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Derech Hateva Cover:Cover 4/17/08 4:08 PM Page 2 Derech HaTeva vycg srl A JOURNAL OF TORAH AND SCIENCE VOLUME 12 2007-2008 ,axwwj A PUBLICATION OF STERN COLLEGE FOR WOMEN YESHIVA UNIVERSITY Derech Hateva Cover:Cover 4/17/08 4:08 PM Page 3 Derech Hateva V 12:Layout 1 4/18/08 1:01 PM Page 1 Derech HaTeva A JOURNAL OF TORAH AND SCIENCE A PUBLICATION OF STERN COLLEGE FOR WOMEN YESHIVA UNIVERSITY VOLUME 12 2007 – 2008 Derech HaTeva 1 Derech Hateva V 12:Layout 1 4/18/08 1:01 PM Page 2 STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Dalia Barenboim Nechama Citrin Miriam Merzel COVER DESIGN Adina Hirsh LAYOUT Amir Achitoov Esther Gross PRINTING Franklin Printing Brooklyn, NY 11210 2 Derech HaTeva Derech Hateva V 12:Layout 1 4/18/08 1:01 PM Page 3 DEDICATION & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The vision of Rachel Sussman, z”l, for the advancement of science at Stern College for Women was evident through her support of the state-of-the-art Sussman Biology Laboratory and Laboratory Preparation Room. It is our honor to dedicate this issue of Derech HaTeva in her memory. Rachel Sussman served as a role model for the women of Stern College and her numerous acts of philanthropy are shining examples of the many contributions one can make to enhance and better the lives of others. Her dedication to the devel- opment of areas relating to both Torah and science parallels the vision of this publication and it is only fit- ting that the twelfth edition of Derech HaTeva serves as a medium for her name to live on. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Office of the Dean and the Office of Admissions at Stern College for Women for their support of this journal. Specific thanks to Dean Karen Bacon whose vision for the students at Stern College for Women made this journal possible. Our deepest appreciation and thanks to Dr. Harvey Babich for his unwavering dedication to this publica- tion. From the initial topic selections to the final stages of layout, Dr. Babich was constantly available and helpful in all realms. We are extremely fortunate to have such a wonderful faculty advisor whose commit- ment to his students knows no bounds. SINCERELY, THE EDITORS: Dalia Barenboim Nechama Citrin Miriam Merzel Derech HaTeva 3 Derech Hateva V 12:Layout 1 4/18/08 1:01 PM Page 4 PASUK ///lunf hn wv vbrnt, h,unmg kf (vwwk ohkv,) All my limbs will say “God, who is like You…” (Tehillim 35) 4 Derech HaTeva Derech Hateva V 12:Layout 1 4/18/08 1:01 PM Page 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Making Man in Man’s Image SHIRA APFEL 7 Embryological Sex Determination in the Talmud and Modern Science DALIA BARENBOIM 9 The Life You Save Could Be Yours…Or Your Child’s: Scientific and Halakhic Approaches to Mandating the HPV Vaccine AMANDA BIER 13 To Test or Not to Test – The BRCA Genes Explored NECHAMA CITRIN 16 Wine: Agent of Intoxication or Character Enhancer? JENNIFER DELUTY 21 Busting the Myth of Jews with Horns ESTHER FREDERICK 24 King Asa’s Podiatric Condition SARAH ARIELLA HOLLANDER 28 The Biblical Diet: Food for Thought SHARON KAUFMAN 30 The Eleventh Commandment: “Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew” DENA KAPETANSKY 32 The Medical and Ethical Implications of Conjoined Twins CHANA KOSOFSKY 34 Extraterrestrial Life in Our Age EMILY J. LIEBLING 36 Smoking in Halacha ADINA MAIK 38 Stem Cell Research: A Torah Perspective MIRIAM MERZEL 40 The Heart is Timeless (as are Heart Attacks) TALIA MILLER 43 Sex Pre-Selection MARINA PEKAR 45 Thoughts on the Ancestry of Ethiopian Jews TEHILLA RAVIV 48 Religious Infertility SHIRA ROSZLER 50 Biblical Images: Speech and Hearing Impediments in the Bible AVIVA STROH 52 The Eighth Month Non-Viable Fetus: The One Month Difference DEVORAH THALER 54 Vegetarianism: A Guide to a Perfect Body, Mind and Soul RACHEL YAMNIK 56 Approaching the Infinite: An Intersection between Mathematics and Spirituality CHAVA ZAKHAREVICH 59 Blood, Frogs, and Lice HARVEY BABICH, Ph.D. 63 Derech HaTeva 5 Derech Hateva V 12:Layout 1 4/18/08 1:01 PM Page 6 6 Derech HaTeva Derech Hateva V 12:Layout 1 4/18/08 1:01 PM Page 7 MAKING MAN IN MAN’S IMAGE SHIRA APFEL n 1997, the world received the news that the first mam- tive is whether the act of cloning a human being is permitted from a malian clone was born. Professor Ian Wilmut of Edinburgh halachic standpoint. The author of the Tiferes Yisroel teaches the gen- University and his research team successfully created Dolly, eral rule that if there is no reason to forbid something, it is permit- Ia sheep born with an exact copy of its mother’s genetic ted; for the Torah has not enumerated all the