[MEASLES VACCINATION IN CONTEMPORARY HALAKHAH]

Abstract

One of the features of the recent measles outbreak world-wide has been the resurgence of the opposition to vaccination in the religious Jewish community. The present article presents the positions of a broad spectrum of Orthodox rabbinical rulings ranging from Haredi to National Religious to Modern Orthodox on this issue. The overwhelming majority of the halakhic authorities cited are in favor of the vaccination of both adults and children. It is noteworthy that in their decisions the rabbis rely on mainstream medical expertise in relation to the threat to both individual and public health as a result of non-vaccination. They also demonstrate awareness of the arguments of those opposed to vaccination and find ways to refute them. Nevertheless, there are vaccinations such as the one against human papillomavirus infection that are not approved by many rabbis. In order to ensure adequate vaccination-induced immunity to highly infectious diseases in Israel it is vital that the medical community is aware of the normative halakhic position, and is able, if necessary, to explain it to the religious population. This need is even more pressing in the midst of the present COVID-19 pandemic, since the success of the vaccination program depends upon the voluntary cooperation of all sectors of the population, and statistically, the religious community would appear to have a comparatively higher infection rate than other groups.