By Rabbi Yair Hoffman It is a clear halacha that every Jewish person is obligated to make every possible effort to save life – even to the point where one may put their own life at risk. This principle is derived from the Toras Kohanim (Sifra on Parshas Behar 5:2), and is cited in  Bava Metzia (62a) regarding two people walking in the desert with only enough water for one person to survive. This case led to a dispute between Ben Petura and Rabbi Akiva concerning the interpretation of the pasuk “and your brother shall live with you.” However, all agree that from this verse we learn the obligation to make every effort to save another’s life, even at risk to oneself. Another proof is in Nedarim 65b, where it teaches that Rabbi Meir said we can open (annul) a vow using verses from the Torah, saying to the person: “Had you known that you would transgress ‘do not take revenge’ and ‘your brother shall live with you’ – for he may become poor and you won’t be able to support him…”   We see from there that it is an obligation and grounds to annul a neder. In Sefer Yereim (46), it states that the Hashem commanded in Parshas Behar “and your brother shall live with you,” and it was taught that “with you” means your life takes precedence over all others. From the phrase “and your brother shall live” we learn the obligations to redeem him from captivity, clothe him when cold, give him drink when thirsty, and feed him when hungry.  Certainly this includes helping out a victim of yenem machalah. The Rofeh Cholim Cancer Society (RCCS) stands as a beacon of hope in the challenging landscape of cancer care, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to ensuring that no patient faces their battle alone. For over twenty years, this remarkable organization has been transforming lives by addressing one of the most critical yet often overlooked aspects of cancer treatment: access to comprehensive health insurance. By covering insurance premium payments for patients across the United States and recently expanding to Israel, RCCS removes the devastating financial barriers that can stand between patients and their path to recovery, enabling them to focus on what matters most – their health and healing.  But they are also a remarkable storehouse of critical information. RCCS also serves as a lifeline that connects patients with the highest quality medical care available. Understanding that a cancer patient’s prognosis is significantly influenced by their access to superior medical resources, RCCS ensures that beneficiaries can receive treatment from the best doctors, undergo essential life-saving procedures, and obtain vital medications that might otherwise be prohibitively expensive. This comprehensive approach to patient support has established RCCS as an indispensable pillar in the cancer care community, embodying the principle that quality healthcare should be accessible to all those facing this formidable disease. Cancer treatment has entered an exciting new era where doctors can look deep inside tumor cells to find their unique weaknesses. Advanced genetic testing technology called Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) makes this possible, although it is very expensive and can only be done in Germany, at this point. Think of it like having a powerful microscope that can read the instruction manual of cancer cells. This helps doctors understand […]