lies about us that they have been fed since they were children. Why the doctor did not know ahead of time who he was going to is beyond my imagination. When I was completing my doctoral dissertation, I worked as the anesthesia secretary in a very large community hospital's operating room. Every scheduled operation was posted in my office and at the OR's door; the doctor should have known ahead of time who he would be operating on when he made a mandatory pre-op consultation. I've talked with some Nazi types and asked them what they thought about us. If it wasn't so tragic, it would be very funny what those folks have been taught about Jews. Once one of them undercharged me for a repair. I brought it to their attention and gave him the extra $50 or so dollars I owed him. When he called me a fine Christian, I said thank you but I'm Jewish and was just doing the ethical thing. He asked me a few questions that made me realize where he was coming from. When he said that we were plotting to take over the world, I pointed out that we are only 2 tenths of one percent of the world's population, how could we possibly take over anything? We talked about the reality of the Holocaust, the fact that Israel was NOT an apartheid state, etc. It was amazing to meet a person of his kind who had an open mind. I've kept in touch with him and he is slowly coming around to see the truth. A miracle? I don't know but I keep feeding him the truth.

There are two possibilities you didn't consider. 1. What if the doctor did the surgery and the patient, G-d forbid, died or had complications? Would it look as if the doctor intentionally botched the surgery? Did the doctor perhaps recognize that if something went wrong it could reflect poorly on the Jewish people? 2. What would the patients reaction be if he later found out a Jewish doctor operated on him? Did the doctor perhaps consider the repercussions of the patient later discovering a Jew performed his surgery and realize it created a conflict, not for the doctor, but for his patient?

Rabbi, I must respectfully disagree with you. I think the doctor was right. It was a thyroid surgery, not a life or death situation. If it was an emergency situation? Even then I would not fault the doctor. I have been the victim of severe abuse. Because of what I survived, I have a unique perspective in understanding holocaust survivors. I understand the frustration, shame, anger, the soul deep sadness, the confusion at the unfathomable stupidity and cruelty in the human race. The starvation, burnings, neglect, beatings, mental, physical, sexual, spiritual abuse…once experienced cannot be undone. It is torture on your soul when you have the desire to kill your own siblings and then yourself just so you won’t suffer anymore. The fact that no one raised a finger to help us still boggles my mind; same with the victims of the holocaust. IF one of our abusers were suffering, I would not lift a finger to help them. Better they go away from this Earth than abuse another child. This doctor was not harming the patient in any way. He is a Jewish doctor who was simply making a statement of protest against a Nazi. Having been up close and personal with extreme abuse; I would have done exactly what he did. I would have walked away. I see his protest as HONORING the millions of people who SUFFERED and DIED at the hands of Nazis. I see his protest honoring the millions of people who lost loved ones and had to find a way to make the best of broken souls, broken families. He is saying to those people: “I see you and I know you have suffered.” All too often victims don’t have a voice. They get lost in the shuffle of political correctness and rules, oaths and laws. Sometimes it takes a simple rebellious action like this to give those who suffered a voice and also to remind people not to forget. I obviously don’t have to explain the holocaust here… we all know what happened. Few people protested the madness then… let the protests, regardless of how small, ring out LOUD now.

Rabbi Salomon -- I am J.I.T. and a very strong supporter of Israel and Jewish thought and philosophy. It is the best way of life I have found in my 85 years and it takes a strong will to be constant in your faith. God lays down the laws and we follow or not but we suffer the consequences and learn or continue to suffer until we do. I agree with your thought in this and it takes a strong will to be able to follow this. -- Gods path. A human is a human first and then his philosophy is not yours to condemn or justify but only for you to live by your principles. J.I.T. means -- Jewish in thought and perhaps at one time I was more -- with Gods blessings -- Pete Maniscalco

Klaus Barbie, a jailed Nazi in a French jail, had stomach cancer and wanted to be operated on by the top doctor who happened to be Jewish. The doctor refused because he was Jewish and Barbie was a Nazi. Barbie sued the Jewish Dr. in French Court and LOST. The French court agreed with the Doctor and said there were enough skilled non-Jewish surgeons to do the job. Perhaps because the French are still painfully aware of WW2 history that they sided with the Doctor. Perhaps if the USA had been under siege from Germany, Liberal Americans would react like the French. The Chinese still hate the Japanese. Kol Hakavod to the Doctor. Sorry Rabbi Salomon, but I don't agree with you.

