SHABBAT

The more there is a chance that you will need to travel on Shabbat for an emergency, and it happens on a fairly regular basis, the less you are required to leave before Shabbat, even though this may sound illogical at first glance. For example, a surgeon who is called in for urgent operations almost every Shabbat does not need to leave home before Shabbat, because he is not required to sacrifice his being with his family for Shabbat on a regular basis. If the Halacha will be strict with him, he may not want to perform operations on Shabbat, or he may wish to change his vocation altogether… On the other hand, if usually there is no need for him to travel on Shabbat, but once in a few months or so he knows that he may be called, then he should leave home before that Shabbat. The above situation is the same in the case of a high officer in the army who is called in often on Shabbat. Even if he knows he is likely to be called in, because it happens often, he is not required to leave his family every Shabbat. If we are speaking about a one-time situation or something that happens only occasionally, the person in question should make the effort to avoid desecrating Shabbat and leave beforehand for the place where he/she will be required to work. Nevertheless if the emergency occurs and the person did not leave before Shabbat – he should still go on Shabbat. In summary, if a person knows that on a one-time basis he/she will be called for an emergency, he/she should leave before Shabbat. If however the emergency occurs on a regular basis, he/she is not required to leave before Shabbat.