BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
The following Mishnah text is one of most commonly cited sources dealing with abortion in Jewish law (besides the biblical passage in Exodus 21). It sets up a classic dilemma between the life of a mother and the life of a fetus.
(ו) הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁהִיא מַקְשָׁה לֵילֵד, מְחַתְּכִין אֶת הַוָּלָד בְּמֵעֶיהָ וּמוֹצִיאִין אוֹתוֹ אֵבָרִים אֵבָרִים, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחַיֶּיהָ קוֹדְמִין לְחַיָּיו.
יָצָא רֻבּוֹ, אֵין נוֹגְעִין בּוֹ, שֶׁאֵין דּוֹחִין נֶפֶשׁ מִפְּנֵי נָפֶשׁ:
(6) If a woman is having difficulty giving birth, they cut up the fetus in her belly and extract it limb by limb, because her life [chaye'ha] takes precedence over its life.
If most of it has emerged, they may not touch [i.e., harm] it, for we do not set aside one life [nefesh] for another life.
Study Questions on Mishnah Ohalot 7:6
1. What does this text imply about the status of a fetus before birth for Judaism? Explain.
2. There are two Hebrew words in this text that are translated as "life," chayim (in the first paragraph) and nefesh (in the second). What is the apparent difference between the two terms? Try to define them as they are used here.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
The laws of capital punishment in Halachah require that a person who is convicted of a crime deserving of the death penalty be executed right away because it is considered a form of cruelty to make a person await their own death after conviction. The three texts below investigate whether, nevertheless, we should wait in the special case of a pregnant woman.
מתני׳ האשה שיצאה ליהרג אין ממתינין לה עד שתלד
האשה שישבה על המשבר ממתינין לה עד שתלד
MISHNAH:
If a [pregnant] woman has gone out to be executed [for a capital crime], we do not wait for her to give birth.
If the woman has sat down on the birthing stool [i.e., entered into labor], we wait for her to give birth.
גמ׳ פשיטא גופה היא
איצטריך ס"ד אמינא הואיל וכתיב (שמות כא, כב) כאשר ישית עליו בעל האשה ממונא דבעל הוא ולא ליפסדיה מיניה
קמ"ל
GEMARA:
This is obvious [that in general we do not wait]—it [the fetus] is her body!
It was necessary to teach this [in the Mishnah] because you might have assumed that since it is written, “according to what the woman's husband imposes upon him [as a fine]” (Exod 21:22), the fetus is the husband's property, and we may not cause him to lose it.
Therefore, the Mishnah teaches us that this assumption is not true.
[The Mishna stated:] "If the woman has sat down on the birthing stool, etc."
What is the reason [that we delay execution in this situation]?
Since it has left its place [i.e., begun the process of emerging from the womb], it is [considered] a separate body.
Study Questions on Arakhin 7a (#5, #6, #7)
1. What do these texts tell us about the status or nature of a fetus prior to the onset of labor? How is this expressed in the sources?
2. Which of the following statements are true according to Arakhin 7a?
a. A fetus is simply a husband's property.
b. Prior to labor, a fetus is considered part of a woman's body.
c. A husband has no financial claim on a fetus.
d. The laws for implementing the death penalty are more important than the husband's rights.
e. After labor begins, a fetus is considered part of a woman's body.
3. What new phase in the process of fetal development do these sources introduce that we didn't read about in Unit 3(D)? (Look back and check.)
4. Compare these Arakhin 7a texts to Mishnah Ohalot 7:6. Taking them all together, how would you characterize the legal status of a fetus after the onset of labor, but before birth?
אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל האשה היוצאה ליהרג מכין אותה כנגד בית הריון כדי שימות הוולד תחילה כדי שלא תבא לידי ניוול
Rav Yehudah said in the name of Shmuel: If a [pregnant] woman is going out to be executed, we strike her on the outside of her womb so that the fetus dies first, so that she does not suffer disgrace [by the fetus emerging after she dies].
א"ר נחמן אמר שמואל האשה שישבה על המשבר ומתה בשבת מביאין סכין ומקרעים את כריסה ומוציאין את הוולד
פשיטא מאי עביד מחתך בבשר הוא
אמר רבה לא נצרכה להביא סכין דרך רשות הרבים
Rav Naḥman said in the name of Shmuel: If a [pregnant] woman has sat down on the birthing stool, but died when it was Shabbat [during childbirth], we bring a knife, cut open her belly, and remove the fetus.
This is obvious [that we may do so on Shabbat]! What is the person doing besides cutting [dead] flesh [which is permitted on Shabbat]?
Rabbah said: No, it was necessary [to teach this law with respect to] carrying a knife through a public area [which is normally forbidden on Shabbat].
Study Questions on Arachin 7a (#9, #10)
1. What principles or ideas does Text #9 have in common with what you've already studied in this source sheet? Name at least two.
2. What principle does Text #10 reinforce about fetuses that you've already studied in this source sheet?
3. To confirm your understanding, explain why Texts #9 and #10 do not contradict each other.