2007年9月21日星期五

[Kosher Living] Is it kosher to donate blood, organ transplant, scientifically experiment, animal organ transplant

In my own person conscience, to do all this ultimate purpose a life is save when most needed as long as no moral violation from the Torah perspective, no idolatry and incest is involved and there is a genuine need to save life.

As far as in Singapore laws is concern moral issues and even interfaith issues are honored and respected such as of blood, organs, stem cells etc are often discuss in parliament before any approval has been made legal.

I do not know if Singapore continue to honour the moral value and respect faith obligations in the future days to come we have to be constant updated and keep inform of all issue raised. Do voice your concerns as much as you can, if you have any doubt.

If you have doubt of donation do inquire the organization concern which source is it channel to for what purpose before donation. Every donor should be comfort to whom he or she is willing to give or donate. Ultimately there must be genuine life saving need and the Name of Yeshua is glorified.

I read the book on the Kosher life by Rabbi Ron Isaacs - some of issue below are discussed and approve and some certain aspect not approved

Organ transplants of the person upon death - Most rabbinic authorities in all branches of Judaism would permit the donation of one's organs to benefit another. Two main issues work in tandem with the issue of organ transplantation.

1. Saving a person's life and acting kindly to others are values so sacred in Judaism that if a person's organ can be used to preserve someone else's life, using the organ in that way is actually an honor to the deceased.

2. Enabling a person to live through a donation of an organ is an act of hesed (kindness); and the fact that the organ is a gift freely given is an important part of how both the donor and the recipient perceive it.

In the book entitle "The Second Jewish book of why" written by Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch, he wrote about "the lifesaving Principle teaching in Torah":

The lifesaving principle (Pikuach nefesh in Hebrew) is undoubtedly the most basic of all principles in Jewish law that is the fact life above the laws, preserve life to enable one to keep the commandments. Its source is biblical. Leviticus 18:5 says "Observe My commandments, which if a man do, he shall live by them." And Deuteronomy 30:9 states "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your offspring may live. From these verse, the Rabbis concluded that there is no higher priority than saving a life one's own as well as that of one's fellow man.

The use of animal or artificial organs is permissible and serves to help solve two of the major ethical problems regarding transplants. The first is the moral problem of assuring that a vital organ is not remove from a legally living person (so that the transplantation is not an act of murder).

The other is the practical problem of providing enough organs for those who need them. ........an statement raise "if we may eat the flesh of animals under the kosher dietary laws, then we may certainly use animal parts for saving life, we have a moral and religious obligation to use them, and they do not even have to be from a Kosher animal. However from my point of view I would not want to have pig organ in human body, pigs have parasite in their flesh.

Another issue on donate one's body to science for a medical student to dissect as part of his or her education... The majority of rabbinic would argue that to allow use of one's body parts for medical science is both an honor to the deceased and a real mitzvah in that it helps the living. Of course, one must have the express written permission of the deceased's family.

Objection to the donation of one's body for science center around the desecration of the body and the delay in its burial after death...... Many others do not object to the use of bodies of persons who gave their consent in writing, provided that the dissected parts are carefully preserved so as to be eventually buried with due respect according to Jewish law.

Is it kosher to declare some offically dead? .... if doctors are able to use a dying person's heart or vital organ such as kidney etc to save the life of an awaiting transplant patient... Dr Doctor able to indicating cessation of spontaneous brain activity be sufficient to determine death. ( a brain dead)

Donate blood no problem as long as it saves lives not for person gain and profit - make money. In Singapore, usually blood donation exercise to store blood bank should a sudden emergency crisis occurred.

Not Kosher - Judaism would not permit people to sell their body parts for a profit.

Quotes from


We may cure and save ourselves with all things, even those that are forbidden, except those things that are connected with idolatry, incest and murder - Rabbi Elliot Dorff

The authorized removal of the eyes of a deceased person in order to restore sight to the blind is not an act of mutilation, which is forbidden, but the act of healing and restoration, which in Jewish law takes precedence over almost all other religious injunctions ( CCAR Yearbook vol 53, 1953, p 153)

One who is sick and in danger of death, and the physican tells him that he can be cured by certain object or material that is forbidden by the Torah, he must obey the physician and be cured (Maimonides)

You shall live by them, but you shall not die because of them (Talmud Yoma 85b)

Whoever saves one life, it is as if he saved the entire world. (Mishnah, Sanhedrin 4:5)