NJ Gubernatorial Race

 BS"D

"Ain Dochin Nefesh..." 

Support of Either Major Candidate in NJ's Gubernatorial Race  Threatens to Proliferate Assisted Suicide Laws

27 Mar-Cheshvan, 5782 / November 1, '21

By Rabbi Noson Shmuel Leiter

The Targum Yonoson on "Lo Sirtzach" (Shmos 20:13) explains that not only are we prohibited from murder itself, but also from partnership and association with murderers.* Flaunting this Torah imperative results in the next generation continuing in that lethal path.

{* Cf. Makkos 10a on Hoshea 6}

The world just witnessed the barbaric murder of two-year old toddler Alta Fixsler HY"D. Alta, valiantly struggling with brain-damage from birth, was killed by the British healthcare system. Alta, not even a British citizen, was held hostage and murdered because a British judge deemed her life worthy of being ended, against the unrelenting efforts of her family and supporters around the world. This, in spite of alternative treatment options overseas that would have extended and possibly saved her life - and saved the U.K. money as well.  Thus, England's  legal vendetta against Alta, unlike some of their previous crusades, wasn't about Greed, but "Creed:" the redefinition of murder.

This movement of state-mandated murder didn't start with Alta, or with previous victims of systemic British barbarism, like Alfie Evans and Charlie Gard. It started years earlier and "progressed" to those murders of innocent children.  What's more frightening is that across the Pond, the U.S. is not far behind. And, as is the case with the overall moral collapse on a range of issues, much "Hakaras haTov" (gratitude) is owed to both major political parties for that, specifically in regard to the advance of "Assisted Suicide."

The threat of the legalization of assisted suicide is such that over fifty Rabbis from across the Orthodox spectrum signed a statement against it. Therein, they state that it's prohibited to vote for a political candidate who either supports or previously supported assisted suicide, EVEN if already became law. If voters don't show politicians that previous acts have consequences, we can't expect to deter them - OR OTHERS - in the future.

Text of the statement:

"Regarding attempts to pass “Death with Dignity” legislation:

The chiyuv (Torah injunction) of “Lo sa'amod al dam re’echa”, obligates everyone to do what he or she can, to help prevent assisted suicide and/or euthanasia.

Allowing the legalization of “assisted suicide”, even if this particular law in practice would only result in assisting a suicide and not euthanasia, is to allow shefichas-domim (bloodshed). Furthermore even rendering such actions not being subject to prosecution, is allowing shefichas-domim (bloodshed), al achas kama ve'kama (how much more so), in cases of assisted suicide leading to euthanasia.

Voting on the basis of this issue.*

{technically, should be punctuated with a colon - NSL}

This obligation would include:

1) Thus*, when voting for any public official, this issue must be considered as top priority, certainly overriding financial considerations, government programs, etc. By voting for people who support these laws, we become accountable for their actions. This ruling would still apply even if these laws were to be passed, we would still be forbidden to vote for legislators who voted for these laws. This is the most important way to fulfill our obligation.

{* The word "thus" here clearly refers back to the first two paragraphs, as if the previous two single-line phrases are to be read, grammatically speaking, as headers. None of my grammatical comments here are to be taken to alter or detract from the imperative meaning of any of these phrases. NSL}

2) Urging one’s legislators to vote against these bills, if and when they arise[1]and to urge the governor to veto such bill, were it to pass the legislature.

3) Helping in efforts to repeal such laws, in areas[2] where such legislation was already passed. Even a few votes can make a major difference, both by legislators and the public—sometimes the vote of a single legislator can decide the fate of these laws—as is evidenced by the recent vote in the New Jersey State Assembly (in November 2014), where an assisted suicide bill was passed by just one vote. We have seen in several recent races in Jewish neighborhoods, that even a handful of votes can make the difference in the outcome of the election[3]
Furthermore, some legislators keep track of the calls that are made to their offices on particular controversial issues, and vote according to their results.

May the Creator of all life grace us with the merit to save innocent lives, fulfilling our role as an ohr legoyim (light unto the nations). In that merit, may we help usher in the Final Redemption by Moshiach Tzidkeinu."

Signatures of  Leading Roshei Yeshiva, Rabbonim, and Poskim: 

Mordechai Chaim Auerbach - Boruch Hirschfeld - Avrohom Reich - Eliyahu Ben-Haim - Zalman Leib Hollander - Dovid Ribiat - Haim Benoliel  - Shmuel Kamenetsky - Yosef Yitzchok Rosenfeld  -  Gad Bouskila - Yosef Meir Kantor - Chaim Schabes -  Yitzchok M. Braun -  Elya Nota Katz  - Dovid Schustal  - Shlomo Breslauer - Eliezer Langer - Yaakov Shulman -  Eliyahu Brog - Yeshaye Gedalye Kaufman -  Moshe Silberberg - Simcha Bunim Cohen - Amram Klein - Moshe Soloveitchik - Yitzchok Cohen -  Shloime Ben Zion Kokis - Yitzchok Sorotzkin  - Moshe Donnebaum -  Grainom Lazewnik -  Tzvi Steinberg -  Eytan Feiner  -  Moshe Tuvia Lieff - Elazar Mayer Teitz Menachem Fisher - Shmuel Miller - Elya Ber Wachtfogel - Noson Yermia Goldstein - Avrohom Yaakov Nelkenbaum -  Boruch Hersh Waldman - Avrohom Gordimer - Yechiel Perr -  Moshe Weissman Shmuel Gorelick -  Steven Pruzansky -  Benjamin Yudin -  Moshe Green -  Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff - Yeruchum Zeilberger -  Yisroel Dovid Harfenes -  Gavriel Zinner "

