Judaism And Abortion

[zionlion]

According to this very misguided "rabbi", aborting your child can "save you spiritually".
Soft words can't disguise a twisted mind.
May the Ruach open this woman's eyes and heart:

youtu.be/LUpAOtRS5Ls

[jimmie]

Deut 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Hard cases make bad law. If the murder (abortion) of unborn children is allowed because the chid might effect the health of the mother, then there is no place to draw the line as to when abortion should be illegal. We as God’s people are instructed to choose life so that both we and our seed may live. If abortion (death) of the seed is chosen in order to avoid some perceived threat to the mothers life, then the seed can’t live and our lives are put into jeopardy before the One who is able to destroy both body and soul.

[tonga]

She isn't a rabbi, and of course she is liberal. Judaism allows for abortion in certain instances, but it is not something to encourage.

[zionlion]

Jimmie,

I couldn't agree with you more.

Blessings

[zionlion]

tonga,

You and I know she's not a rabbi, but it hasn't occurred to her yet.
She claims that the Jewish community fully supports a woman's "right to choose".
From observation, this would seem to be true among the Reform and secular.
I'm not sure about the Conservative or Orthodox.

Can you help?

Blessings

[tonga]

Apr 12, 2011 17:22:08 GMT -8 zionlion said:

tonga,


She claims that the Jewish community fully supports a woman's "right to choose".
From observation, this would seem to be true among the Reform and secular.
I'm not sure about the Conservative or Orthodox.

Can you help?

Blessings

Definitely the Liberal adherents of Judaism have no issue with abortion. I don't know the Conservative view, but in Orthodoxy
AFAIK there are two reasons abortions are allowed: to save the
life of the mother, and for certain pregnancies that would cause
mental anguish for the mother (rape, incest). However, the laws
are most likely complex and one would have to consult a rabbi
well versed in them.

Edit: I just found this article that explains abortion and Jewish law very well: www.aish.com/ci/sam/48954946.html

[jimmie]

Ex 23:24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
[/img]







The above emblem was a link on the web page that contained the article. The emblem is the staff of the pagan god - Mercury with a Star of David attached to the top. A fitting description of what I found in the article, a mixture of pagan philosophies with the Laws of God. Below are a few of the items that I take issue with.

From the Article:
The fact that the requires a monetary payment for causing a miscarriage is interpreted by some Rabbis to indicate that abortion is not a capital crime4 and by others as merely indicating that one is not executed for performing an abortion, even though it is a type of murder.5

Answer:
Ex 21:22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Sure sound like the life of the one that cause the woman’s fruit to depart is required if the baby dies.

From the Article:
As a general rule, abortion in Judaism is permitted only if there is a direct threat to the life of the mother by carrying the fetus to term or through the act of childbirth. In such a circumstance, the baby is considered tantamount to a rodef, a pursuer6 after the mother with the intent to kill her.

Answer:
Under this rule, Rachel would have been justified had she aborted Benjamin.

From the Article:
It is important to point out that the reason that the life of the fetus is subordinate to the mother is because the fetus is the cause of the mother's life-threatening condition, whether directly (e.g. due to toxemia, placenta previa, or breach position) or indirectly (e.g. exacerbation of underlying diabetes, kidney disease, or hypertension).8

Answer:
Under this rule it should be permissible to terminate the mother when her body produces anti-bodies that will cause Hemolytic disease of the newborn resulting many times in its death.

[zionlion]

Thanks for the link, tonga.
The article confirms what I had suspected.
When you boil it all down, the basic default position of the Orthodox is pro-life.

I appreciate your help because I don't have a poskim to consult.

Thank you again.