Considering the idea that one's washing could be priority over another's life, how is it not objected that, where there was certainty that negligence in washing would cause impairment of sight, or other impairment, then the peril of one limb is alike to the peril of the whole self, but where it were uncertain, then between the certainty and the uncertainty, the certainty is more compelling?
H David Levine, Roanoke, VA USA
I think your assumption is that Rebbi Yosi maintains that laundry is Docheh a case of Piku'ach Nefesh, and your question is, what is the basis to compare these two?
I think what Rebbi Yosi means is that a general case, when the question is if we should stop people from washing their cloths because others use this water for drinking, Rebbi Yosi holds that washing clothes is such an important need that we cannot say we will prevent the residents of this city from washing their clothes so that residents of a different city will easily drink from here and not have to get their water from somewhere else with more of a bother. The reasons Rebbi Yosi brings are not medical priorities, but reasons that show that laundry is a very important need.
Aharon Steiner