[Avodah] Abortion isn't Murder

[Zev Sero]

On 16/07/2013 9:58 AM, Rabbi Meir G. Rabi wrote:
> The Gem Sanhedrin 57 discusses those things prohibited to NJ, all of
> which are capital offences.

> R Yishmael says it is prohibited for a NJ to kill a foetus and the
> source for this is ShoFech Dam HaAdam BaAdam. This is distinct from
> the transgression of murder of a human; meaning it is clear that
> killing a foetus is not murder.  So there is a NEW prohibition killing
> a foetus, distinct and separate from the sin of murder.

Really? R Yishmael says there are *eight* mitzvos BN?! And the Rambam
(and really everyone) who paskens like him, holds there are eight mitzvos?
Oh, but the same Rambam explicitly says there are seven!

>The Passuk is a descriptor to describe a foetus; it is NOT a definition
> of what is a human.

And you know this how? The pasuk (according to RY, whose view is the
halacha) explicitly calls the foetus "ha'adam".

-- 
Zev Sero
zev at sero.name