Judaism & Euthanasia (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note

Judaism & the nature of euthanasia

The nature of euthanasia

• Euthanasia, from the Greek eu (good) thanatos (death), literally means ‘good death’ or ‘easy death’

• Euthanasia is the deliberate administering of life-ending medication by a third party. It is sometimes known as ‘assisted dying’

• There are two types of euthanasia

  • Voluntary euthanasia – when a person’s life is ended deliberately for them at their own request

  • Non-voluntary euthanasia – this is ending a person’s life deliberately and painlessly when they are unable to ask, but there are good reasons to think that this is what they would want

• Active euthanasia is a deliberate act by someone to end the life of another. For example, administering a lethal injection. This is illegal in the UK

• There are also actions known by medical professionals as Non-Treatment Decisions that can end life

  • This is when doctors decide to withdraw medical intervention or treatment to a person when that is all that is keeping them alive and they know they are not going to get better. Sometimes this is known as passive euthanasia

• Assisted suicide is when the person who is seriously ill takes their own life: they will administer the action themselves, not a third party. Assisted suicide is not euthanasia

Jewish teachings & divergent responses to the issue of euthanasia

• Jewish teachings are largely opposed to euthanasia because of the teachings contained in the Tenakh about the sanctity of life

  • Judaism teaches that all life is precious and special and that all humans are made in God’s image

• The Torah also teaches that since God gave life, only God can take it away:

• The book of Job teaches that whatever comes to life or dies does so by the will of God:

• Since euthanasia involves making decisions to end life, most Jews would agree that it goes against these teachings and does not respect the sacred gift of life

• Some would view euthanasia as breaking one of the 10 Commandments God gave to Moses, ‘Thou shalt not kill’ (Exodus 20:12) because they would view euthanasia as an unlawful killing

• Many Jews would agree that euthanasia goes against the principle of Pikuach Nefesh, one of the most important obligations of the Jewish mitzvot which means that Jews should do all they can to protect and save human life, not bring about its end

Divergent Jewish responses to euthanasia

• There are divergent approaches to euthanasia among Jews

• Many Jewish people, including most Liberal and Reform Jews, would point to the need to relieve the pain and suffering of other people

  • They would therefore say that although active euthanasia is wrong since it involves taking an action to end someone's life, passive euthanasia would not be wrong. This would mean withholding treatment from someone if continuing to treat them would cause them greater distress

• However, some Orthodox Jews, including most Ultra-Orthodox Jews, would strongly oppose withholding treatment since the sanctity of life is so important

• The words of Rabbi Moses Isserles are used to support the idea of switching off life-support machines if there is no hope of the person remaining alive without them:

• There is an example of euthanasia within the Nevi'im

  • Abimelek is hit by a stone

  • To avoid the embarrassment of being killed by a woman, he gets a man to kill him instead:

• Some Jews see this as evidence of support for the right to die in a dignified way

• However, others do not agree. The text does not make clear whether Abimalek's decision should be condemned or condoned

• Most Jews would not accept that this is sufficient reason to support the principle of euthanasia

Jewish responses to non-religious arguments about euthanasia

Non-religious arguments in support of euthanasia

• Non-religious people, such as atheists and humanists, may support euthanasia

• Arguments they might make include

  • Euthanasia gives the person the right to die as they choose

  • The kindest action for someone who is suffering and in pain with no hope of recovery would be to allow them to end their life if it is their wish to do so

  • It allows the patient to die with dignity instead of struggling with a poor quality of life

  • Euthanasia will save medical resources, which could be used for someone who has a better chance of survival instead

  • Euthanasia relieves the patient’s family from the emotional and financial stresses they face in caring for their relative

  • Humanists believe that everyone has free will and the right to make decisions about their lives for themselves

    • In the case of euthanasia, as long as the person has not been pressured or persuaded to take the action and it is truly their will, then it is their right to make the decision for themselves

Jewish Responses to Arguments for Euthanasia

• Jews would respond to these statements by saying that euthanasia does not respect the sanctity of life

• Arguments they might make include:

  • Only God gave life and only God should take life away

  • Euthanasia goes against the principle of Pikuach Nefesh and that they should uphold and save life, not take it away

  • Every moment of life is a gift from God and people must see it as such and try to preserve it. As the Torah says: 'I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore, choose life' (Deuteronomy 30:19)

  • Life has value, even in suffering, as the Jewish authority Rabbi Moshe Feinstein has said.

  • Compassion and the dignity of the person who is suffering are extremely important. There are alternatives to euthanasia, including hospices, which are places where people with terminal illnesses can receive palliative care to help them manage the symptoms of their illness and ease their pain at the end of their life

  • Caring for the sick is a mitzvah and so Jews need to see caring for the ill in their community and family as a sacred duty

  • Although it is difficult to understand, Jewish tradition teaches that suffering can have spiritual significance, and one’s final moments may be valuable in ways we cannot fully understand

• It is important that the distinction is made between active euthanasia and removing treatment that is keeping people alive through artificial means and prolonging their suffering

Ethical theories & Jewish responses

• Situation ethics is the ethical theory that seeks the most loving action in the circumstances

• In the case of euthanasia, situation ethicists might say that the most loving action would be to allow the patient to die with dignity and not to continue with their lives when they are suffering and have no quality of life left

• However, euthanasia might not be the most loving thing for everyone concerned

  • The family of the patient would be left grieving for the loss of their loved one

  • Because euthanasia is illegal in the UK, the people who assisted the euthanasia would be in danger of prosecution

  • Jews would say that euthanasia is not the most loving action: it does not uphold the principle of Pikuach Nefesh and goes against the idea that life is a sacred gift from God

  • A more loving action would be to provide hospice care for the patient so that they are not suffering unnecessarily and can have palliative care