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The obligation to protect human life – Is abortion permitted if the mother’s life is endangered?

The Obligation to protect human life

The prohibition of murder and injury

The prohibition of forbidden sexual relationship ensures that unwanted pregnancies do not occur. Every child should be wanted and grow up with parents who lovingly protect and educate them. To abort an unwanted child is tantamount to murder.

Rabbi Ishmael on Genesis 9:6 :

“One who sheds the blood of man IN / ב man”, on this basis it is taught that under normal circumstances killing a fetus is a capital offense.

If a woman is at risk of dying in childbirth, it is permitted to kill the unborn fetus and remove it from her to save her life, because it is as if the fetus is pursuing her to kill her.

But if its head has already emerged, since it is already born, it is forbidden to harm it, for one does not have permission to choose one life over the other.

Since the above is very brief: always, every case where abortion may be necessary, consult halachic and medical experts as soon as possible.

A baby is precious because: For Thou – God- formed my kidneys, wove me in my mother’s womb. ( Tehillim 139:13)


By Angelique Sijbolts

Sources: The Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner and Dr. Michael Schulman

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