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Thought for the Day: Psak Halacha and Reality

The reaction I got to my TftD: Psak Halacha Regarding Protection that Beats Firearms was much, much different than what I expected. By way introduction to my surprise, allow me to relate a story regarding my father, Yaakov ben Yosef, alav ha'shalom whose yahrtzeit is approaching; 13th Adar (he was niftar a month before Purim, but in a straight year like this one, it is Ta'anis Esther).

Several years ago, approximately 13 years before my father's p'tira, I received a distressing phone call: my father had suffered a major heart attack and was just now being air lifted to the closest cardiac intensive care unit. In fact, the heart attack had started the night before, but because of misdiagnosis and generally incompetent medical staff at the small hospital near his home, he had been left suffering all night being treated for indigestion! Baruch HaShem, I was able to get there right away and again three weeks later when he had his triple bypass surgery. Baruch HaShem, the surgery was a success. I asked the doctor during recovery how my father -- who was overweight and a cigar smoker -- had survived that horrendous night of his heart attack. The doctor replied, "Because he exercised his whole life."

My father and I both got the message. My father lost weight, quit smoking completely, and upped his exercise game. Within a year he was off all of his medications. I also upped my exercise regime and became even more conscious of keeping my weight appropriate. I have told this story many times. Never, not even once, has anyone exclaimed: "What!? You just exercise and watch your weight!? You didn't have a bypass surgery just as precaution!?" Nor even, "What?! Your father's doctor told your father that he didn't need the meds anymore, so he just stopped taking them?! I mean, heck, exercise and weight control are nice, but at least also take the meds!!"

Nope, not even once. Frankly, I don't think it even entered anyone's mind. Yet, some did have the reaction, "Sure, sure... not talking in shul during davening is certainly nice, but don't you think there should also be gun wielding congregants?"

Nope.
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