EUTHANASIA(1980) Walter Jacob

QUESTION: A patient has terminal cancer and has sunk into a deep coma. Only the artificial life support systems are keeping him alive. Would Jewish tradition permit these systems to be shut off? What is the Jewish attitude toward euthanasia?(Dr. N.H., Philadelphia , PA )*

ANSWER: Jewish tradition makes a clear distinction between, on the one hand, positive steps which may hasten death, and on the other hand, avoiding matters which may hinder a peaceful end to life. It is clear from the Decalogue(Ex. 21:14; Deut. 5:17) that any kind of murder is prohibited. The only Biblical case of euthanasia was King Saul(I Sam. 31:1ff: II Sam. 1:5ff), who asked his servant to slay him after his own attempt at suicide failed(II Sam. 1:5ff).

In the Tannaitic period, the Mishnaic tractate Semahot(1.1) considered a dying person(goses) as a living individual in every respect. That point of view has been followed by later codes such as Maimonides ’ Yad and Caro’s Shulhan Arukh. It is clear from the Mishnaic statement that none of the acts usually performed upon the dead should be done to the dying, nor should a coffin be prepared or matters of inheritance be discussed. The additional later discussion made it clear that no positive acts which may hasten death were to be undertaken, so the Sefer Hasidim (723) stated that an individual should not be moved to a different place even if that might make dying easier.

It is further quite clear that we must use any medicine or drug

Which may help an individual. All Shabbat laws may be trespassed to save a life(Yoma 85a; Shulhan Arukh, Orah Hayim 196.2, 319.17; Ex. 31:14; Lev. 18:5), and even the death of an individual who is seriously ill should not be hastened(Shulhan Arukh, Yoreh Deah 339.1). In all these instances, some vague hope remained. However, these injunctions were modified with a dying individual(goses) in the throes of death. In that case, it was considered appropriate for an individual to stop praying for the lives of those dear to him or pray for their release(Ket. 104a; led. 40a: Rema to Shulhan Arukh, Even Haezer 121.7 and Hoshen