Week 37 Essay- Life and Death
Assisted suicide refers to the action of providing a person with the means to commit suicide. It does not mean the same as euthanasia, which is when an easy and gentle death is achieved. Although the terms are similar in their interpretation, the differences are strong, and result in the differences in their interpretation in the legal system.
Abortion is the removal of a foetus from the womb before it can survive. Beliefs on abortion vary dramatically between religions, and therefore people can very strong opposed views. It is for this reason that abortion often presents a controversial issue in the forum of debate with many differences in opinion. It can be difficult for this reason, for governments to create laws legalising abortion, as such laws have to abide and understand as wide a view as possible.
The Torah is the Jews’ greatest source of authority, however it does not state clear actions regarding abortion. For this reason, Jewish teachers have to go back to the earliest principals and apply them to the issue.
The Jewish belief on abortion comes about from the main principal that life is a gift from God and that life is sacred- even as embryo has life, so abortion is murder. However, this notion is questioned when the mother’s life is put at risk if the pregnancy is continued, as it is also believed the Mother’s life is sacred. The majority of Reform and Orthodox Jews agree that the Mother’s life is of prior importance, and therefore the pregnancy should be aborted if the Mother is being put at risk. Nevertheless, what the correct action is if it is not the Mother’s life, but the Mother’s happiness being put at stake cannot be agreed upon. For Reform Jews and a percentage of Orthodox Jews, the risk to the Mother’s life extends to the mental health of the Mother, to include homicidal behaviour or emotional stress caused by the pregnancy. Some Reform Jews even believe that poverty is grounds for abortion, however Orthodox Jews strongly disagree.
