136 Lewis D. Solomon
embryo, or a fetus that do their thing and disappear when we die. This technique corrects the functioning of a defective or condition gene or replaces it, thereby curing a disease at its root. Any genetic changes in a cell line affect only the individual in question.’
With germline therapy,’ genetic changes are made in reproductive cells so that new configurations are passed on to future generations. Perhaps sooner than we think, physicians will be able to tinker with the genes of reproductive cells, thereby changing future progeny, allowing parents to take corrective action in the sex cells of their sperm or eggs, a fertilized egg, at the early embryonic stage in vitro, or a fetus, and thus eliminating genetic diseases or conditions from future generations at less expense than somatic therapy in successive generations. It represents what experts have described“as the ultimate form of preventive medicine in that we can potentially prevent certain types of diseases even before a person is born.”
The Jewish tradition views as divinely sanctioned, if not mandated, the acquisition of knowledge to cure human illness and disease. The pursuit of knowledge does not involve the forbidden eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge,’ which we are told led to the expulsion of Eden. The Psalmist writes: The heavens are the Eternals heavens, but the earth God has given to humanity.” Thus, the pursuit of knowledge represents a legitimate activity for humans, not an encroachment on God ’s plan for this world. Knowledge is value neutral; it depends on how we use our new power.*
The Babylonian Talmud interprets the biblical phrase“and he [an attacker] shall surely cause him[his victim] to be healed,” as allowing the use of knowledge to cure disease and heal illness.'” This use of knowledge may even be biblically mandated on the basis of the biblical obligation to restore a lost object," including the restoration of lost health. Medicine, thus, as one Reform responsum states,