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Wheelchairs sabbatical
Sep. 24th, 2005 10:04 pmJust before Shabbat, I dropped food off with [woman who had a C-section two weeks ago], and in the course of conversation she mentioned finally being able to walk to Inman Square, a bit less than half a mile away, though only in one direction.
Which got me to thinking, later, about wheelchairs. With an eruv, her husband could push her to my house for a meal. But without an eruv, I assume a non-self-propelled wheelchair is the same (halachically) as a baby stroller, and therefore considered carrying (problematical on Shabbat without an eruv). A self-wheeled chair, though, would that be different? Is it more like a walking person's shoes, helping them get around, or a carriage? Does it make a difference whether there are handles on the back for a potential pusher?
[If self-wheeled chairs are not carrying even without an eruv]
There are some opinions that if a child old enough to walk decides not to, one is permitted to carry the child, whether or not there's an eruv. Would a situation where someone who usually wheels zirself for some reason needs someone else to wheel them? (Would it matter whether it was health or another reason?) Or would that just be if there were a particular obstacle?
(This ignores the question of motorized wheelchairs entirely; I assume there are a different set of considerations involved.)
Which got me to thinking, later, about wheelchairs. With an eruv, her husband could push her to my house for a meal. But without an eruv, I assume a non-self-propelled wheelchair is the same (halachically) as a baby stroller, and therefore considered carrying (problematical on Shabbat without an eruv). A self-wheeled chair, though, would that be different? Is it more like a walking person's shoes, helping them get around, or a carriage? Does it make a difference whether there are handles on the back for a potential pusher?
[If self-wheeled chairs are not carrying even without an eruv]
There are some opinions that if a child old enough to walk decides not to, one is permitted to carry the child, whether or not there's an eruv. Would a situation where someone who usually wheels zirself for some reason needs someone else to wheel them? (Would it matter whether it was health or another reason?) Or would that just be if there were a particular obstacle?
(This ignores the question of motorized wheelchairs entirely; I assume there are a different set of considerations involved.)