I agree with you. The doctor should perform the surgery due to his professional and moral oat. He should show that he is better that that and put his prejudices aside.

As a Jew I agree with rabbi Yaakov Salomon 100%

This is a moral dilemma both in Biblical terms and professional terms. Rabbi Salomon has penetrated this dilemma with sound reasoning. Jill Sevelow's comment about her oncologist brother's treatment of a patient with swastika tattoos buttresses the argument in favour of treating the patient. How else will anyone see the difference that religious faith makes in our actions? This is the higher road, the ethical path to take. However, as a mental health professional I had to think about it before answering. I would have been challenged to treat this man if he came to me for psychological care. Our ability as healers to be objective and professional must be understood in light of our ability as human beings to surpass ancient imbedded fears and horrors of the past. Thanks for bringing this issue to the discussion.

Dr, was right. Had he performed the surgery and if something went wrong ending in the patients demise, then all the anti semits would say: "The Jew doctor did it on purpose."

During the war our doctors treated German wounded. A doctor's duty and oath is to save lives.

The fact that there was another doctor available, makes his decision justifiable. The doctor can spend his time on other patients. Whatever Jews do, the guys with swastikas hate us anyway. This is an extreme case of dilemma and therefor the decision is easier than grey areas.

The surgeon was 100% correct. The decision was his, not ours. Who are we to stand in judgment upon him? As for the patient who bore a swastika tattoo, the old German expression springs to mind…. MIRGEVANGEN, MITGEHAMNGEN! This issue reminds me of the sanctimonious bleeding hearts who clamored to the side of the Jewish lawyer who defended the Neo-Nazi’s right to march in Skokie Illinois in 1977. Same issue. Same stupidity.

I am a nurse who works in a few different fields of nursing. I proudly wear my magen David necklace as a profession of faith and I have had several patients come for treatments. One guy in particular, I noticed was embarassed a bit and didn't want me to assess him. Confused as to his shyness, I continued to work with him and his wife. After he took his shirt off, I saw the tattoo on his chest and realized the reason. I was a bit put off as I always am when I see this but I continued to be as pleasant as I am with all patients. He and I did fine and he didn't ask for another nurse. Another time I was working at a psych clinic and a guy came in with a swastika on his forehead of all places. Again, I used the same rule of "do unto others" with this guy and after a few visits, the guy started looking for me in particular because he said he liked talking to me. The last story I would like to relate is when working in the ICU, I had to perform a difficult and painful procedure on a patient of mine who had a swastika tattoo on his arm. This was a procedure that was difficult to do and after the first try, I went and got another nurse, who, as it turns out, couldn't do it either. My point is, it is difficult to deal with bigotry and hatred, and I live in a community where Jews are really a rarity on top of being caucasian. I am especially happy to treat neo-nazis in order to show them the true meaning of my faith. The Jews are known of acts of chesed to agressors and that is what makes us different and special in that regard. On the other hand, the guy who might have seen me as "messing up a procedure on purpose", I bowed out early in order to not give him an argument, in which to make. Thanks for your indulgence in this long post.

The situation described raises my blood pressure. If I were the patient facing that surgery and knew that the doctor were Jewish, I would run out of guilt and fear. I understand the ethics and religious prohibitions, but my gut feeling is that the surgeon was right in refusing to do the surgery.

I whole heartedly agree with your logical summary... you are spot on... congratulations for being so courageous.

I think the rabbi has correctly sorted out the issue. Uncomfortable as we are with it, the neo-Nazi is also a human being. This is life. As repelled as we are by Nazism the ideology, we want to try to rise above hating people. I don't think we've survived all these centuries by hating.

