כִּי אֲתָא רָבִין אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בַּכֹּל מִתְרַפְּאִין, חוּץ מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְגִילּוּי עֲרָיוֹת
When Ravin came from the Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One may heal oneself with any substance from which one may not derive benefit, except for idolatry or forbidden sexual relations
מִפְּנֵי שֶׁסְּפֵק נְפָשׁוֹת הוּא וְכוּ׳. לְמָה לִי תּוּ לְמֵימַר: ״וְכׇל סְפֵק נְפָשׁוֹת דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת״? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: לֹא סָפֵק שַׁבָּת זוֹ בִּלְבַד אָמְרוּ, אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ סָפֵק שַׁבָּת אַחֶרֶת. הֵיכִי דָּמֵי? כְּגוֹן דְּאַמְדוּהּ לִתְמָנְיָא יוֹמֵי, וְיוֹמָא קַמָּא שַׁבְּתָא. מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: לִיעַכַּב עַד לְאוּרְתָּא כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא נֵיחוּל עֲלֵיהּ תְּרֵי שַׁבָּתָא, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן. תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: מְחַמִּין חַמִּין לַחוֹלֶה בְּשַׁבָּת, בֵּין לְהַשְׁקוֹתוֹ בֵּין לְהַבְרוֹתוֹ. וְלֹא שַׁבָּת זוֹ בִּלְבַד אָמְרוּ, אֶלָּא לְשַׁבָּת אַחֶרֶת. וְאֵין אוֹמְרִים: נַמְתִּין לוֹ שֶׁמָּא יַבְרִיא, אֶלָּא מְחַמִּין לוֹ מִיָּד, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁסְּפֵק נְפָשׁוֹת דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. וְלֹא סָפֵק שַׁבָּת זוֹ, אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ סָפֵק שַׁבָּת אַחֶרֶת. וְאֵין עוֹשִׂין דְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ, לֹא עַל יְדֵי גּוֹיִם, וְלֹא עַל יְדֵי כּוּתִיִּים, אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי גְּדוֹלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאֵין אוֹמְרִין יֵעָשׂוּ דְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ, לֹא עַל פִּי נָשִׁים, וְלֹא עַל פִּי כּוּתִיִּים, אֲבָל מִצְטָרְפִין לְדַעַת אַחֶרֶת.
§ The mishna states that one with pain in his throat should be given medicine on Shabbat because it is a case of uncertainty concerning a life-threatening situation. The Gemara asks: Why do I need to say furthermore: And any case of uncertainty concerning a life-threatening situation overrides Shabbat? Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: They stated this not only in a case where there is uncertainty with regard to this Shabbat, but even if the uncertainty is with regard to a different future Shabbat. What are the circumstances in which uncertainty would arise as to whether or not his life will be in danger in the future? They are a case where doctors assess that an ill person needs a certain treatment for eight days, and the first day of his illness is Shabbat. Lest you say: He should wait until evening and begin his treatment after Shabbat so they will not need to desecrate two Shabbatot for his sake, therefore it teaches us that one must immediately desecrate Shabbat for his sake. This is the halakha, despite the fact that an additional Shabbat will be desecrated as a result, because there is uncertainty about whether his life is in danger. That was also taught in a baraita: One heats water for an ill person on Shabbat, whether to give him to drink or to wash him, since it might help him recover. And they did not say it is permitted to desecrate only the current Shabbat for him, but even a different, future Shabbat. And one must not say: Let us wait and perform this labor for him after Shabbat, perhaps he will get well in the meantime. Rather, one heats it for him immediately because any case of uncertainty concerning a life-threatening situation overrides Shabbat. And this is so not only with regard to uncertainty whether his life is in danger on the current Shabbat, but even in a case of uncertainty with regard to danger on a different Shabbat. And these acts should not be performed by gentiles or Samaritans but should be done by the greatest of the Jewish people, i.e., their scholars, who know how to act properly. And one does not say: These actions may be performed based on the advice of women or Samaritans, since they are not considered experts able to declare a person ill enough to override Shabbat. However, the opinions of these people do combine with an additional opinion, meaning that if there is a dispute, their opinions may be considered when coming to a decision.
(ויקרא כה, לו) וחי אחיך עמך אהדר ליה כי היכי דניחי ורבי יוחנן האי וחי אחיך עמך מאי עביד ליה מבעי ליה לכדתניא שנים שהיו מהלכין בדרך וביד אחד מהן קיתון של מים אם שותין שניהם מתים ואם שותה אחד מהן מגיע לישוב דרש בן פטורא מוטב שישתו שניהם וימותו ואל יראה אחד מהם במיתתו של חבירו עד שבא ר' עקיבא ולימד וחי אחיך עמך חייך קודמים לחיי חבירך
“And your brother shall live with you” (Leviticus 25:36), from which it is derived: Return the interest to him so that he may live. The Gemara asks: And Rabbi Yoḥanan, what does he do with this verse: “And your brother shall live with you”? The Gemara answers: He requires the verse for that which is taught in a baraita: If two people were walking on a desolate path and there was a jug [kiton] of water in the possession of one of them, and the situation was such that if both drink from the jug, both will die, as there is not enough water, but if only one of them drinks, he will reach a settled area, there is a dispute as to the halakha. Ben Petora taught: It is preferable that both of them drink and die, and let neither one of them see the death of the other. This was the accepted opinion until Rabbi Akiva came and taught that the verse states: “And your brother shall live with you,” indicating that your life takes precedence over the life of the other.