{The footnotes on psak were not reproduced here for technical reasons. NSL}

                             
The above Psak was publicized in 2018 and was covered in The Hamodia in March, '18 ("Assembly Committee Advances Assisted Suicide Bill in NJ,
https://hamodia.com/2018/03/13/assembly-committee-advances-assisted-suicide-bill-nj-2/). It was also reproduced in The Jewish Press (around that same time period, shortly after Pesach).

~~~~~~~~

New Jersey:

Democratic NJ Governor Murphy signed Assisted Suicide into law, and it went into effect in '19. The bill, euphemistically marketed as "Aid In Dying," legalized the deliberate murder of "terminally ill" patients who ostensibly, at some point, expressed a desire to die.  Facilities ostensibly dedicated to healthcare are, under certain circumstances (conditions being broader than most people imagine), allowed to actively kill [poison] the qualifying victims, by "law."

As dominant and far-gone as the NJ Democratic Party is, they were unable to pass this assisted suicide on their own. Legalization required a few Republicans.  After repeated battles for about seven years, "Aid In Dying" did pass, but only by exactly one vote in each house of the NJ legislature; bipartisanship at it's worst.

Of course, it's not hard to understand that a vote for Governor Murphy, who signed the aforementioned legislation of state sanctioned murder, broadcasts a tolerance for such a stance. However, contrary to popular opinion, that fact does not translate into a rationale to support his Republican opponent, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli. As Assemblyman, he twice voted for assisted suicide: for A2270 on Nov.13, '14; and for A2451 on Oct/20, '16. (He had left the legislature by the time it passed into law.

Ciattarelli also spoke out in defence of his position in 2014, which reported:

"...

Ciattarelli — who, along with Schepisi, also a yea vote, arguably took the greatest risk in voting against their caucus, given ongoing chatter about their future political prospects — argued that he thinks the issue’s “time has arrived.”*

{* Interestingly, "the time has come" is the same non-reason that Heck Commission of Sen. McCain provided for recommending that Selective Service be expanded to women, despite all of the evidence of the disastrous consequences thereof. - NSL)

“This is one of those votes where people are coming at it from different angles, and I don’t think anyone coming at it in their own way is wrong,*” Ciattarelli, who found his name in the mix for a U.S. Senate run earlier this year, said.  ..." (https://observer.com/2014/11/aid-in-dying-vote-deeply-personal-for-two-republicans-who-voted-against-party-line)

{* One wonders if the aforementioned British "different angle" would similarly pass his bar. NSL}

Autopilot NJ Republicans, and those who unrelentingly support the ostensibly "lesser" evil, may benefit by contrasting the laws of liberal N.Y., Maryland -- AND MASSACHUSETTS - which all prohibit assisted suicide - with the extremist postion of their GOP republican candidate for Governor, which is to the left of those leftist-dominated states. Think about that.

Nationwide Impact:

In light of the above, it is apparent that a vote for Ciattarelli will send a message to Republican politicians around the country that voting to legalize murder has no noteworthy downside. Why is that so dangerous -- right now? Because  there are states that are dominated by Democrats even more so than NJ, states where the Democrats similarly don't have the votes to pass assisted suicide.  If even just a few leftist Republicans see that  NJ elected a Republican (the assisted suicide Lobby will most definitely show them the numbers), those Republicans will assume that as long as they can convince the voters that they are better than their Democratic rival, they can vote for assisted suicide - and not only keep their jobs, but even get elected governor.

For example, Maryland is in currently in danger of falling to Assisted Suicide. How much more so if leftist Republicans there become inspired, from blindly pro-Republican voters in NJ, to get in touch with their "Inner Kevorkian" and provide assisted suicide the margin of victory it needs to pass. The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/maryland-aid-in-dying/2020/01/28/c8b980dc-413e-11ea-b503-2b077c436617_story.html ), in addressing assisted suicide legislation in that state, reported: 

"... Pendergrass said there are 53 sponsors in the 141-member House this year and 17 sponsors in the 47-member Senate. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said this month that he is “willing to look at both sides of that issue....”

That alarming report appeared just before Corona hit the U.S. in early 2020 C.E. Corona delayed or slowed the passage of such legislation. However, we are now forewarned that Maryland is precipitously close to passing assisted suicide. Governor Hogan, a leftwing Republican, vice-signaled his inclination towards "considering" assisted suicide. He will be encouraged to sign such a law - IF he sees that, in states in which assisted suicide passed with GOP support, such Republicans need only the "lesser evil" narrative to win thereafter.

Votes for Ciattarelli, particularly from religious communities, will provide people like Gov. Hogan that desired comfort level to encourage him to push assisted suicide into law.

BOTTOM LINE: A vote for Jack Ciattarelli shows that a vote for state-mandated murder doesn't have harmful political consequences. NJ will thus progress to increasingly more lethal legislation, and spread assisted suicide legislation to other states, endangering the entire country.

 
As Jews, we also must recognize that a vote for either Murphy or Ciattarelli projects the erroneous image that Jews support or tolerate murder; worse - state mandated murder.   

Another palatable option does exist: a write-in vote. The selection of a name to write in may be made with an eye towards (a) demonstrating to the Democrats that one opposes their particular mutation of the anti-G-d agenda, and towards (b) messaging the Republicans that they cannot continue nominating candidates who expect us to vote for them regardless of how lethal their legislative profile is.  A write-in vote is not just the moral choice, but the most politically beneficial. (Another option, less effective of course, is to leave that column on the ballot blank.)

In the merit of alerting others who  seek the truth, may we ourselves always find it.