I agree with Salomon, doctor should operate the neo nazi pacient. But also is risky, because if something happens to this pacient, maybe the jewish doctor would have serious problems, and although the problem would be associated to phisical problems, the doctor can be accused.

Would a(neo) nazi WANT a Jewish doctor to operate on him?

Was this the first time this surgeon saw or met the patient? Surely he would have met with the patient in the pre-operative period (hours, days or weeks before) and examined this man in full. The patient should be seen as a whole and not "just as a thyroid case". With this pre-op information he may not have had to make that rather embarrassing, unprofessional and emotional decision with the patient "ready for the knife" so to speak.

I think the surgeon was right and Mr Solomon was wrong.the torah says that he who is merciful to the wicked will be evil to the good. G-D commanded King Saul to kill men women and children ,Saul refused and sinned. We should not try and be more righteous than G-D! We were commanded to wipe out Amalek...some liberals may say that it is wrong and we must have compassion for our enemies . A Nazi is an evil person and should be destroyed. We should not waste any effort to save a Nazis life....Would Mr Solomon have the same opinion if Adolf Hitler or Dr. Mengele or Eichman were on the operating table ? or in his opinion some Nazis are better than others?

Are you kidding me? I agree 100% with the doctor walking out. Of course it was emotional, of course his mind couldn't be focused on the job at hand. Hello, rabbi. Just seeing that symbol on the man threw the doctor for a loop. I think he did the correct thing and bowed out of performing the surgery. He took a stand. Why would the doctor want to help someone who believes in the destruction of the Jewish people. Do you think the Nazi will change his mind about us because a good Jewish doctor performed the surgery? I think many in the world are hypocritical. Some hate us and yet they want our skills and services to improve their lives.

Rabbi you are 100% right From Mrs. Jeannette Zipes Roman Catholic

I think there was the case in the past when sages prohibited a Jewish midwife to help Non- Jewish woman with delivering the baby (Later it served as a “prove” of Jewish atrocity) and explanation of that instruction was as follow: if something would happened (G-d forbid) with the baby or Mom they will blame a Jewish midwife in that and consequences are pretty obvious… We don’t know what happened in this case withNeo_ Nazi : it might be Doctor’s sabotage or it might be a scheme to provoke theJew, in order to find a blemish with him and finally take his license...

Does not anyone seek God's advice first? God doesn't judge us on our emotions. He judges us on our heart. And our works. Rabbi Salomon is correct.

Maybe the doctor was right and maybe he was wrong. The bottom line is doing what is best for the patient regardless of politics. A smart OR nurse could have improvised a large dressing to hide the tattoo.

The surgeon dedicated his life to an expertise. This is his line of work. He can ply his trade when and how he desires. Kol HaKavod to him.

Rabbi Salomon, even a Jewish doctor is a human beeing!

If we as jews keep holding hatred against all who have tried to eliminate us, then, the surgeon will have to dodge on christians, protestants, Greeks, Romans, Turks, Arabs, Muslims, Germans, Spaniards, etc. Tikum Holam is as alive as ever, this is our mission we have no choice

The patient was not a threat to anyone while in the OR. The surgeon has made an oath to treat all patients to the best of his ability. He should have done the surgery. What if the shoe was on the other foot, e.g., a Christian or Muslim doctor (who despised Jews) and a Jewish patient? Both doctors have a moral obligation to help all patients regardless of race, creed, religion, etc. Otherwise, we will quickly go down a slippery slope.

I am married toa Bergen Belsen child survivor. Live in Europe. I agree with Rabbi Salamon. Many young people going through puberty have tatoos and are easily persuaded to do something quite stupid, not realising the consequences.(English Prince dressed up in nazi uniform for a party) If the patient was actually a neo -nazi the doctor would show strength of character by operating, and jperhaps educating afterwards. Is there a country in the word which can claim to be clean of neo-nazis (perhaps excluding Israel)? I have experienced the strength of education in influencing and leading people away from what they thoght was the right road, ignorance is dangerous and in this case the doctor had the tool of education to show his superiority.

