END-STAGE EUTHANASIA
seems to feel that the physician’s help should be sought, but he has been instructed by God while in the Book of Tobit , the physician did not succeed and Tobit was miraculously healed.” The Bible was not particularly concerned with medicine in contrast to the other ancient Near Eastern societies as Egypt and Mesopotamia. ®
Although no clear path was set by Scripture, the Mishnah, Talmud and Midrashim heavily favored medical intervention with numerous statements in praise of physicians as well as a few which cast doubt on their efforts. This was part of the Hellenistic influence upon Judaism . Many texts take it for granted that physicians will be used, others require it, while a few would have those who are ill rely on God alone. The strongest negative feelings were expressed by the statement: "The best of physicians is destined for gehenna," but even this statement assumed that physicians were widely used. Other texts make it clear that those who rely on the physician should not see this as a denial of God as the ultimate healer.’
In later Jewish times only Karaite writers continued to oppose medical intervention, however I do not know whether this was followed by the Karaite community which usually lived in close contact with rabbinate Jews . The medieval scholar/physicians do not comment on this behavior within the Karaite communities with which they must have been familiar."