Q. My neighbors father lost recently r’l his wife and a son to the covid curse. He became very depressed and is at a high risk of ending his own life. He was placed in a psychiatric hospital by his children, where he is kept mostly drugged and barely conscious. He can answer simple questions, but really has no great self awareness.
Due to the fact that he was always very observant and careful with keeping mitzvos and never lost one day of putting tefilin, they are asking this shaila. Is it proper that in the morning before he is given his daily drugs, they should be postponed a bit, so after being cleaned and changed, he can have his frum caregiver put on tefilin on him and read shema with him. Is that correct?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that if when he is not under the influence of the powerful drugs, he can stay properly clean, he also is also aware of what he is doing and is being kept safe, it is correct to avoid his drugs under strict supervision for the short time it takes to don tefilin and recite shema. The above should be authorized by the pertinent medical authorities.’
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a