I am a first generation American, born of Holocaust survivor parents and I wholeheartedly agree with "Anonymous" opinion that, taken from the Torah - our Jewish heritage teaches us literally "if one comes to kill you, rise and "kill him first" - well, in this instance, I wouldn't operate on him and nick a major artery - I would just not treat him and hope that something goes awry with the operation that ultimately would be performed on the Neo-Nazi ignoramus wasted piece of protoplasm . One more vapid warthog that bites the proverbial dust!

I totally agree with you. It's about the Hippocratic Oath, and not the Hippocrytic Oath, meaning we are hypocrites and worse if we as healers do not heal. If he had prior knowledge, yes, he should have then, given his emotional distress being a Jew, given the operation to another, but you don't walk out of an operation, and that could be killing the patient. We are higher than this, in terms of an ethical morality of choice. The very act of compassion, given the duress of this particular surgery, would elevate any doctor, in terms of his obedience to an oath that is truly about medicine and the healer. So YES, to all that you said, in this very wise commentary.

I don't understand why Jews have a problem with reactions like this. Why should the Nazi enjoy the benefit of a Jew's skills. That swastika makes a nasty statement. A Jewish lawyer is going to defend a white supremacist who put books stolen from a Jewish archive and put them in the toilet and peed on them. I don't understand any ethics involved, and I am angry when Jews try to be so correct about their professional responsibilities toward people who admire those who destroyed over a thousand years of Jewish life, and six million Jews aiming to completely wipe the Jewish people out. The patient is making his statement known graphically. Let him live or die with it.

If the surgeon has such an aversion to treating Neo-Nazis, what is he doing, living in Germany? this is probably not the first time.

I agree with Anonymous#9. Also, the Hippocratic Oath is no longer recited by the majority of medical school graduates. Even if it were, it has no legal standing, and is rendered null and void by the recitation of Kol Nidray on the previous Yom Kippur. Strengthening our enemies - yes, we have enemies - is totally irrational and makes no sense.

i agree with what you said, but not just for the reasons you stated. We read in Micah 6:8 'what does the L-rd require of you but to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Your G-d?' In Isaiah 55:9 we read 'My ways are higher than your ways.' in Psalm 33:18 'Behold the eye of the L-rd is upon them who fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy.' There is a principle of sowing and reaping-we reap what we sow. In Proverbs 21:21 'He that follows after righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness and honor.' In Deuteronomy 30:19 we are told 'I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live.' We honor G-d when we in love, serve one another in mercy. Mercy is withholding that which a person deserves, to give Grace-that which he does not deserve. We walk before G-d with the choice-we can go our way, or choose what He says in His Word and honor Him when we choose His Way-the Way of Life.

My father was a US Army combat surgeon in WWII and an observant Jew. In 3 years of front-line combat surgical duty he had no hesitation and often operated on and saved German soldiers(he did sometimes tell them their tranfusions were from Jews! ;) ) A doctor's first duty is to care for a sick or injured person, regardless of race, creed or anything else!

IT REQUIRES NO THOUGH AT ALL. THE DR. IS ABSOLUTLY RIGHT. THIS NEONAZI IS ASPAIERING TO TO THE SAME THINKING AS THE NATZISIES THAT KILLED 6 MILLION JEWS, HE SHOULD HAVE LOOKED FOR ANOTHER NATZI DR. WE SHOULD REMEMBER THE "NEVER AGAIN" THIS IS PART OF IT.

but then again I am not a surgeon

I couldn't agree with you more, not forgiveness but duty to the human race.......

As Jews we should always take the high road, difficult as it is. The doctor should have performed the procedure. We lead by example.

I would have cut a little deeper than necessary to take the nazi out of action for good. There is plenty of information out about the Holocaust. If one still chooses to be a nazi, he is not a non-human being, unworthy of living. Let him die before he does more harm.

The patient obviously, by displaying a swastika (permanently) openly declared that he is ready to murder Jews, etc. There is no reason for any Jew to help heal such a person! This is not before the War when some SS members claimed not to know the extent of Hitler's Y''S plans! This is "acharei hamaisa" when everyone knows how many Jews were tortured and killed by the SS! Way to go Dr.!

