Preserving Life

Among the Seven Noachide Laws is the prohibition to commit murder. This commandment is more about the preservation of life, than the taking of a life.

The wording of the Torah is שופך דם אדם באדם, that one must not spill the blood of a human being living inside another human being. Some see this as a direct prohibition against abortion.

This reflects the importance of preserving human life. Rabbi Twerski wrote that during the cholera epidemic, Rav Yisrael Salanter issued a rabbinic ruling that it was forbidden for all Jews to fast that year on Yom Kippur.

This is a source for how we must work at taking care of our bodies. Rabbi Twerski felt that there should be much stronger rebukes to the dangers of smoking, and how it violates the Torah. The same is true of other addictions such as drugs and alcohol. He even mentioned obesity as a kind of disease that could shorten one’s life.

While it is popular to be “frume” and take on all kinds of unnecessary stringencies, it must not come at the expense of overlooking such important Mitzvot of taking care of, and preserving human life.