Giving Shots to Diabetic Mother

Question

I live with my middle aged mother. She is mostly able to take care for herself. She has been diagnosed with diabetes and needs twice daily insulin shots. She doesn’t know how to do it herself, at least not yet, but I work in a profession where I know how to give shots. My mother wants me to prick her fingers and give her the insulin shots. I learned many years ago that it is forbidden to make one’s parent bleed, even for medical purposes. How should I deal with this?

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    First, please accept my blessing that your mother be blessed with many, many more years in good health.

    You are correct that, in general, the Torah teaches that it is forbidden for a child to cause a parent to bleed or even to bruise them. That being the case, it would be preferable to have someone else administer the shots to your mother and to teach her how to inject herself correctly. If, however, that is not a viable possibility, then it would be permissible for you to give the shots to your mother. If you are the one giving her the shots, it would be best if she verbally gives you permission to “hurt” her, and that you ask her for forgiveness for any pain that you might be causing her. It would also be recommended if you were able to teach her to be proficient at giving herself shots as quickly as possible.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team