Q&A: Life Insurance
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Life Insurance
Question
Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, the Chafetz Chaim, forbade taking out life insurance. What is the view of contemporary halakhic decisors?
I would also like to ask both about life insurance and about buying lottery tickets.
I’d be glad to hear your opinion.
Answer
My opinion is that there is not the slightest problem with insurance. And that is indeed the common practice. As for the lottery, there may perhaps be an issue of asmakhta. I’m not familiar with the views of today’s halakhic decisors, and I’m also not very interested in them. I’m sure you can find them online.
There is a dispute between Rabbi Avrum and Rabbi Ovadia about a lottery ticket.
In my humble opinion, Rabbi Avrum is more convincing,