1. When does life begin in Judaism?
\n2. Are there cases in which abortion is permitted?.
\n3. Are contraceptive methods allowed?.
\n4. What happens with in vitro fertilization?.
\n5. Can contraceptive methods be used for family planning purposes?.
\n6. Is abortion permitted in cases of rape, fetal illness, or maternal health?.<\/p>\n
ABORTION: WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN?
\nBy Rabbi Hershel Finman<\/p>\n
This article presents a brief analysis of the Jewish position, based on a series of lectures given during the Detroit Jewish Judicial Seminar.<\/p>\n
Determination of life<\/p>\n
Before analyzing the interruption of life, we must first establish when it begins.<\/p>\n
A public debate was once held with three panelists: a doctor, a philosopher, and a rabbi. The discussion was: "When does life begin?".<\/p>\n
The doctor stood up and stated that medical science has unequivocally demonstrated that life begins once the ovum has been fertilized. The philosopher, extremely pragmatic, proposed that life cannot be considered as such until the child is a viable entity in itself, that is, once removed from the mother.<\/p>\n
The rabbi slowly approached the podium and, very confidently, said: "Gentlemen, life begins when the children have grown up and moved to another house!"\"<\/p>\n
Laughter aside, the true position of Judaism regarding abortion is an approach that combines the opinion of the doctor and the philosopher: under normal circumstances, that is, when fertilization took place as it did in the course of the last 5761 years, life begins with conception.<\/p>\n
This is why Jewish law never authorizes the use of an intrauterine device (IUD) as a form of contraception. This device prevents the fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. By definition, this is not contraception but rather birth control.<\/p>\n
Modern science has made it possible for those unfortunate couples who for years have unsuccessfully longed for children to turn to in vitro fertilization (IVF). And then the question arises: "Is this thing in the laboratory dish a living organism?"\"<\/p>\n
Jewish law will answer: "Yes"; life begins at conception.<\/p>\n
The usual IVF procedure involves retrieving several eggs from the mother, with the aim of fertilizing and implanting as many as possible. If, for example, ten eggs have been fertilized, implanting all ten would be counterproductive. They would likely all die. The doctor will most likely implant three or more, hoping that one will take.<\/p>\n
Then the problem arises regarding the correct way to proceed with the remaining eggs. Jewish law states that we cannot destroy them, but neither are we obligated to implant them. Therefore, they must be preserved through a deep-freezing process until their natural lifespan expires, approximately three years.<\/p>\n
Restrictions<\/p>\n
A few years ago, former US President Ronald Reagan was asked his opinion on abortion. He replied that he opposed it, except in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother's life was threatened.<\/p>\n
In Judaism, there is no question. Since life begins at conception, we cannot permit abortion simply because we dislike the father. It is true that the situation is unfortunate, but we cannot take our revenge on the unborn child.<\/p>\n
In the case of a woman who underwent amniocentesis, and it has been discovered that the fetus she carries in her womb suffers from Down Syndrome, Tay Sachs, or some debilitating disease, we will again be forced to say that life begins with conception, and abortion is not viable.<\/p>\n
If a woman who has ten children faces difficulties in managing the situation and finds herself expecting her eleventh child, she is likewise prohibited from having an abortion.<\/p>\n
The central point behind these restrictions, and behind all Jewish ethics, is our powerful belief and faith in God. As Jews, we are convinced that God is in control of everything. The birth of each child is a response to Divine Providence, and each child has their place in the world. To those who complain about how overpopulated and stressed the world is, I reply that it was overpopulated when I was a child with three billion inhabitants, it was overpopulated in my teens with four billion, it is overpopulated now with five billion, and it will continue to be overpopulated with six billion. It would seem that God always has room for one more.<\/p>\n
Permissible circumstances<\/p>\n
Judaism differs from Christian ethics, among other things, in that if we only have one chance to save the mother or the fetus, the mother's life takes priority.<\/p>\n
The mother is a living, viable being who, with God's help, will have other children and lead a productive life. The fetus, on the other hand, is an uncertain entity. We don't know if it will live or die.<\/p>\n
If, as we have proposed, life begins at conception, how can we measure the importance of one life over another?<\/p>\n
The Talmud cites two logical answers:<\/p>\n
1) If a person is being pursued by a murderer, we are not only permitted to kill the pursuer but are obligated to do so. A fetus that endangers the mother's life is considered a pursuer and must be eliminated.<\/p>\n
2) It is forbidden for a person to mutilate their own body. In recent times of war, it became common practice for men to cut off a small piece of their index finger to avoid conscription. Such a practice is undoubtedly prohibited.<\/p>\n
God has entrusted each of us with a body to care for, just as with a rental car, where the company expects to receive it back in perfect condition. However, if, God willing, a person has a gangrenous leg, they are not only permitted to have it amputated, but are obligated to do so to save their life.<\/p>\n
There is a story about the first Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, that emphasizes how critical the preservation of life is. Once, while engaged in his Yom Kippur prayers, the Rebbe removed his tallit, left the synagogue, and went to the edge of the village. There he chopped wood, lit a fire, and cooked a soup with which he fed a woman who had just given birth.<\/p>\n
The preservation of life supersedes the law.<\/p>\n
Shabbat, Yom Kippur, and even a part of one's own body can be sacrificed to save a life. Our Sages tell us: "Profane one Shabbat to save a life, so that many Shabbats may be preserved." In this case, the fetus will be considered a diseased organ of the mother and, consequently, may be amputated to save the mother's life.<\/p>\n
Conclusion<\/p>\n
If the perspective of Judaism seems so close to that of those who defend the "right to life," why are no rabbis seen staging protests outside abortion clinics in the United States and other countries? Why are there no massive demonstrations by Jews in front of government buildings? Why are there no marches sponsored by Orthodox Leagues?<\/p>\n
In truth, Judaism's view on abortion is the exact antithesis of the "Right to Life" Movement.<\/p>\n
Jews believe in motherhood. Each child born is a unique blessing, one that will bring only the greatest joy to the mother. Jews do not discourage abortion, but rather encourage every woman to fulfill her dream, whether expressed or unspoken, of raising a family.<\/p>\n
Often, when it's too late, an older woman will regret not having had that child. But a woman who was persuaded not to have an abortion will never regret having that child now.<\/p>\n
God has led the world for the past 5761 years; and He will continue to do so in this peculiar way until the coming of the Messiah, soon in our days.<\/p>\n
Extracted from www.jabad.org.ar<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"1. \u00bfCu\u00e1ndo comienza la vida en el Juda\u00edsmo? 2. \u00bfHay casos en que se permite el aborto?. 3. \u00bfSe permiten los medios anticonceptivos?. 4. \u00bfQu\u00e9 ocurre con la fertilizaci\u00f3n in Vitro?. 5. \u00bfSe puede usar medios anticonceptivos, por razones de planeamiento familiar?. 6. \u00bfSe permite el aborto en casos de violaci\u00f3n, enfermedad del feto, o… Read More \u00bbThe value of life<\/span><\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3810,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1072,1073,1071],"series":[],"class_list":["post-2877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vida-judia","tag-aborto","tag-fertilizacion","tag-vida"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/new-born-baby-1a.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/avatar1400.jpeg","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"castbox":{"key":"castbox","url":"","label":"CastBox","class":"castbox","icon":"castbox.png"},"rss":{"key":"rss","url":"","label":"RSS","class":"rss","icon":"rss.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/en\/feed\/podcast\/rabino-tuvia-serber","embedCode":"El valor de la vida<\/a><\/blockquote>