To Pull the Plug or Not to Pull the Plug?

Following is a lesson on Jewish thought demonstrating the sanctity of human life based on the ordeal of Ariel Sharon.

Ariel Sharon – heroic warrior, 11th Israeli prime minister and renown as one of the founding fathers of the State of Israel – passed away on Shabbat. It is not our intention to delve into his biography or even his accomplishments at this time – there are plenty of news outlets and other sources for such information. What we are going to focus on in this column is Ariel Sharon’s last eight years.

On January 4, 2006, Sharon suffered a major stroke which left him in a coma until his death this past January 11. After spending several months in a hospital in Jerusalem, Sharon was transferred to Tel Hashomer Medical Center (just outside of Tel Aviv), where he remained until his death.

Sharon had a private room on the second floor with an armed guard standing outside the door 24/7. He was kept alive by means of a feeding tube. Ridden with bedsores, pneumonia and kidney failure, he finally succumbed to his illness.

Notwithstanding Sharon’s reputation as a determined fighter, people were surprised that he survived for eight years after falling into a coma. Indeed, it is rare for someone of his age to remain alive in such a state for so long.

In these situations, there is usually talk regarding the value of keeping a human being with minimal consciousness alive, based on quality of life and other considerations. What does Judaism have to say about it?

Judaism does not allow “pulling the plug.” This is true even if the patient had been able to request it. In fact, our sages tell us that even to “remove the pillow” from under a person who is near death is forbidden, as such a tiny movement is likely to hasten death.

Euthanasia is strictly forbidden and considered to be comparable to murder – one of the three cardinal sins of the Torah. We believe that our bodies are not ours, but, rather, a gift on loan from God. As such, we are not permitted to damage our bodies or, by extension, to end the life that we were intended to live within our bodies. Stories of families who had wanted to pull the plug on a loved one – who later emerged from a coma to live a productive life – are becoming more common thanks to increasing medical and technological progress.

There are very few areas in which Judaism is resolute, and one of them concerns the value of life. Whether it is a second, a year or a lifetime, each moment is precious and must be preserved.

But although euthanasia is forbidden, heroic efforts to preserve life are usually not required. What this means is that if there exists an impediment to the natural course of life–or to the natural process of death–then this impediment need not be administered, and in some cases, it may even be withdrawn. Based on this dispensation, some rabbis have permitted, for instance, removing a ventilator if there was nothing else keeping the patient alive.

Still, not all cases are the same, and a rabbi must be consulted in each situation where “pulling the plug” is under consideration.

Let us conclude with the story of Rabbi Chanina ben Teradion, who was being burned alive by the Romans. His students urged him to end his suffering quickly by opening his mouth and inhaling the flames. To which Rabbi Chanina replied: “It is better that He who gave me my soul should take it from me rather than I should cause injury to myself.”

To “pull” or not to “pull”? That is a very difficult question. May we never need to decide on it!

Author: Rabbi Ari Enkin, rabbinic director, United with Israel
Date: Jan. 13, 2014

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