Vaccination in halacha

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> In the News

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

JEMI

Tue, Mar 13 2018, 4:52 am

There seems to be a lot of discussion about how halacha views vaccination at the moment.

On the Sasson website, they recently had a Dayan write 2 very informative, footnoted and carefully-researched articles exploring what halacha has to say about the issue of vaccination.

You can find part 1 here:

https://sassonmag.com/vaccines.....view/

And part 2 here:

https://sassonmag.com/vaccines.....t-ii/

I personally vaccinated my kids, (who are older) but the more I'm learning about the subject, the more I'm realizing that it's not at all a simple decision to make. I hope Hashem will help us all to make the right decisions for our children and families, and keep them happy and healthy, whatever we ultimately decide to do re: vaccination.

Benevolence

Tue, Mar 13 2018, 5:12 am

In my community there's an ongoing conversation regarding this issue. Some choose not to, and even advocate that choice for other to join. I understand why there could be some who'd associate me with that party (cloth diapers, EBF etc) while in fact I do vaccinate my children. Harav Arush Shlita says זה דרך העולם בימינו meaning - do it and Hashem shomer. I prefer not to engage in this conversation, not to read and not to discuss, since most of what I stumble upon I find polemic and mostly against. I just don't want to know, and mamish uninterested in getting scared, which is most likely to happen if I'll overthink this. B"H I hope not to bring a takala, and make the right decisions, not only regarding this matter.

Iymnok

Tue, Mar 13 2018, 5:20 am

I see it as you have to do valid hishtadlus. Since there is a risk either way, which is the lower risk, which has more benefits, etc. Since most people do not have reactions to the vaccines, it seems that the correct hishtadlus would be to vaccinate.
If you were to notice reactions, or have a family or personal history, then calculate accordingly.

BadTichelDay

Tue, Mar 13 2018, 6:23 am

My children all got vaccinated according to the kuppat cholim recommendations in Israel. The only exceptions were oral vaccines against polio and rota virus which we didn't give because one of our kids had undergone intestinal reconstructive surgery and it was not clear if oral vaccines would be safe in that case, so I prevented him from getting those.
As according to statistics the number of proven negative effects of vaccines is lower than the number of negative outcome of the infectious diseases, I think it's part of guarding our health to get vaccinated. Our Rav is in favor of vaccinations.
I know that there are people in every community who are opposed to vaccinations - I've long given up on trying to convince anyone. We've made our decision for our family. Others can go and decide for themselves.

Page 1 of 1