Judaism: The Original Pro-Life Religion

Before Judaism, pagan cultures regularly practiced child sacrifice. Judaism introduced to humankind the idea of the sanctity of human life, based on the maxim that human beings are co-created with God and made in His image. 

Rabbi David Bleich, author of Contemporary Halakhic Problems, writes that, "Abortion is prohibited in Judaism, just as murdering innocents is prohibited. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 57b) says that a fetus is included in the Noahide prohibition of bloodshed (distinct from homicide) that is learned from Genesis 9:6 that states (in a direct translation from the Hebrew), 

“He who spills the blood of man within man shall have his blood spilt.”

The Talmud interprets "the blood of man in man" as to include a fetus, which is the blood of man in man. Things that are prohibited under the Noahide laws are also prohibited to Jews

Rav Moshe Feinstein, a past president of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis and highly respected Halakhic authority, stated that, "Not only are Jews prohibited from having an abortion (except in the most extreme circumstances), but they are prohibited from assisting non-Jews from having an abortion, too. According to halacha, abortion is prohibited for non-Jews; it’s actually a capital crime. A Jewish doctor may not perform an abortion even if it would result in antipathy towards Jews.”

Because Judaism is a religion based in holiness and practicality, it also gave us the original exception to the prohibition on abortion - the life of the mother exception to be used when the physical life of the mother was in imminent danger due to a breech birth. 

Currently, only 1% of pregnancies present a life threatening situation for the Mother. Former United States Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Koop, stated publicly that in his thirty-eight years as a pediatric surgeon, he was never aware of a single situation in which a freeborn child's life had to be taken in order to save the life of the mother. According to the American Association of Pro-Life OBGYNs, rarely must the unborn baby be killed to save the mother's life. Early delivery and neonatal care save unborn children, leaving ectopic pregnancy as the remaining life threatening situation to the mother.

Judaism is now viewed by many Jews and gentiles as a religion that allows abortion from conception to birth with no limitations whatsoever. Our rabbis, our social service organizations, our hospitals, our health care providers, our women's groups embrace the idea of reproductive rights and the use of abortion as birth control. Contributing factors include an exiled people vulnerable to generations of secular influences appealing to our sense of compassion, misuse of Torah language to justify killing innocents, profiteering from the lucrative abortion industry, and the endemic substitution of our life-based covenant with HaShem for the death culture of feminist ideology. We have now reached the horrifying situation that 83% of Jews feel that abortion should be legal in most cases (Pew Poll), and 76% of Jews feel that abortion is morally acceptable (Gallup Poll). 

The 2019 March For Life events in January are an opportunity to redefine how Jews and gentiles view Judaism. All year round we make our information available to Jews everywhere, trying to reverse the destruction of body, mind, and spirit that follows every Jewish abortion procedure. To help us in our mission, please contact us for our materials and let us know of opportunities in your area to speak or table at events, seminars, and educational workshops. Together we can recapture the life giving traditions that sustained us throughout history.

We can save Jewish lives!

Cecily Routman

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.