Jewish ethical teachings of Bioethics Flashcards
Ethics
What is Halacha?
- Halacha is Jewish Law as is the way a Jew is directed to behave in their life
- It is a commandment of the Torah
Why is Halacha important?
- It guides adherents in their relationship with God
- It fleshes out the essence of ethical living so it is understood and lived by believers
- It symbolises the ethical principles of Judaism
Deuteronomy 14
“[this] thing is very close to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart”
Define Pikuach Nefesh?
The preservation of human life overrides any other religious consideration. That is, when the life of a person is in danger, almost any mitzvah of the Torah becomes inapplicable.
Jewish Bioethics are based on what 3 principles?
- Human life has infinite value
- Ageing, illness, and death are natural parts of life
- Improvement of the patient’s quality of life is a constant commitment
What is the most important Jewish commandment, in regards to human life?
The sanctity of life
Outline the steps for ethical decision making within Judaism.
- Extracting the primary data of the subject from the Talmud or Torah
- Formulating a hypothesis about the general principles in the ruling
- Use deductive logic - the principle is applied to new circumstances that were once not around.
Written Law refers to?
The Torah
Oral law refers to?
The intergenerational rabbinic conversations, as in the reinterpretation of ancient texts
What is the Talmud?
- The source from which the code of Jewish Halacha is derived from.
- It is made up of the Mishnah and the Gemara (later writings)
Tikkun Olam refers to?
‘Repair the world’
Gemilut Chasidim refers to?
‘Deeds of living and kindness’
Tzedakah refers to?
Charity. The Halacha requires the giving away of some material possessions
Psalms 62:12
“God spoke one thing, I heard two, for God has strength”
