SELECTED REFORM RESPONSA

The question here goes somewhat further as we are not dealing with life-threatening situations, but with the general question of prolonging life when its quality may be questionable. In none of these situations has any current extraordinary medical attention been provided. In two of the cases the cognitive and/or communicative ability seems to have ended. In the third there is a strong wish for death. In the fourth, the primary concern is relief from pain. Let us look at each of these cases individually.

For the patieri in a coma and the one completely paralyzed and unable to communicate, a segment of the brain which provides intelligence seems to be damaged beyond repair. Judaism does not define human life only in terms of mental activity. Every person has been created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26), and so even those individuals who may be defective, i.e., the retarded, the

blind, the deaf, the mute, etc., have always been considered as equally created in the image of God ; their life is as precious as any other. It is necessary to guard their life and protect it just as any other human life. This is also true of an elderly individual who has now lost some of her mental ability or power of communication. In fact, we owe a special duty toward these individuals who are weak and more likely to be neglected by society just as to the orphan, the widow and the poor(Deut. 14:29, 27:13; Jer. 7:6; Isa. 1.17; Shab. 133b; Meg. 31a; San. 74a; Yoma 82h).

Let us turn to the individual who seeks death and constantly reiterates his wish to die. Although some rabbinic authorities feel that neither an individual nor his family may pray for his death (Haim Palagi Hiskei Lev, Vol. 1, Yoreh Deah#50), most of our tradition would agree that a person may ask God to be relieved of suffering. The decision, of course, lies with God . A servant of

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