Remembering Rabbi Waldenberg

The Jerusalem Post reports:

Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Waldenberg, one of the most respected halachic authorities of the modern era and a trailblazer in the field of Jewish medical ethics, passed away Tuesday at the age of 89.

Waldenberg, who served on the High Rabbinic Court together with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, was the unofficial rabbi of Sha’arei Tzedek and was perhaps best known for his controversial halachic opinion on abortions.

In an opinion that sparked a caustic response by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Waldenberg ruled that it was permitted to abort a baby even as late as the seventh month in cases when the embryo suffered from Tay-Sachs, Rubella and even Down Syndrome.
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Rabbi Waldenberg’s positions and opinions are cited in many articles on MJL, including several in the area of Bioethics: Fertility Technology; Euthanasia; and Genetic Screening.

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Jewish Bioethics 101

The relationship between Jewish law, Jewish ethics, and the ethical principles of general society are navigated differently by different Jewish authorities. However, there is one principle that can be singled out for its prominence in Jewish bioethical di

Jewish Views on Partial Birth Abortion

Most (but not all) rabbinic authorities consider "partial birth abortion" on the same terms as other abortions.

The Parameters of Abortion in Judaism

Abortions are sometimes permitted when the pregnant woman is at risk.