Read Weisenthal's "The Sunflower" it proposes the same question, and asks others for theirs. For me. I would refuse to strengthen my enemy. Read the book. I did, have and recommend it.

If this doc couldnt get his emotions in order, he was right to walk away, because every patient deserves the very best medical care. God tells us to love everyone. IF this man were coming to kill the doctor then the doctor would have to kill him first. But, that man was sick and not ready to attack him, and the doc should have had his emotions in order. God also tells us to keep our emotions in balance, to live His will for our lives. But, by operating, it would show love for this man, and yes we are told to love our enemies and forgive them, and possibly this could be what would lead this patient to the true love and forgivness of God. By not operating on this man, ppl that have no faith will only continue to say those of God are cruel, unforgiving and unloving and that is not the truth meseage about God and we should never leave that impression. We are to vindicate His character, which is LOVE. I am a Christian, but also believe in the messianic ways. as the BIble teaches us tht didnt change.l Love is always the answer to all things. This was not an action taken in self defense at all therefor it is wrong. But, we cant judge the doctor. we must love and forgive him too and continue to pray for his heart to soften, and then he must continue to pray for the wicked ppl also. Love can change them and turn them to God. Hatred never will reach anyone with Gods truths. Thanks for allowing me to speak , and I think Rabbi solomon is right on with his answer. LEts all walk in the spirit of Love as God requires us to do. shirley

As a doctor he should treat the patient,

In the heat of the battle - and that's in the Army Field Hospital Surgery too - you keep your Oath to save all lives - and you pray - and you pray, ESPECIALLY if it's the ENEMY's life you've got in your hands! I avoid the accountability for which only HaShem has the right of decision. (That's the reason for a prayer!) As for being a child of a holocaust survivor... That is the exact reason for you to upkeep all human lives - otherwise you wouldn't be here. Toda l'EL, as a child I survived Bergen-Belsen. Paying back the Gift of Life became a privilege - independent of whose life!

grow up!! he is your enemy. nothing else!! when he wakes up, he will still stick a knife in your ribs. i know you are a rabbi but, where do you get your lofty ideals from? the doctor should have done the operation and at one point, said oops and cut an aorta or other vessel. you put down mad dogs don't you? that's all nazis are. they will never change. learn from history. forget the sages from a thousand years ago. it's a different world.

I am curious to know what a holocaust survivor would say about this topic. only they can fully comprehend what that swastika means. we see it as hate, something merely offensive, they see it as their brothers and sisters and parents and children whom they will never see again, they know what hate means and what one who wears a swastika is capable of. i think a doctor has the right to stand up for his nation instead of be forced by his profession to help save or cure someone who would use a knife very differently on him.

i, totaly agree with you Rabbi.

Under these narrow circumstances, Rabbi Solomon is quite correct. The surgery team was ready to go and the doctor saw this tatoo at the last moment. He had a moral obligation to continue the surgery. As Rabbi Solomon alse stated, had the doctor seen the tatoo before he went into the room and could have secured another surgeon, he would have been morally correct to walk away.

I agree with Rabbi Salomon - if the doctor was emotionally overcome, he would not be able to act in the patient's best interest. If the doctor simply refused to do the surgery based on the presence of the swastika, then he is only lowering himself to the same level as the patient. We have a responsibility as humans to do the good thing, and not to act out of hatred. To act out of hatred is precisely what THEY do, and we are not them.

Personally, I would tend to agree with the doctor but who am I? I would really like to know what gedolei Yisroel think of this issue. Whatever they say is whatever is right, they represent torah don't they?

Kill someone before someone kills you. Its a perversion of Jewish law to operate on this scum. The Dr. has self respect. If he was black Im sure you would understand. What do you think nazis stand for? Oh no ! Lets operate on the nazi and he may see the light and start loving Jews. He would laugh in our faces and he would be right. The moral decision would be to infect him with aids and send him on his way. The really moral thing would be to see him leave the room in a body bag.

