Accepting “Early” Shabbos
In the summer months, when Shabbos begins late Friday night, many shuls find it more convenient to accept Shabbos earlier. This practice is possible based on the premise of Tosefes Shabbos (the ability or obligation to add time to days of Kedusha). Once one accepts Shabbos, even before Shkiya, one is fully prohibited from all 39 melachos as if it were Shabbos (although the death penalty is not applied for someone who desecrated Shabbos). The question arises for healthcare workers who wish to daven in a certain shul or who find themselves severely inconvenienced to accept Shabbos bzman if it is permissible for them to accept Shabbos early, knowing that they will definitely or likely have to do melacha between the time they personally accept Shabbos and Shkiya. While one who has accepted Shabbos may certainly provide medical care for a choleh shyesh bo sakana, the dilemma is whether they can willingly put themselves in a position that will force them to violate the 39 melachos.
The poskim discuss an apparent contradiction in the Gemara’s ruling that one may set sail after Wednesday for a mitzvah despite the general concern that traveling so close to Shabbos will lead to possible chillul Shabbos. Yet, it is prohibited to circumcise a boy on Shabbos if certain medicines were not prepared before Shabbos, and there is relative certainty that the child will require those medicines over Shabbos, creating a situation of chillul Shabbos for a Choleh. R’ Asher Weiss resolves the contradiction by differentiating between a problem that will definitely lead to Chillul Shabbos, as in the case of the bris milah, versus a situation where it is only probable that one will need to perform Melacha, as is the case when one sets sail close to Shabbos. Accordingly, he rules that someone working in the hospital on a Friday night shift should not accept Shabbos until right before Shkiya, as such a person is in a situation that will certainly necessitate melacha. However, a physician on call may have more leeway to accept “Early Shabbos” because it is not certain that an issue will arise between the time they accept Shabbos and Shkiya. (After Shkiya, it is Shabbos regardless of whether he was mekabel Shabbos, and is therefore not a factor in this discussion.) Other factors, including familial concerns and being part of a particular community, may apply to individual situations, but that is beyond the scope of a general essay.
Adapted from medicalhalacha.org