The Quest for Desi gner Children 143

place of immersion, a mikvah(the pool where women immersed themselves following their menstrual period so they could resume sexual intercourse with their husbands), saying:“When the daughters of Israel come out from their required immersion, they look at me that they may have sons who are as handsome as I and as accomplished in Torah as 1.”

It is unclear whether Rabbi Yonanan, whom Rabbi Rosenfeld referred to, intended only to give advice, not to promulgate a legal ruling. Rabbi Yohanan’s admonition, however, may well extend to allow the use of genetic engineering to produce physically and mentally superior children.

Looked at from another angle, some traditionalists may view genetic engineering on an egg or sperm before conception(or a fertilized egg, an embryo, or a fetus) as permissible because genes are submicroscopic particles. Under Jewish law, no process invisible to the human eye is forbidden.” In other words, things not visible to the eye are excluded from legal consideration.”

Some traditionalists, notably Rabbi Freundel , seem open to genetic germline enhancement. Looking favorably on humans gaining control of their own evolution, Freundel writes:

Anything which improves the individual or the species will ultimately be viewed favorably from a Jewish law perspective.

Certainly, there are potentials for abuse in this technology. Eugenics, abusive and selfish construction of children to meet particular standards and personal fantasies, and“brave new world” scenarios are all possibilities and must be protected against. However, Judaism approaches such questions with a fundamental optimism. It believes that mankind will find ways to