It is told that once in a concentration camp as a NAZI was beating the Kloizenburger Rebbe ZaTZaL, he asked him, nu Rabiner, how do you feel as a "chosen people" now? The Rebbe told him: "So long as it is you holding the gun and the whip and beating me, rather than the other way around, we are the chosen people." This doctor lost an opportunity to display the way in which we are "chosen".

I think the surgeon was bowing out because he is emotionally involved, he was just doing it in a nice way.

Yaakov did a bit of a disservice by raising a provocative issue but then presenting an incomplete argument. He disagrees with the doctor's decision -- fine. But tell us why you have a problem with it. Give us something to really ponder. Lay out the dilemma more clearly. Perhaps, discuss (a) the Hippocratic oath, (b) the struggle and the need to divorce one's personal views from one's professional obligations, (c) the societal implications if every physician decided whom to treat based on his/her tastes (what if a racist doctor decided not to treat a Jew or a black?), and (d) some examples to boost your thesis, such as how Israeli physicians routinely treat Palestinian terrorists and the victims of that terrorist attack side by side.

just a thought - it was upsetting to me to hear "the doctor was wrong" for we don't know reasons why he refused the operation. as such i would not draw a conclusion of his guilt yet.

I agree completely. The doctor should have performed his obligation, and then let the nazi know that a Jew had just saved his life and given him the best medical care available. Let the nazi see the extent of the moral gulf between him and the Jewish surgeon. Never too late to repent, is it?

So, what if he had performed the surgery and something had gone wrong. Sometimes this happens. Would he know whether or not he had actually done something in error? Would the other medical staff know? Would the family of the patient blame him?

i agree w/ the rabbi,while understanding the difficulty of the decision, the dr. took an oath to save lives. it was not an oath to save jewish lives. although we, as jews are not to take oaths, and we nullify them yearly, the medical profession has a committment to save and to heal. if the doctor can pick and choose who will live, and who will die, it seems to me that he is trying a little too much to emulate Hashem. the second commitment he has, is that of being a jew, and acting 'al kiddus Hashem" his actions, as viewed by anyone not understanding the emotions of the holocost, would appear to be an act o hatred, 'a chillul Hashem. '

One point that no one has yet brought up, is that we don't know what the Doctor's family's history is from the Holocaust. It isn't only a theoretical point. It wasn't only the doctor standing there making an ehtical decision but propelling him was whatever family history he carried with him from that terrible time. If he'd had grandparents murdered by the Nazis it doubntless would have impacted his decision more strongly thatn if this was just a matter of principle. Although he may have missed an opportunity to do kiddush Hashem, I think keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive is also a Kiddush Hashem and made more emphatic because this incident happened in Germany.

if the doctor got got unstable to perform the operatuin , he shoud ask another to do it

Find a nazi doctor, although I suppose that could prove difficult because most nazis today are pretty low on the IQ scale. I just cannot fault the Jewish doctor at all.

The doctor has taken an oath to perform his duty under all conditions.Further, he has to maintain his integrity --as a human being and as a Jew.This "doctor" has failed on all counts As for Anonymous (9), read the Torah more carefully, for what you quote, does not apply here.Those who agree with the doctor's decision are merely returning hate with hate. And you, Pearlman (13), offer a ridiculous argument.God is neither petty nor revengeful. Welcome to the world!

This seems to me to be a no-brainer, to coin a phrase. There can surely be no possible argument, ethical nor moral, against the the rabbi's comments. I think that this is possibly the first time I have ever agreed with a rabbi's views!

The doctor, being trained in the higher medical arts is obligated to provide care to persons in need. Being jewish again he is oblgated to provide care. especially if a live saving event. i think he should have talked with the guy after was recovering.

In my opinion the reasoning of Rabbi Salomon is correct under all aspects. The surgeon could have walked away for emotional reasons, unable to perform on the Neonazi. Otherwise, honouring his profession and our Jewish principles of humanity, he should have done the surgery and thenpassed on the patient.

