The Jewish Viewpoint on the Issues of Contraception and Abortion

Judaism has very strict rules on the issues of birth control, family planning and abortion. However, since all circumstances cannot be cut-and-dried or meet specific and exact conditions, Jewish Law provides for conditions wherein contraception and abortion may be performed in consonance with the commandments.

By tradition, Jewish Law strongly disagrees with birth control and abortion when the act is carried out simply for self interest. Of the 613 commandments (mitzvah) in the Torah, the first mitzvah we find is for husband and wife to procreate and to have children.

It is the firm conviction of Judaism that a home does not have little children is a home without any blessing. In spite of this, it is also one of the tenets of Judaism that when a couple plans to have children in the future, the concept of family planning or spreading out the years in between the births of children (as opposed to come what may) does not contradict the spiritual mandate of God for couples to procreate. Judaism puts more significance with the birth control method and its consequences. There are allowable birth control methods and those which are not allowed to be used because of the religious ruling against “the destruction of seed” as Judaism strictly forbids the destruction of seed.

However, artificial forms of birth control through the use of pills, patches, injections and implants, are acceptable and allowed. On the other hand, contraception methods like intrauterine devices, condoms, and gels that destroy or block the passage of seed are forbidden by the majority of the orthodox rabbinic authorities. Using condoms in sexual intercourse is acceptable if it is to protect against the spread of a sexually transmitted disease, however, this seems to be a faux pas as sexual relations is only allowed within the confines of marriage.

Even within the liberal movements such as Reform Judaism, birth control, contraception or abortion is strictly forbidden when done for purely selfish grounds. Birth control is only acceptable if it meets particular conditions such as where the pregnancy poses a risk to either the mother or child or when previous births are children that have adverse physical or mental deficiencies. This concept is broadened to include conditions of extreme poverty, substandard living conditions and possible threats to the present interests of existing children. The Reform Judaism’s Central Conference of American Rabbis have even promulgated and allowed the necessity of birth control as long as it meets certain conditions. Members of the Reform and even some Conservative rabbis believe in family planning and have no moral issues against the use of condoms unlike the Orthodox Jews.

The issue of abortion is also a contentious subject matter in Judaism. Abortion is allowed only if it is recommended by a physician in order to save the life mother or if the pregnancy is hazardous to the health of the pregnant woman. Judaism holds that the mother’s life is more important than that of an unborn child, for her husband and two other children she might give birth to in the future.

Performing an abortion before the 40 days gestation period is strictly prohibited but is not considered murder. However there are extenuating circumstances that take precedence over the prohibition like if the pregnant woman is a rape victim.

Judaism allows abortion on grounds or possibilities that the mother or the baby may die if the pregnancy is allowed to continue full term. However, it is recommended that before abortion is performed on a pregnant woman, both the doctor and Rabbi should be consulted; however, if finding the woman’s Rabbi puts her in greater danger, abortion must be performed immediately as the life of the mother takes precedence over that of the baby.

Source: http://www.devorah.us

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