Childbearing & Fertility
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Women in the Torah
I am currently a student studying at the University level “Women in Religion”. Being of jewish background I found myself face to face being told a lot about a religion I know very little about. We are studying “texts of…
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Prayers to Help with Infertility
Is there a prayer for children/fertility I can say every day? I myself was childless for the first eleven years of my marriage, so I understand your frustration and yearning, and hope that your prayers will soon be answered along…
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A Woman Selling her Eggs
Can a Jewish woman sell her eggs to a non-Jewish couple? The child born from a Jewish woman’s egg may be Jewish, and it’s not allowed to turn a Jewish child over to non-Jews.
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Childlessness
What is the Jewish view about childlessness? Childlessness has always been regarded as a terrible thing. See Gen. 15:1-2, where G-d promises Abraham great rewards, and Abraham replies “What can You give me? I am childless!”.
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An Embryo as a Person
Is an embryo legally a person? The Jewish view (Talmud, Sanhedrin 91b) is that the soul enters the body at conception.
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When Abortion is Permitted
Does Jewish law permit abortion? Since life begins at conception, abortion isn’t permitted even at the early stages of pregnancy. However, it’s permitted to kill someone in self-defense. Jewish law therefore permits abortion if carring the child to term would…
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Halachic Sources on Abortion
What are the Biblical, Talmudic, and halachic sources about abortion? Answer: The Torah speaks in one place (Ex. 21:22-23) about accidental abortion. The Talmud discusses abortion in a few places: Mishnah Arachin 7:1 and Ohalos 7:6; Tosefta Gitin 3:13 and…
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Accidentally Causing a Miscarriage
How is a person punished of he accidentally causes a woman to miscarry? Answer: The Midrash Mechilta explains the passage in Ex.21:22-23 as follows: If the mother lives, the person who caused the miscarriage pays a fine of 100 pieces…
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The Torah View on Abortion
What is the Torah view on abortion? Answer: The Torah holds human life to be of the utmost value; this applies also to fetal life. Hence abortion is basically forbidden. However, the Torah differentiates between born and unborn life, and…