[Avodah] Rav Moshe Feinstein on Abortion

[Zev Sero]

On 14/08/18 17:04, Micha Berger via Avodah wrote:

 >    Historically, many decisors viewed feticide as a lower-level form
 >    of manslaughter that is permitted only when it will save the
 >    mother's life. In that case alone, we treat the fetus as a rodef,
 >    [...]  This position was adopted [..] by, amongst others, [..]
 >    Rabbi Moshe Feinstein.
>
> Is this really R' Moshe's position? As I wrote, I thought he did consider
> abortion actual murder, and not "a lower-level form of manslaughter". But
> rather, like murder of someone who was terminally ill, it's simply not
> punishable -- but just as bad as any othere murder. Can someone look at
> IM CM 2:69 and tell me which one of us got it right? Or am I looking at
> the wrong teshuvah?

You are correct, and I think the author was inexact in his use of the 
English term "manslaughter".   RMF explicitly says it is murder, exactly 
like killing a tereifa, and he says this is the position not just of the 
Rambam but also of Rashi & Tosfos and that there were no rishonim who 
held otherwise.


-- 
Zev Sero            A prosperous and healthy 5779 to all
zev at sero.name       Seek Jerusalem's peace; may all who love you prosper