Q&A: What Is a Human Being
What Is a Human Being
Question
Hello Rabbi, I have a question on the subject of abortions. I understand that your view is that abortion is forbidden. But my question is: at what point, in your opinion, is a human considered a human being? If before the intellect develops and it cannot experience anything, is it still considered a human being and therefore forbidden to kill?
Answer
I don’t know what develops when, and I also don’t know of a developmental line that defines a human being. Intellect, too, is not a sharply defined concept. Therefore, because of the doubt, the correct approach is not to abort.
Discussion on Answer
Joining the question: so is wasting seed also killing a human being? Or is only seed together with an egg considered a human being?
Presumably it is only from the moment of fertilization. From that point on, it is only a matter of lacking time.
But according to the Rabbi, is a person’s value the body or the “self”? Because if it is the “self,” that does not exist until there is intellect. I’m not asking what develops when, but what a human being is.8