permissible things, but makeup. The process that Wilmut used to clone the sheep is rather has enumerated all of the forbidden things [1]. Being that the known as a nuclear transfusion. In this process, the nucleus from Torah did not list cloning outright as a forbidden act, it is up to the an adult cell is inserted into an egg that has been emptied of its halachic authorities of today to determine if Jewish Law would forbid own nuclear genetic material; the egg, placed in a Petri dish with a human to be cloned. Dr. Steinberg explains that there are three growth medium, is stimulated to divide, and thereafter is inserted qualifications that a new technology must have to be classified as a in a womb, to develop as would any other embryo in a typical permissible act, rather than as a forbidden act that interferes with pregnancy. The result is an offspring that is an exact genetic creation. The first qualification is that the action(s) involved in the replica of the donor of the original adult cell nucleus. This differs new technology cannot be prohibited. The second is that the results from typical reproduction or even from in vitro fertilization, both of which produce progeny who have inherited half of the genetic material from one parent and half of the genetic material from the other parent. The most fundamental question With this step forward in modern science, moralistic and ethical asked from a Jewish perspective questions are raised throughout the world’s cultures and religions. Ju- daism is no exception. In the Talmud in Kiddushim 30b it is taught is whether the act of cloning that there are three partners in the creation of a human being: the mother, the father, and God. The use of cloning can very well change a human being is permitted from this equation, depending on who is the donor of the genetic mate- a halachic standpoint. rial. However, while the Talmud delineated the proper and preferred method, as pointed out by Dr. Avraham Steinberg, there is no evi- dence that the equation mentioned in the Talmud is to teach that this way is an obligation; it may only have been a simple observation cannot be prohibited, and the third is that the new technology is an of the way of the world [1]. The creation of Eve is sometimes sug- improvement that benefits humans, with the derived benefit greater gested as proof of Judaism’s acceptance of cloning as a reproductive than a possible detriment [1]. method. As stated in Genesis 2:21-22, “Hashem God cast a deep While halachic authorities have determined that the act of nu- sleep upon the man and he slept; and He took one of his sides and clear transfusion is acceptable, the third qualification, that cloning He filled in flesh in its place. Then Hashem God fashioned the side must be a benefit to humans more than a burden, is yet to be de- that He had taken from the man into a woman…” From here it would cided, as this depends on the particular intent for each clone [1]. The appear that Professor Wilmut was not the first to clone a mammal, as most commonly cited prospective benefits of this technology are that God created Eve from adult cells extracted from Adam [2]! However, it provides a means for infertile couples to have children, and that it is important to note that Eve’s creation cannot be a proof in favor the technology can be used to grow transplant organs that immuno- of human cloning from a Jewish perspective, as she was not a true logically match the recipient. The potential drawbacks and misuses, clone of Adam [3]. Since Eve was a woman, by definition she had a however, are serious. Genetic mutations that might arise in the donor different genetic makeup than Adam, as every male has a single X nucleus would be passed to the clone, possibly resulting in congeni- chromosome and a Y chromosome while, every female has two X tal malformations or cancer. In fact, it has been observed that many chromosomes and no Y chromosome. cloned animals have developed significant health problems, including The most fundamental question asked from a Jewish perspec- premature aging, and reduced lifespans, that did not plague the donor Derech HaTeva 7 Derech Hateva V 12:Layout 1 4/18/08 1:01 PM Page 8 animals [4]. Some have speculated that the availability of the tech- complex in considering the situation of a cloned woman. Who is the nique might lead individuals to prefer to reproduce through the pro- halachic father of a child who is the clone of a woman? The most re- duction of exact genetic copies of themselves rather than through cent donation of male genetic material to the child is the mother’s normal sexual reproduction, thus forfeiting the sorting of genetic father, the child’s grandfather.