Debates Over Reproductive Technology in the Jewish Community

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During the last two decades there has been an increase in discoveries about reproductive technologies. These new scientific break-trough’s, for example, conceiving a child outside a mother’s uterus; brings question to religious, legal and ethical morals. The Orthodox community in particular have many concerns regarding the new developments associated with reproductive technologies. Although there are many questions, not all the answers are readily available as many of the prominent Orthodox rabbis disagree on how to answer these concerning questions. Most of the questions asked by Orthodox couples, medical professionals and others interested in this topic, stem from the reasoning that when using Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART), it is not a natural way to conceive a child. (Encyclopedia) The Orthodox Jewish people believe there are three partners involved in creating another human life: a mother, a father and God (Niddah 31a). Along with the new technology comes an added partner, a physician. (nishmas avrahaam) It is written in Genesis 1:27 that when God created man and woman, the Torah states that He created them in “His Image” (Gen. 1:27). Many Jewish Orthodox scholars conclude from this, that each human being has a powerful, inherent value. After God created man and woman, He commanded them to, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28). The commandment of “Be fruitful and multiply” explains the importance of the religious responsibility of the Jewish people to have children. “Yesh Me’eyin” translated as, “Something from nothing”, was used to describe the way God created the world. Judaism believes that God created the world alone and these new technologies do not contradict the belief. The fact that a child is conceiv... ... middle of paper ... ... born through the natural way of conception is permitted to have a bris milah and therefore a boy who was born through IVF would not be permitted to have a bris on Shabbos. Halachik questions pertaining to IVF using donor Is the donor the husband or someone else? Almost every posek will hold that if the husband can use his own sperm he should. If the husband cannot, the donor should be non-Jewish. If the donor is someone else is the child considered a mamazar? The questions that come in to play are those of adultery and considering the child to be a mamzar. Rav Moshe Feinstein z”l addressed an emotional woman who was distressed over not being able to have children. Although Rav Moshe did not give a clear pesak, Rav Moshe did say that if she were to have a child with donor sperm there would be no Halacha question. If the donor is non-Jewish there is no question.

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