What is the stand of Orthodox Jews on the issue of abortion?
From my understanding of the Law, there were penalties for injuring or harming the life of an unborn. For instance if two men were fighting and a pregnant woman was injured so as to cause the death of the unborn child. The life of the mother not being in danger because of the pregnancy, what is the stand of the Orthodox on this issue?
Thank you and peace!
Abortion is a tricky issue. It is true that if the mothers life is in danger an abortion is called for. However, “danger” is interpreted different ways and there is not hard fast way to define it. Jewish law is very complex on this issue.
You cannot have an abortion for “trivial” reasons like using abortion as birth control or because you cannot afford the child. The child is not a legal person until it is born but it is a potential person so it does have a limitied number of rights. Depending on your personal views, it would be right to say abortion is allowed and also that abortion is frowned upon.
I know of a story where the mother had cancer and refused to get treatment because she was pregnant. The doctors told her she should abort the fetuses (she had twins) so she could get radiation treatment. She refused because she wanted the babies. Her husband died in a car accident a short time after she became pregnant. By postponing her cancer treatment she was signing her own death warrant in a effect. She had the babies and died 3-4 years later.
A debate insued in the community about whether or not she was right in not having an abortion. There was not hard and fast answer.
It is an issue we grapple with just like the world at large.
I have a brother who is autistic and my sister once asked my parents if they could have known he was autistic if they would have aborted him and both said “Absolutely not”.
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January 30 2009 05:40 am | Uncategorized
vansemmanuel JPA/ JFW on 30 Jan 2009 at 10:56 am #
In a nutshell, Abortion in Judaism is accepted and required in some situations. These situations for example can include if the child may endanger the mothers life. If the pregancy is a danger to the mother then Abortion is rquired in Orthodox Judaism.
References :
Modern Orthodox Jew
justwondering on 30 Jan 2009 at 11:31 am #
I would imagine that abortion is inconsistent with the orthodox jewish lifestyle.
There may be exceptions of the mother’s life is in danger.
References :
Feivel JPAA on 30 Jan 2009 at 12:04 pm #
Abortion is a tricky issue. It is true that if the mothers life is in danger an abortion is called for. However, “danger” is interpreted different ways and there is not hard fast way to define it. Jewish law is very complex on this issue.
You cannot have an abortion for “trivial” reasons like using abortion as birth control or because you cannot afford the child. The child is not a legal person until it is born but it is a potential person so it does have a limitied number of rights. Depending on your personal views, it would be right to say abortion is allowed and also that abortion is frowned upon.
I know of a story where the mother had cancer and refused to get treatment because she was pregnant. The doctors told her she should abort the fetuses (she had twins) so she could get radiation treatment. She refused because she wanted the babies. Her husband died in a car accident a short time after she became pregnant. By postponing her cancer treatment she was signing her own death warrant in a effect. She had the babies and died 3-4 years later.
A debate insued in the community about whether or not she was right in not having an abortion. There was not hard and fast answer.
It is an issue we grapple with just like the world at large.
I have a brother who is autistic and my sister once asked my parents if they could have known he was autistic if they would have aborted him and both said “Absolutely not”.
References :
Modern Orthodox Jew
Paperback Writer JPA KosherNinja on 30 Jan 2009 at 12:09 pm #
HEY MARIE
In Judaism, the general idea is that the life of the mother takes priority *until* the baby is actually being born; once it's head is engaged, then it's a different matter. But abortion is permitted when there is deemed to be a serious risk of emotional, physical or psychological damage to the mother.
As FEIVEL rightly notes, there are no hard and fast rules. Personally, I respect the Jewish stance on abortion: it employs common sense and compassion.
References :