HALAKHIC PERSPECTIVE ON INFERTILITY AND ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

This study examines the halakhic response to infertility and assisted reproductive technologies, focusing on the principles that shape Jewish bioethical decision-making. The paper explores foundational concepts that inform reproductive ethics in Judaism, including preservation of life, loving-kindness, the preservation of family integrity and lineage. It analyzes contemporary reproductive interventions such as artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, and surrogacy through the lens of rabbinic literature and responsa traditions. The study highlights the diversity of rabbinic opinions regarding the permissibility of these technologies, especially in relation to donor gametes, questions of parenthood, Jewish identity, inheritance, and marital sanctity. While procedures involving the married couple’s own reproductive material are generally accepted under medical necessity, third-party involvement remains ethically contested. The paper concludes that Jewish bioethics adopts a conditional and principle-based acceptance of ARTs, balancing compassion for infertile couples with concerns for religious integrity and communal continuity.