Does Halakhah Require Vaccination Against Dangerous Diseases Such As Measles, Rubella, Polio and Covid-19?
1 HM 427:8.2021b David Golinkin Does halakhah require vaccination against dangerous diseases such as measles, rubella, polio and Covid-19? Approved on January 5, 2021, by a vote of 13-0-0. Voting in favor: Rabbis Aaron Alexander, Pamela Barmash, Nate Crane, Elliot Dorff, David Fine, Joshua Heller, Jan Kaufman, Daniel Nevins, Micah Peltz, Robert Scheinberg, Deborah Silver, Ariel Stofenmacher, and Iscah Waldman. Voting Against: none. Abstaining: none. Question: (First asked before the Covid-19 pandemic) In recent years we have witnessed a growing phenomenon of Jews and non-Jews who refuse to receive common and accepted vaccines or to give their children vaccines against measles, rubella, polio and other contagious diseases. This question has become even more acute as we begin to vaccinate against the Covid-19 virus, which has already killed more than 1,760,000 people worldwide. Does halakhah require vaccinations? How does Jewish law relate to those who endanger the lives of others by refusing to be vaccinated – may they be prevented from entering schools, synagogues or public places? Responsum: I) The Jewish attitude toward physicians and medicine In a previous responsum, I have already surveyed the Jewish attitude to medicine over the course of thousands of years, from the very negative to the very positive (Golinkin, 2011, pp. 287-298). But the main opinion which was and is accepted to this day is Maimonides' approach in his commentary on Mishnah Nedarim 4:4. We have learned there that if Reuven vowed not to receive benefit from Shimon, Shimon may nonetheless “heal him with lifesaving medicine”.
[Show full text]