I could never be critical of someone who was an offspring of a Holocaust survivor, NOT doing that surgery. Who cares what the world or other people think? I and my family have been done irrepairable harm by others, affecting now even my grandchildren. Would I harm those people? No. Would I help them in something so personal as operating on them? No. I would find someone else to do it. I would think emotionally, the surgeon would never be able to know if he had done his very best, which one would assume every surgeon would want to be able to feel he had done for a patient. Now, if your enemy needs food, then feed him. But operating? No. TOO personal.

Hypothetically, what if the patient died? Would the Jewish doctor be accused of murder? I also wonder what response your survivor-parents would have to the doctor's decision? Would they agree with your apologetic attitude? What about the tolerance of evil? Could it be that your tolerance of the perpetrators of evil has been reduced to a clinical theory. After all, the Jewish Doctor's name is not Mengele.

My brother-in-law, an Orthodox Jew and oncologist, treated a neo-Nazi for cancer a few years ago. Describing the patient removing his shirt and displaying his swastikas was terrifying for my brother-in-law; however, he felt his oath as a physician overruled his personal disgust and fear. The first visit was fraught with emotional wariness on both their parts. However, each time he saw the patient, he interjected humanness into the equation, and the patient warmed up to him. Eventually, they became friendly. A year after my brother-in-law administered his last treatment, during the patient's checkup, my brother-in-law was amazed to find that he had removed his tattoos. There are opportunities for lessons every day of our lives; the doctor you spoke of lost an opportunity to show who we are as Jews. WE ARE the people who operate on those who are in need, regardless of who they are. To save a life- not only a Jewish life, but perhaps the life of someone clouded by prejudice and turn them around- is really what it means to save the entire world.

Your analysis of this case is spot on. Halakha demands that the surgeon refrain from only three mitzvot to save a life: 1. He cannot worship false gods, 2. He cannot commit adultery, 2. He cannot murder. Once he committed himself to performing the surgery, the only viable excuse the surgeon could make was that he was incapable of performing it. In that case, the surgeon is obligated to provide another surgeon who is capable of performing the surgery. Anything less violates both the Hippocratic Oath, and Halakha. Mark Gary Blumenthal, MD, MPH

I agree with the surgeon. I would not operate on a nazi or a neo nazi, even if I was the world's best surgeon. Likewise, I wouldn't trust a neo nazi or nazi to operate on me !! There was a case in Israel a few years ago where an expert Israeli hand surgeon used his skills to reattach a hand to a terrorist who lost it when a bomb he was putting together exploded prematurely. G-d repaid the surgeon, a few months later he lost Both his hands from a terrorist attack.

I agree with Rabbi Salomon. Just possibly if the surgeon had operated and the patient realized he owed his life and well-being to a Jew, he might have changed his outlook. (I have heard of such cases) Most prejudices are based on ignorance; a priceless opportunity for education has been wasted.

In my opinion, the doctor had an opportunity to, by saving/healing the patient, maybe soften the neo-nazi's heart and possibly "bring him around" - maybe by exposing his Jewishness at the recovery room etc. To be a "light to the nations" means shining in a dark & difficult place. But it doesn't mean its easy... What would the nazi say if made well by a Jew? "Thank you", perhaps? And if not, I guess its his problem. But when do we give up hope on our fellow men?

I doubt the Jew-hater would even appreciate the treatment rendered by this doctor. Let that low-life find someone who shares his own philosophy to perform the work. We should not be giving comfort to the enemy.

As the child of holocaust survivors myself, I would never operate on scum who would have no compunction about smashing in my Jewish brains or stabbing me in my Jewish heart. I cringe every time I read about hospitals in Israel that treat injured or ill arabs, knowing that as soon as they are healed they will wreak death and destruction on Jewish populations. 'Turning the other cheek' is Christian theology. Our Torah tells us 'haboh lehorgecho, hashkem v'horgo'- if one comes to kill you, rise and kill him first.

