organ donations | Imamother

Pearl

Wed, May 11 2005, 7:52 am

I would like to know your opinion on donating organs, after one's death (HV"S, may we and our loved ones live to 120 yrs, iyh, omein)

yes? no? if yes, which organs? bloodvessels? bones? heart? skin? etc.....

not a nice subject, I know, but something to think about....

IndyMom

Wed, May 11 2005, 1:23 pm

I wish I could remember the source from where I read it. It was definitly an orthodox jewish magazine. There are halachic issues to be aware of, btu organ donation is allowed to an extent. I know some of the rules are that the doctor that pronounces one dead can not in any way know that this person is an organ donor. Also, medically dead and halachicly dead are different and the person must be (obviously) halachicly dead. I think the Novaminsker signed this one, but I am not positive. Definitly some prominent rebbeim did. I read it over a year ago and meant to follow up on it and havent had the time. What a beautiful mitzvah if we are able to save someone's life with our death and still do it within halacha.

hisorerus

Wed, May 11 2005, 1:40 pm

Yes, I heard a lecture by a doctor/Rabbi in EY that really researched the topic. It's not that simple; but apparently it's easier in the US than in Israel- just put the name of the person to carry out your wishes as a Rov who is well versed in the relevant Halachos.

Some of the issues involve: only to save a life, I believe it must be given to someone Jewish, minimum damage to the corpse, all blood etc. must be buried, and other things.

supermom

Wed, May 11 2005, 2:01 pm

how can and why would a person want to donate their skin? sorry for being gross but pearl you asked and I am asking the asked. if it was not halachicly allowed to give away a person orgins the chevra chadisha would not have a problem by the bombs to start looking for parts of scattered body parts.

juggler

Wed, May 11 2005, 2:14 pm

I just heard a tape by one of the biggest experts on this in the US (can't remember his name but I could look it up if someone wants me to) and he said that the issur of organ donation is not because the body has to remain whole. First of all, sorry to be graphic, but it disintegrates fairly quickly. The inyan of kovod hames (honor to a dad body) is obviously an issue, but pikuach nefesh (saving a life) is grater than that so theoretically halacha would allow organ donation. The reason it is not allowed (we are talking about after death, not live organ donation to a specific receiver) is because as IndyMom said, halacha's definition of dead is very different than medical definition. Medically, organs have to be taken from someone who "died" but their body has not yet stopped functioning. Otherwise the organs (heart, kidneys etc...) also can no longer be revived. Although there are tests to determine that all brain function has ceased, halacha says that there must be some form of life somewhere which is controlling body temp. etc... and also the heart control is somewhere along the spinal cord (or something like that). So although in theory halacha would allow it, in practice it is almost impossible.

yehudis

Wed, May 11 2005, 11:21 pm

Here's a link to an organization that deals with organ donation according to halacha:

http://www.hods.org/index.shtml

(I haven't actually read the whole site and don't know anything about it other than what's on the site.)

Rivka

Thu, May 12 2005, 6:21 am

You can donate organs, but to donate them you would have to be able to live without them. ie a kidney you have 2 so really you could live with one...not amazingly but you can still live. More likely if you are up and well and less likely if you have a second failed kidney or are half ded.
I would not want to be chopped up and killed to save someone.
I think you can save lives, but not at the expense of another life.

sarahd

Thu, May 12 2005, 6:27 am

chanam wrote:

Medically, organs have to be taken from someone who "died" but their body has not yet stopped functioning. Otherwise the organs (heart, kidneys etc...) also can no longer be revived...So although in theory halacha would allow it, in practice it is almost impossible.

But there are organs that can be taken once the person is halachically dead, eg. skin and corneas. So what would halacha say about that? Corneas would likely still not be allowed, as not having a cornea is not a matter of pikuach nefesh, but skin grafts can save a person's life.

Pearl

Thu, May 12 2005, 6:49 am

supermom, skin can save a burnvictim.

my best friend's father received an additional 10 years of living because he received a new heart. (and I have no idea if it was from a jewish donor) it enabled him to witness 3 of his children get married, and 3 grandchildren were born, b'h.

I am struggling with this subject so much. I know it's complicated halachically, but if HV"S HV"S it could safe a loved one, wouldn't you be happy that someone agreed to be a donor?

thank you, yehudis, for that link, and thanks to everyone for your input. I think I will also search for an opinion from Rabbi Akiva Katz, I think he is a medical and halachic expert.

juggler

Thu, May 12 2005, 6:56 am

I'm really not sure, one would probably have to ask a rav in a specific case, but skin grafts have other sources than dead ppl. (I know embryo skin grafts is becoming very in lately- another halachic issue but off topic). Organs can not come from anywhere else at this point in time ( except for those organs which can currently be taken from a live donor).

Rivka

Thu, May 12 2005, 8:58 pm

Even a heart is taken from a "live" donor. Otherwise it would be rendered useless. They take it out still beating and somehow freeze it straight away and use it straight away. Which is why people who need heart transplants are told within the day there is one available as they have to be done very quickly.