Halachic View on Vaccines

seeker

Tue, Mar 15 2016, 6:48 pm

I didn't actually read the content but no matter what it is it absolutely kills me to see people write about halacha with any tone of authority but no name for accountability. I opened every single link with the word "halacha" in it, as well as some others, and there is no name anywhere- with the exception of some already well-known letters with well-known rabbis' signatures. But the actual website content no one has taken responsibility for, while making sweeping claims that they present "the halachic view." How dare you?

amother

Linen

Tue, Mar 15 2016, 9:09 pm

amother wrote:

How informed is your Rabbi ?

My Rabbi is quite educated and learned. All those "halachic" debates witbout a rabbinic name are based on the remote chance someone will have a vaccine reaction. Nothing about being informed. Its a halachic debate. Period.
My Rabbi says its a must as does the OU as per the posted link...

5*Mom

Wed, Mar 16 2016, 12:37 am

seeker wrote:

I'm still reading but there's a name right on the tab: Rabbi Rephoel Szmerla.

I don't know who he is but from what I've read so far (I'm on page 9) this is a very thorough and well presented treatment with relevant halachic sources that one would, at the very least, have to read before dismissing. I'd like to suggest that anyone commenting follow your lead and indicate whether or not they've read the piece.

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Mar 16 2016, 5:36 am

(He is a major talmid chochom about to publish a sefer, I learned last night from someone who knows him personally and consults with him about medical stuff. I haven't read the link, just saying that name is someone who is qualified to pasken. Going to read now.)

5*Mom

Wed, Mar 16 2016, 5:44 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Important note: Although he may be qualified to pasken, from what I've read he is not actually paskening. He is bringing psak from other widely recognized poskim and the sources upon which they are based.

rydys

Wed, Mar 16 2016, 7:12 am

There are many Rabbonim in the world and one can certainly find those on either side of the issue.

What is interesting is that among the leading Rabbonim of the world, ones recognized as the "Gedolei Hador" on both the Ashkenazi and Sefardi groups, there are only 2 who say not to vaccinate. I have heard from Gedolim about the opinions of these 2 and they were shocked to hear that they had such an opinon.

The Skvere Rebbe is considered one of the foremost experts in medical halacha today. Even in the medical world he is considered an expert and specialists have gone to him to ask his opinion about medical practices. He has thoroughly researched the issue and is aware of the risks and benefits and says all should vaccinate.

I have spoken personally with Rav Moshe Wolfon who is recognized as one of the gedolei hador as well, and he was shocked that anyone would consider not vaccinating. He told me that I can say in his name that everyone should vaccinate.

One can certainly "Rabbi shop" to find a Rabbi who will validate one's opinion, but this is not what we should do.

amother

Apricot

Wed, Mar 16 2016, 7:16 am

I had a conversation with a rav/doctor who is very close to R' Elyashiv regarding this issue of vaccination. R' Elyashiv held that it is permissible to force a parent to vaccinate their children. He held that one should vaccinate their children because it is within the halachic definition of normal. If someone is really interested in finding out how our greatest gedolim pasken on this issue, I would suggest going and asking them rather than relying hearsay published on the web which is what I did. I spoke to my local rav, our R"Y who also spoke with his rebbe, and the great man mentioned above. Bottom line, go and ask.

amother

Honeydew

Wed, Mar 16 2016, 7:31 am

amother wrote:

You mean rav/doctor Tatz. He didn't sound very credible in Lakewood when he said what was medically accepted 10 years ago is criminal today, the norm today will be criminal in 10 years but you must follow orders

When someone asked him, the fact that you are giving this talk proves that it has become normal NOT to vax ,he bit his tonge

amother

Honeydew

Wed, Mar 16 2016, 7:42 am

rydys wrote:

Skvere Rebe may be as great as moshe rabeinu , but he trusts his MDs & has NOT done his own homework. His Refuah clinic gets Millions in grants for pushing vaccines. The kohen godol is not allowed to decide if there should be a 2nd month of Adar, b/c he may consider the weather on Yom Kipur.

R’ Shlomo Zalman Aurbach ruled specifically regarding
vaccines, that a doctor cannot force a patient to receive a vaccine (Nishmas Avraham Vol. 4, 243:1).

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Mar 16 2016, 7:43 am

Rabbi Szmerla actually addressed this, if you read his writings. A lot of it is in how something is presented as a shaila. If the shaila is posed with the metzius "vaccines are safe", that will be answered differently than "a vaccine has a reaction list of XYZ occuring at ABC rate...can we demand that others vaccinate given that information?"

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Mar 16 2016, 7:54 am

How do you know what the rabbis hold? I know a community where the rabbonim paskened the schools can make whatever rules they want on this issue, and the schools decided to require vaccination, but the rabbonim themselves do not believe that individuals are required to vaccinate. (It does put people in a bind, but the rabbonim did not obligate the schools to force 100% vaccination compliance.)