An Exploration of Organ Donation Through Jewish Law

In this paper I will be addressing whether Judaism accepts organ donation. A problem that faces society today is the lack of people who are registered as organ donors. This is not only a problem in the religious world, but also the secular world. A common issue for individuals is the belief that their religion is against organ donation and does not support it. Even people who don’t practice their religion strictly bring up this issue. While this might be the case for some religions and certain parts of a religion, the majority of religions are in favor of and support organ donation to save another life. This paper explores what the religion of Judaism has to say on the matter of organ donation. There are different types of ways that one can donate their organs and this paper seeks to understand what Judaism has to say about each type of organ donation. Each type of donation brings up issues of their own because of the importance that Judaism puts on life. Judaism believes that humans are put on Earth by God and will be taken off Earth by God. This brings up the issue of what defines death, especially in regard to people who have been pronounced brain dead. As a result, each situation should be dealt with on a case by case basis and one should consult with their local rabbi on whether it would be permissible to donate their organs.