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From: Russell Hendel <rhendel@saber.towson.edu>
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 21:47:47 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: How Zomet and Rabbi Zalman Auerbach Met

David and Tamar Hojda in Volume 32 Number 10 comment on a Newspaper
article which in turn comments on the electric wheelchair developed by
Zomet to aid crippled people get around on Shabbath. Specifically these
specially designed wheelchairs receive their legitimacy for use on
Shabbath by combining the concepts that people should "be treated with
honor" with the concepts of indirect causation.

The technical details may be found in "Crossroads-Vol 2" and in a
pamphlet by Prof Zev Lev.(Zomet produces an annual volume on its
activities called CROSSROADS) The article discusses ALL
issues--including the Rabbinic issue of "creating a scent", "creating
Nolad", "is anything allowed on Sabbath because of indirect causation"

David also raises the issue of how we know what Gedolim actually
said(since this newspaper article claims that Rabbi Auerbach did not
give the heter which was used).

Well one way of knowing what Gedolim said is to hear personal accounts.

I recently heard the Director of Zomet, Ezra, speak in Baltimore. He
told how he first met Rabbi Zalman Auerbach. A person in Rabbi Auerbachs
neighborhood came to shule every day but Shabbath.  When Rabbi Auerbach
asked why not he was told that the person was crippled and could not use
his wheelchair on Shabbath. So Rabbi Auerbach called Ezra at Zomet and
asked if anything could be done to help this person. Zomet and Rabbi
Auerbach worked till they came up with a wheelchair that was both
halachically and technologically feasable. Ezra emphasized that this was
the first time he met Rabbi Auerbach and he was very impressed with his
piety and concern for his fellowman.

I hope this partially answers David's question

Russell Jay Hendel; PHd ASA; rhendel@towson.edu
Moderator Rashi is Simple
http://www.shamash.org/rashi/
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