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    10 Nov RAV DOVID FEINSTEIN’S POSITION ON ORGAN TRANSPLANTS BASED ON HIS FATHER R’ MOSHE’S PSAK

    Posted at 22:25h in by
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    My father’s position was, very simply that the stopping of breathing was death. It doesn’t matter if the heart is functioning or not; as long as he stops breathing he’s considered dead. That’s the way he said they always did it in Europe when the Chevra Kadisha went to test if a person is dead or not. Once the person is dead and someone is available to give the organ then why not? 

    Do you think Rav Moshe zt’l would have encouraged people to sign Organ Donor Cards? I doubt it. 

    In your opinion, what is the reason Rav Moshe’s opinion on brain death is so shrouded in mystery and there’s many different sides on how to understand Rav Moshe? 

    There’s only one way I don’t think anybody argues that point. It’s very simple; it’s the cessation of breathing. When Rav Moshe Tendler wrote up the healthcare proxy for the RCA many people came out and said not necessarily that he has a real understanding of Rav Moshe. It never changed, it depends on how you want to word it. If I tell you cessation of breathing and you want to say brain death, I don’t agree with it. I don’t know anything about brain death. Quote me correctly that’s all. That’s the whole argument against Rabbi Tendler. 

    Because he translated cessation of breathing as brain death? 

    Ok fine he might be 100% right I’m not disputing the point. You can say brain death cannot breathe and therefore he’s considered dead. He was very makpid that his words should not be changed. Quote him as is; he cannot breathe, nothing else. The original dispute was that people disputed that brain death was the stopping of breathing. If he’s 100% right then no one will dispute him. 

    So in your opinion, if it’s proven medically what Rav Tendler is saying then that would be Rav Moshe’s opinion? 

    100% 

    But you’re not sure that it has been proven? 

    I have no idea. It’s not my field. My father’s position is that a person is dead if he can’t breathe on his own. Would it then be your opinion that Rav Moshe would encourage organ donation in that situation? One has nothing to do with the other. If you’re saying a patient is available then fine. If you’re saying to put it into the tank or whatever you want to call it I doubt he would agree with it. 

    To watch the actual interview go to: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bcej5mt4Bm A&feature=emb_logo