https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israels-abortion-rate-continues-32-year-decline-654367
Referrals in Israel to pregnancy termination committees, from which approval is required before undergoing the procedure, have been trending downward since 1988, as has the number of abortions performed, according to new data from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
In
2019, the most recent year for which data is available, 17,688 females
turned to the committees. Some 99.4% were approved for an abortion,
while only 106 applications were rejected.
RDE, you ought to post a halachic analysis of birth control. Discussing both sides of the debate.
ReplyDeleteThis must be driving the feminists nuts. Imagine, a country where less women want to kill their unborn babies. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteEfrat is an Israeli anti-abortion group which tries to convince Jewish women not to undergo abortions. To this end, the organization distributes explanatory materials and offers economic aid to pregnant women considering abortion.
ReplyDeleteEfrat's explanatory materials demonstrate the fetus' qualities of life during the different stages of pregnancy, with the goal of showing that the fetus is a human life. Additionally, the organization presents the medical dangers resulting from abortion, stories of women who had an abortion and later regretted it, and stories of women who planned to have an abortion but ultimately did not.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the organization has concentrated on providing financial support to pregnant women who plan on having an abortion due to their economic situation...
...According to the publications by the organization, in 2006 it prevented the abortion of about 2,600 unborn children, and, in total, has prevented about 25,000 abortions as of 2007.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efrat_(organization)
In Canada, such a group would be almost illegal and certainly "cancelled"
ReplyDeleteTzaddikim
ReplyDeleteI’m familiar with a case, where many years ago, a woman who was having a very hard time, wanted to abort the twins she was carrying. With support from EFRAT, she was persuaded to keep them, and not abort them.
ReplyDeleteEFRAT followed up with support, and today, this woman has grandchildren, born from one of these twins; a mother, who almost didn't make it alive into this world.
I also once approached EFRAT, and asked them, on behalf of a childless couple, if they knew of any woman who wasn’t willing to abort her child, but also didn’t want to raise it; thinking that this might be a source of getting a Jewish baby for adoption.
The folks at EFRAT told me, that they didn’t have any. They explained; that in their experience, they rarely have any babies who need to be adopted. Once the woman follows through with the pregnancy, they almost invariably want to keep the child, and raise it themselves!
On many levels, this was a powerful message to me, how Hashem created maternal instincts in a mother, and apparently, it’s only because of external liberal influences, that a woman can be persuaded to kill her own child, that’s growing inside herself. If these negative influences can be countered with positive influences, then more women will be empowered to make the correct life decisions, and be able to live with the decision too.
Amazing. Appreciate you sharing the story.
ReplyDeleteEven though many Jews aren't religious, they still appreciate the sanctity of life, and respect those who promote the notion of giving unborn children a chance at life.
ReplyDeleteI once met a secular woman, in a maternity ward, in Israel. She explained that they weren't "planning" on having a child, and therefore took measures to prevent pregnancy, but an "accident" occurred and the measures failed. However once she realized that she was pregnant, there was no question that she would go through with it, and abortion was not even an option in her mind.
I’m sure that this woman wasn’t unique, and many other women, even if they’re secular, share the same sentiments.
the conditions in which people get pregnant vary, so it is more likely that those whoa re single or in an unmarried relationship would chose to terminate, than those who are married.
ReplyDeletehere is a question - i am reading an article which says "Shulchan Aruch clearly states that one may not state that he is a non-Jew, even if his life is otherwise endangered"
ReplyDeletehttps://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/951167/rabbi-etan-schnall/dressing-as-a-jew-in-public-the-yarmulka-and-anti-semitism/
now firstly, by what force is this forbidden?
second, if one's life is at risk, then shouldn't this be overruled for pikuach nefesh?
even it isn't overruled, so what? i can eat chazir to save my life, why not lie about something?
where is this Shulchan Aruch? - it is not in the article you linked
ReplyDeleteHe cites Y.D. 157:2.
ReplyDeleteShulchan Aruch: It is forbidden for a man to claim that he is an idolater so that they will not kill him; if, however, so that they will not know he is a Jew, he changes his clothes during a time of legislation, this is permitted, since he does not say that he is an idolater. Rama: Even if he must wear shaatnez (Nimukei Yosef Bava Kama Perek haGozel (the second one)). Even though it is forbidden to say that he is an idolater, nonetheless he may say things that can be interpreted multiple ways (Nimukei Yosef Bava Kama Perek haGozel) and the idolaters will understand that he has said that he is an idolater while he means something else. Likewise, if he can trick them so that they will think he is an idolater, this is permitted (Trumas HaDeshen Siman 197). In the same vein, one who desires another man’s wife - if his wife can sleep with him such that he will believe he is sleeping with the forbidden woman, this is permitted (ibid in the Nimukei Yosef). All of this is permitted only where there is a danger, but where there is no danger - for instance, he wears idolaters’ clothes so they will not recognize that he is a Jew so that he can avoid the tax or suchlike - that is forbidden (Hagahos Ashiri and Nimukei Yosef Bava Kama Perek haGozel (the second) and Trumas haDeshen Siman 196 and other authorities).
