Yom Kippur Fast - Kidney Stones

Question

Peace and Blessing, 1. About a year ago, I had kidney stones and have already passed 3 stones. I still occasionally have lower back pain and also pain in the area where the stones exit, although I have not been checked again for stones. It could be that all of them have already passed, but it is very likely that the body is again producing more stones. I also have relatively high blood pressure for my age of 26. Therefore, the question is whether I need to fast or not. I should mention that in previous fasts I did not fast, and on Yom Kippur, I fasted in measurements (that is, drank a small amount of liquid every few minutes). 2. Regarding my wife who is, thank God, pregnant in her third month approaching the fourth month. This is her fourth pregnancy. In her second pregnancy, my wife gave birth to a healthy daughter prematurely at 35 weeks with full placental abruption. Therefore, she was in her third pregnancy in a high-risk situation and, thank God, gave birth to a healthy boy on the date they set. The question regarding the fast is whether she needs to fast.

Answer


1. Regarding the husband - he needs to fast and should be connected to an IV.
2. Regarding the wife -
a. Pregnant woman: When the pregnancy is normal and she feels good, she should fast as usual. She should prepare herself the day before the fast by drinking between three to four liters of fluids the day before the fast, and it is a good idea to increase her liquid intake on the days before that as well.
b. In case there are contractions or labor pains, she should drink in measurements, and if that is not enough, she should drink as usual.
c. If the woman feels overwhelming weakness and dizziness and sees black, the law that applies to her is like any person in this situation; she should drink “by measurements”.
d. In pregnancy nausea, there is no risk to the fetus, only discomfort. But in case she vomits a lot, dehydration may occur, and therefore in that case she needs to drink in measurements.
e. When the hemoglobin is below 9, a person should not fast and needs to eat and drink in measurements. When the pregnancy is not normal, there are many details in this and one should discuss each specific case with an expert rabbi.
f. Another option is to connect to an IV before Yom Kippur, and on Yom Kippur one can receive even several liters of fluids.
g. The husband must help his wife even if this will prevent him from attending public prayers.

Source

Shulchan Aruch, section Orach Chaim, chapters 617 - 618

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