Articles

Below you will find articles by rabbis, doctors and scholars about the halachic and medical issues surrounding brain-stem death and organ donation. Some articles are pro organ donation and some are con. We believe by showing all positions, we can allow the public to judge for themselves where they stand on these issues.

361. Title: An Overview of Organ Transplantation
     Author: Durst, Prof. Aryeh
     Publication: ASSIA Journal of Jewish Medical Ethics and Halacha;Vol. III, No. 1
     Year: 1997, January
     Download: English
     HOD Comment:

      

362. Title: Halachic Definition of Death in Light of Medical History, The
     Author: Reichman, Dr. Edward
     Publication: Torah U-Madda Journal, The
     Year: 1993
     Download: English  
     HOD Comment:

      

363. Title: Transplantation
     Author: Steinberg, Prof. Avraham
     Publication: Encyclopedia of Jewish Medical Ethics
     Year:
     Download: English  
     HOD Comment:

     Translated by Dr. Fred Rosner

      

364. Title: Determining Death and Delayal of Burial
     Author: Waldenberg, Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda
     Publication: Reponsum Tzitz Eliezer 9:46
     Year: Undated (but before 1974)
     Download:   Hebrew
     HOD Comment:

     Click here to see the summary of this article

      

365. Title: Living Will: Agudath Israel of America (Agudah)
     

     Please do not print this article and use it as a living will. This document is here for research and historical purposes only. The Agudath asks you to please call them to obtain the latest version at the Agudath Israel of America (Agudah) call 212-797-9000.

     Click here to see the summary of this article.

      

366. Title: Chief Rabbinate of Israel: Ruling on Organ Donation
     Author: Chief Rabbinate of Israel, Halachic Committee
     Publication:
     Year: 1986
     Download: English     Hebrew
     HOD Comment:

      

367. Title: Living Will (Health Care Proxy): Rabbinical Council of America (RCA)
     Author: Bioethics Committee of the RCA
     Publication:
     Year: 1991
     Download: English
     HOD Comment:

      

368. Title: The Waiting Game: The Struggle to Find Organ Donors with the Less then Generous Public
     Author: Satel, Dr. Sally
     Publication: In Character
     Year:
     Download: English  
     HOD Comment:

     A personal plea to legalize the purchasing of organs.

      

369. Title: Rav Moshe Feinstein’s Postion on Brain-stem Death Clarified
     Author: Rappaport, Rabbi Shabtai
     Publication: ASSIA Book, Vol. 7, page 148(5)-148(7)
     Year: 1993
     Download: English     Hebrew
     HOD Comment:

     Letter from Rabbi Shabtai Rappaport to Rabbi Mordechai Halperin expounding Rav Moshe Feinstein’s Position. Rabbi Shabtai Rappaport was Rav Moshe Feinstein’s amanuensis for the last two volumes of Iggrot Moshe.

      

370. Title: Opinion of Rav Moshe Feinstein
     Author: Feinstein, Rabbi Dovid
     Publication: ASSIA Book, Vol. 7, page 147
     Year:
     Download: English     Hebrew
     HOD Comment:

     Rabbi Dovid Feinstein testifies that his father’s position was a person is halachicly dead if s/he can not breathe on his/her own and its irreversable – even if the heart is still beating.

      

      

371. Title: Moment of Death
     Author: Feinstein, Rabbi Moshe; Auerbach, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman
     Publication: Jewish Medical Ethics, Vol II No. 2
     Year: 1995
     Download: English  
     HOD Comment:

      

372. Title: Letter to Dr. Elliot Bondi by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein
     Author: Feinstein, R. Moshe
     Publication: ASSIA Book, Vol. 7, page 148 -148(a)
     Year: 1993
     Download: English     Hebrew
     HOD Comment:

     This letter is from Rav Moshe Feinstein addressed to Dr. Elliot Bondi, reaffirming that brain death is death according to Halacha. The letter was dictated to Rabbi Mordechai Tendler in Yiddish by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, as were all of his correspondence in the latter days of his life. Rabbi Mordechai Tendler translated the Yiddish into Hebrew and Rabbi Yitzchak Zundel Swiatycki typed the letter in Hebrew. Rav Moshe Feinstein reviewed the typed letter and after affirming that it accurately reflected his position, he signed it and stamped it. [This photocopy was taken ASSIA magazine. At the bottom, there is an editorial note that comingles the names of Rabbi Mordechai Tendler with Rabbi Yitzchak Zundel Swiatycki, referring to them as Rabbi Mordechai Swiatycki.]

      

373. Title: Rav Moshe Feinstein’s Position on Death and Organ Donation.pdf
     Author: Tendler, Rabbi Moshe
     Publication: -
     Year: -
     Download: English
     HOD Comment:

      

374. Title: Establishing Death, Signs of Death, Heart Transplants
     Author: Feinstein, Rabbi Moshe
     Publication: Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah, Vol. III, 132
     Year: Over Many Years
     Download: English     Hebrew
     HOD Comment:

      

375. Title: Determining Death – A Review of Positions
     Author: Steinberg, Rabbi Dr. Avraham
     Publication: ASSIA
     Year: 1994
     Download:   Hebrew
     HOD Comment:

     According to Rabbi Doctor Avraham Steinberg, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach approved of each word in this article that Rabbi Steinberg wrote describing Rabbi Auerbach’s position.