Overview
When it comes to the question of when life begins, Judaism is a subject that is wide open to interpretation. Judaism is an ancient religion with many texts and interpretations that can leave even devout Jews confused as to what is meant by “life” and how it applies to each individual. As a general overview, Judaism views life as beginning at the moment of birth, with the exception of some minority interpretations. In doing so, Judaism adheres to a variety of theories and teachings from the Torah, Talmud, and other ancient texts.
The question of when life begins has long been a hot-button issue in many cultures and religions. For Judaism, this question has been one of debate for centuries. While many interpretations exist for when life begins, the majority of modern-day Jews agree on one fundamental point: life begins at the moment of birth.
Theology and Philosophy
In terms of theology, Judaism teaches that human life is sacred and should be treated as such. As such, pregnancy can be seen as equivalent to the creation of a new life. The Talmud states that “everyone is born with their souls split in two”, which indicates that life has already begun in the womb. While it is true that the development of an embryo and fetus is often gradual, the Talmud’s teaching implies that the life of a person begins when the soul is first split. This has implications for how Judaism views abortion and other medical treatments that involve termination.
Many interpretations of Judaism go further, viewing conception and fertilization as the moment when life begins. This is because for many theologians, the soul is thought to be present at conception, a view which is supported by a passage in the Bible. According to the Bible, God tells Jeremiah that “he knows us before we are born”, indicating a belief in the pre-existence of souls. This interpretation has implications for the ethical consideration of abortion, with some believing that it should only be carried out in certain circumstances.
Modern Times
In modern times, the majority of contemporary Jews adhere to the belief that life begins at birth. This view is largely held in the Orthodox, Reform and Conservative branches of Judaism, with adherents of these strands regarding the unborn as potential life, rather than as fully-fledged life. As such, most Jews today deem abortion as permissible in certain circumstances, such as if the fetus poses a risk to the mother’s life, or if it has a severe birth defect that will limit its quality of life.
This view is backed up by a number of prominent Jewish scholars and thinkers. Israeli Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzger, for example, argues that an unborn fetus should not be viewed as a fully-fledged life, believing that “human life begins at birth and not before”. The same view is shared by American Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, who views an unborn fetus as “potential life” and has expressed support for a woman’s right to choose in certain circumstances.
Roles of Synagogue and State
The question of when life begins is one that is addressed by both synagogue doctrine and civil law. Synagogues often take a nuanced view on this subject and will typically provide guidance to their members on the ethics of terminating a pregnancy and considerations for parenthood. As for civil law, the laws of the Jewish State of Israel are dictated by the rulings of the Supreme Court, which takes both civil and religious law into account. In recent years, decisions from the court regarding abortion have largely aligned with the view that life begins at birth.
That being said, civil law varies from country to country, and the laws concerning abortion may not necessarily coincide with the beliefs of a particular synagogue. In some countries, such as in the United States, abortion is legal, while in other countries, such as in Israel, it is illegal. Therefore, it can be difficult to draw universal conclusions about the views of Judaism on when life begins.
Religious Texts
Religious texts also reveal nuanced and varied views on when life begins. In the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, there are multiple passages that appear to address the subject of life, though in vague and often metaphorical language. For instance, the Bible speaks of God “forming” and “creating” people in different contexts, a phraseology which can be interpreted in multiple ways. Additionally, the Book of Psalms refers to a person’s heart beginning to beat from “the first moment of life”, which may be seen as referring to the moment of birth.
The Talmud is another source of information that sheds light on the subject of when life begins. The Talmud does not specifically address the question of life, but it does speak about the respect for unborn life and the ethics of considering abortion. One particularly relevant quote is “The danger of one life is the damange of a world”, which many view as an indication of the value of human life.
Intermarriage and Fertility
When it comes to the issue of when life begins in Judaism, the issue of intermarriage is also relevant. According to Jewish law, a Jewish man who marries a non-Jewish woman is considered to be the father of any children that they may have. This means that the children of such a marriage are considered to be “children of the covenant”, i.e. Jewish children, and are entitled to all of the rights and privileges that other Jews are. Therefore, the question of when life begins is relevant to the lives of children born from intermarriages, as the religion of Judaism considers them to be just as “real” as any other Jewish person.
In addition to intermarriage, issues of fertility can also be relevant to the question of when life begins. Jewish law requires a Jewish woman to produce a child every three years, and if she does not, she is considered to be in violation of the law. Therefore, the start of life is important in terms of Jewish law, as the number of Jewish children produced would be determined by the moment when life begins.
Medical Treatments
The question of when life begins is also applicable to certain medical treatments. In Judaism, there is a prohibition on performing certain types of medical treatments on a fetus before it is born. For instance, in the case of a woman who is experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, Jewish law prohibits her from undergoing certain treatments, such as administering medication, until the baby is actually born. Additionally, Jewish law requires that medical treatments be administered to a baby after it is born, if at all possible. As a result, the question of when life begins is of paramount importance when it comes to performing medical treatments.
Similarly, when it comes to the issue of abortion, Jewish law is quite clear that it is permissible in certain cases. For instance, if the pregnancy is threatening the life of the mother, or if the fetus has a severe birth defect, many rabbis would allow abortion. Likewise, abortion can be allowed if the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest. However, abortion cannot be performed in cases where a Jewish child may be harmed, such as in the case of a gender selection abortion.
Scientific Approaches
In modern times, Judaism has also embraced scientific approaches to determining when life begins. In recent years, some scientific leaders in the Jewish community have argued that life begins at the moment of conception, based on scientific evidence that shows proteins, hormones and other elements that are produced by the embryo and fetus are of an alive and conscious nature from the moment of conception. As a result, some feel that even though life was traditionally thought to begin at birth, scientific evidence suggests that it starts much earlier. Ultimately, much of the issue still centres around interpretation.
Additionally, genetic testing is increasingly being used to inform discussions on when life begins. This involves looking at the genetic code of an embryo and examining the presence or absence of certain genetic markers. In this way, scientists can create a genetic “fingerprint” of the embryo and can even determine exactly when the embryo was conceived. This has implications for the question of when life begins, as it can provide information that can be used to make more informed decisions about abortion and other issues.
Conclusion
When it comes to the question of when life begins in Judaism, it is clear there are multiple interpretations and theories, though most modern-day Jews agree that life begins at birth. This is supported by religious texts such as the Talmud, Bible, and views from prominent rabbis and thinkers. Additionally, scientific evidence has begun to play a more prominent role in how the question is answered, though much of the interpretation still relies on how the individual views the evidence. Ultimately, the answer to the question of when life begins in Judaism is an open one, and it is up to each person to decide where they stand on the issue.
