Question:
May one take on shabbos pills that help so he can fulfill his mitzvas onah? is that considered a refuah or is considered maachal b’ri’im like birth control pills since he isn’t sick at all.
And does the mitzva have any effect on the halacha.
please provide sources.
Answer:
It is controversial; therefore it is preferable not to take them. It isn’t Ma’achal Briim since it is being taken because of a weakness and to help a condition. The rational to be permit it, is perhaps because of a mitzvah, but like I said it is controversial. There are other medications like Cialis that can be taken before shabbos and will avoid this issue. There is another option, to mix it into a liquid before Shabbos, and drink the liquid on Shabbos (See Piskei Teshuvos 280-5).
Sources:
Minchas Yitzchok 1-108, Tzitz Eliezer 8-15 chap. 15,14, Kovetz Halachos (Shabbos 1 chap. 15 ftnt.2, Halachos of Refuah Chapter 8 ftnt. 7, that R’ Eliyashiv does not permit it.
Muter. There is no issue of taking medicine nowadays since people don’t make their own medicine anymore — the gezera isn’t shayach.
The poskim don’t agree with you. By the fact that the contemporary poskim discuss may issues regarding taking medication on shabbos. First of all we don’t say that the gezeira is botil, secondly nowadays homeopathic medication using plants is becoming popular again.
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