ReplyDeleteSo in Europe, whether for inquisition or pogroms etc can he say he's a Christian? Some consider it as not being idolatry.
ReplyDeleteבית יוסף יורה דעה סימן קנז
ReplyDeleteב אסור לאדם לומר שהוא גוי כדי שלא יהרגוהו וכו'. כ"כ הרא"ש ברפ"ב דעבודה זרה (סי' ד) ומיהו כתב בנמוקי יוסף בפרק בתרא דקמא (ב"ק מ סוע"א) שאם גזרו שיהרג כל הנקרא בשם יהודי על שאינו עובד ע"ז וזה כדי שלא יכירוהו משנה מלבושו כמלבושם ובורח מותר והביא ראיה מדאמרינן בפרק קונם (נדרים סב:) אמר רבא שרי לצורבא מדרבנן למימר עבדא דנורא אנן לא יהיבנא כרגא ופירשו המפרשים בשם התוספות שאותם שהיו עובדים האש היו פטורים ממכס ומס וכו'ה. ובמדרש רבה פרשת וישלח (פרשה פ"ב אות ח) איתא שני תלמידים של רבי יהושע שינו עטיפתן בשעת השמד פגע בהם איסתרטוס משומד אמר להם אם בניה של תורה אתם תנו נפשכם עליה למה שניתם עטיפתכם ואם אין בניה אתם וכו' א"ל בניה אנו ועליה אנו נהרגים הרי מבואר שגם כי רצונם ליהרג בשביל התורה עם כל זה היו משנים מלבושיהם למלבושי נכרי שמא לא יכירום ולא ימיתום ע"כ. ומבואר הוא דלא מהני שינוי העטיפה אלא לשמא לא ישאלום מאיזה דת הם אבל אם ישאלום אסור להם לומר שהם גוים וכדכתב הרא"ש ז"ל והיינו דאמרו הנך תלמידים בניה אנו ועליה אנו נהרגיםו. וכיוצא בדברי נמוקי יוסף כתב מהר"י קולון בשורש פ"ח בשם הגהות סמ"ק וז"ל הא דאמרינן אפילו ערקתא דמסאנא אסור וכו' היינו דוקא כשהגוים אומרים לו עשה כך כדי לחלל את השם אז הוא אסור אפילו בשינוי ערקתא אבל כדי שלא יהא ניכר שהוא יהודי כגון ללבוש בגדי נכרי שקורין ראי"י או להתנהג בדבר שלא יהא ניכר מותר ומכל מקום כתב דאיכא התם מאן דפליג ואמר דללבוש בגדי ראי"י שלא יכירוהו ביהודי בדרכים אסור מההיא דבן סורר ומורה. [בדק הבית] ובתרומת הדשן סימן קצ"ז כתב בדינים אלו באורך [עד כאן]:
The Tur says that claiming to be a goy is acknowledging the validity of idolatry
ReplyDeleteטור יורה דעה הלכות עבודת כוכבים סימן קנז
א]אסור לאדם לומר שהוא עכו"ם כדי שלא יהרגוהו דכיון שאומר שהוא עכו"ם הרי מודה לדתם וכופר בעיקר אבל מי שנתחייב מיתה ומציל עצמו במה שבורח לבית אליל ו)כתב א"א הרא"ש ז"ל(ז) שיכול לברוח לתוכה ואין בזה משום מודה באליל:
Intresting this is missing from Aruch HaShulchan
ReplyDeleteSo I have to give up my job as a Hollywood actor, because I play goyim? (Rhetorical question)
ReplyDeleteThat is not what the Rema says. If it is clear that it is simply a Job why should it e prohibited?
ReplyDeleteYou would have a better question of posing as a Muslim based on the Rambam
ReplyDeleteIn both cases it involves acting and convincing the audience it is real.
ReplyDeleteActually my ancestors did that in a shmad.
ReplyDeleteive heard that rav herzog required them to re-convert, but rav Uziel did not, and recognised the community as fully Jewish.
When a pregnancy is "terminated", the child was punished for the parents' indifference about their life.
ReplyDeletehttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allahdad
ReplyDeleteVery well stated!
ReplyDeleteI have met many secular Jews who share the sentiment for the sanctity of life.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful posting.
ReplyDeleteI positively concur, with your very powerful closing paragraph.
May Hashem bless them all, with everything good!
ReplyDelete