Transcript JEWISH ETHICS A CLOSE LOOK AT BIOETHICS AND SEXUAL ETHICS 2014

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JEWISH ETHICS
A CLOSE LOOK AT BIOETHICS AND SEXUAL ETHICS
Presented by
Sandy Hollis
Studies of Religion
2014
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HALACHA
 Based on Torah
 Certain choices are left to man’s moral sense.
 Raises the consciousness of the people.
 Dynamic
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BIOETHICS
 Deliberations based on the Torah and the Talmud.
Interpretation of these texts attempts to identify the duties of
physicians, patients and families who are faced with difficult
health decisions.
 Decisions on bioethics are generally based on 3 principles –
human life has infinite value, ageing, illness and death are a
natural part of life and improvement of the patient’s quality of
life is a constant commitment.
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A BALANCING ACT
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PIKUACH NEFESH
 The overriding commandment is that of ‘Pikuach Nefesh” – the
obligation to save a life in jeopardy even to the extent of
violating other commandments.
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ABORTION
“And if men strive together and hurt a woman with child, so that
her fruit depart and yet no harm follow, he shall surely be fined,
according to the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he
shall pay as the judges determine.” (Exodus 21:22)
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 “But if other damage ensues, the penalty shall be life for
life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand,---”
(Exodus 21:23)
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DIN RODEF
 “If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first.”
(Sanhedrin 72a)
 “If one chases after his felllow to kill him, it is permitted to
save the chased at the expense of the life of the
pursuer.” (Sanhedrin 73a)
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 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 foetus
to term or through the act of childbirth. In such a circumstance,
the baby is considered a rodef, a pursuer (as in somebody
who is pursuing you in order to attack you and the action that
you take is thus self-defence) after the mother with the intent to
kill her.
 Judaism recognizes psychiatric as well as physical factors in
evaluating the potential threat that the foetus poses to the
mother. The danger presented by the foetus must be both
probable and substantial in order to justify abortion
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STEMCELL RESEARCH
 Stem cells are special types of cells that have the potential to
grow into any cell or tissue in the body, and so can be used to
replace cells that are damaged or diseased.
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 The issues raised by stem cell research may be divided into several
questions:
1. Is in vitro fertilisation permitted to begin with?
2. What is the Jewish approach to abortion?
3. Are pre-embryos included in the prohibition of abortion?
4. May a very early embryo be sacrificed for stem cells that could
save lives or at least cure disease?
5. May tissue from aborted foetuses be used for research or medical
treatment?
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EUTHENASIA
 Recognises the pain and suffering of the dying individual
and their families.
 Only God has the right to end a life.
 Life (and death) is involuntary.
 Impediments to a natural death can be removed.
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 Rabbi Moshe Feinstein – “when a patient is gripped by
unbearable pain and suffering, nature should be allowed to take
its course.”
 A gosses, a 'dying patient', according to many rabbinic
authorities, does not require the use of all available means to
prolong life, or for that matter, prolong the process of dying. A
gosses has been defined as a person who will die within seventy
two hours.
 “If there is something which inhibits the soul’s departure, such as a
nearby noise of knocking like wood-chopping, or if there is salt on
the patient’s tongue and these hinder the soul’s departure, then it
is permitted to remove them from there because this does not
entail a (positive) act but only the removal of an impediment to
death.”
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SEXUAL ETHICS
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GENERAL ATTITUDE
 “God created heaven and earth, the world and all that is in it.”
 Part of God’s plan.
 Man is created in the image of God and as “no fitter helper was
found, male and female, He created them.”
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I - THOU
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 “Go forth and multiply”
 “It is not good for man to be alone, I
will make a fitting helper for him.”
 “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
 “Do not follow your heart and eyes in
lustful urge.”
 “Sin couches at the door - Its urge is
towards you -Yet you can be its
master.
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 Judaism sees sexuality and sexual expression as something
positive and joyous, not obscene and inherently evil. It regards
sex as a legitimate good, as a mitzvah, as an act compatible with
holiness – at the same time, Judaism imposes certain restraints
and discipline upon this area of life that are intended to safeguard
both persons and sex itself from abuse.
 Kiddushin / Kadeisha
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CONTRACEPTION
 Go forth and multiply – a mitzvah for men.
 Jewish Law has traditionally opposed birth control or abortion
when practiced for purely selfish reasons.
 More concerned with the birth control method used.
 "Judith, the wife of Hiyya, having suffered agonizing pains of
childbirth, changed her clothes [on recovery] and appeared (in her
disguise) before Rabbi Hiyya. She asked 'Is a woman commanded
to propagate the race?' He replied 'No.' And relying on this
decision, she drank a sterilising potion."
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HOMOSEXUALITY
 The Torah considers homosexuality to be an abomination. (Toevah
- abhorrence)
 It is a sin punishable by death if legal conditions are satisfied.
 Lesbianism not viewed with the same strictness although still
considered a prohibited act. (P’reetzola – obscenity)
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PREMARITAL SEX
 Modesty – Tzniut – Privacy, respectful - turning your body into a
‘vehicle for holiness’ – fulfilling a higher purpose.
 Having sex is one of the three stages of marriage – betrothal,
contract and consummation.
 When performed promiscuously, sex before marriage can destroy
and cheapen sexuality and undermine self respect.
 To have sex with someone you have to know the person –
therefore casual sex is not permitted.
 Because the sexual act is so important, barriers have to be
formed – thus Orthodox people are not left alone before marriage
– neggiah.