I generally agree with the Rabbi, but can't fully in this instance. Ideally, any professional should be able to separate their persona from their craft. Practically however, this is usually not the case. Whether emotionally or logically, this doctor decided that he could not operate on this patient. This is certainly his choice. Just like pharmacists that can not be forced to dispense contraceptives because it may go against their ethical beliefs, a doctor can not be required to operate on a person that, probably the way the doctor figured, outside of an operating room, the person (laying on the table in front of him) might try to harm him. Emotionally or logically, the doctor is also entitled to his rights. I will say that the doctor in this case did not know his patient well enough. This case might just make the doctor more cautious in the future.

I hear what you're saying, Rabbi, but for me personally- I would not be able to do the surgery. Of course I'm not in that situation, but I think I'd be too biased to perform the surgery. I'd be really insulted by someone who had a swatstika! Ethically speaking, I would have to have some other doctor fill in for me because of my being too angry to perform the surgery properly. I do agree though, that if the doctor was trying to make some sort of statement than he was wrong. I guess it depends on what his intentions were when deciding not to do the surgery.

I agree with you Rabbi Salomon. If someone is in a position to help another, and especially if you are expected to do so in the eyes of others, then that is what you should do. The emotional qualms, as you said, are one thing. But if one is able to give something good to another, they should not withhold it.

I usually agree with Rabbi Saloman's opinion but in this case, how could a doctor operate on a swastika bearing individual. The hatred that would be aroused by such a person should and would render the doctor incapable of performance. The swastika stands for an ideology that killed almost an entire innocent jewish world, families, children, There was no pity, no human mercy, no ethics. I don't know if i would have the guts to walk away like that, but i admire him for making a statement. It's not like he walked out on the grandson of a german soldier, this patient had a swastika - he embraced the ideology of genocide. I couldn't look at him much less operate on him.

Dear rabbi: We jews are very tolerant and understanding to different types of people, even during the holocaust German soldiers were treated decently in the battle field when captured including getting medical attention, however this is all said about the vermacht soldiers that you might say that they were just soldiers following orders ( according to their excuse ), but in regard with the SS ym”s or the Gestapo they should have been killed even after they surrended, accordingly in today’s date and time if someone could identify himself with the Nazis knowing what they stand for it is asur to help them in any way shape or form even if its politically incorrect.

I personally treated a patient with the SS symbol who was a biker--he left my care after I commented on the symbol. I also had a Polish patient who became frightened when he saw my last name and realized I was Jewish. Although I did not ask anything about the war, he volunteered that during the Second World War he drove a truck and loved Jews. ("The lady doth protest too much," as Shakespeare might have said.) Interestingly, that same day, his adult children asked for his care to be switched to another doctor. I do not know what I would have done in this case, but I suspect that I would have tried to continue care or transfer the patient, when stable, to another doctor. Let's also realize that were the shoe on the other foot, I suspect that a former Nazi doctor would not hesitate to harm a Jew, black, gypsy, or homosexual. The Talmud warns, "He who is merciful to the cruel will end up being cruel to the merciful." How that might apply to this case is the crux of the matter.

Often times, Jews on the job must determine a balance between their Jewish principles and the idolatry that goes around in their workplace. It's a matter of coexistence, and Judaism is one of the relatively few faiths that does NOT place emphasis on all or nothing. We generally do have control over the way we feel, where we have to choose between our principles and/or adhere to our business obligations.

I believe that although the Dr. has an obligation to take care of any patient, regardless of any personal bias, however this Dr. was put in a position that many of us experience. There often is much room for many of us to judge,but well after the fact, It's the element of shock that this Dr. was presented with, his gut reaction. Very often we imagine how we would react in a particular situation, only to do the opposite when actually facing a real situation that we have had thrown at us, with no time to sit and ponder the right or the wrong of it. I believe this Dr. reacted in a way that was,nt in accordance with the hypocratic oath, but out of his shock and anger, he reacted as a human being. I do believe that this Dr. did the correct thing, by refusing to do the operation, he might have not been able to separate his personal feelings from his professional. He very well might have not done his best for this patient. I obviously side with the Drs. decision.