07 Jul KASHRUS QUESTIONS & ANSWERS WITH RABBI MOSHE ELEFANT

Are medications
like Ozempic
and Wegovy
for weight
loss permitted
according to halacha?

In Maseches Bava Kama, we learn that a
person is prohibited from causing harm to
another individual, whether physically or
financially. This is a serious Torah prohibition,

and the masechta also explores the extent of
one’s responsibility if damage is caused.
Beyond harming others, halacha also
prohibits a person from harming themselves.
Jewish law views the human body as a trust
given by Hashem. It is not something a person
fully owns or has absolute control over.
Therefore, while we have limited ownership
over our possessions—even though there is
still a prohibition of baal tashchis, needless
destruction—we certainly do not have the
right to damage our own bodies.
For this reason, the statement “it’s my body
and I can do what I want” is not valid in
halacha. Our bodies are not fully ours; they

are entrusted to us by Hashem. As such, self-
harm is prohibited, and of course suicide is

strictly forbidden under any circumstance.

With this foundation, a long-
discussed halachic question

arises: is cosmetic surgery
permitted?
If a procedure is medically necessary—
even if it also improves appearance—it is
not only permitted but may be required,
based on the obligation of “V’nishmartem
me’od lenafshoseichem,” which obligates
us to protect and maintain our health.

In such cases, medical treatment
that improves both health and
appearance is clearly allowed.
The more complex category is
purely cosmetic surgery. This refers
to a situation where a person
is physically healthy but feels
discomfort with their appearance
and seeks to change it for aesthetic
reasons. Most poskim generally hold
that if the procedure is not medically
necessary and carries no significant
danger, it falls into the category of cosmetic
enhancement, and it may be permitted

when it helps a person’s emotional well-
being, even if it is not strictly required.

Turning to medications like Ozempic and
Wegovy, the question becomes more
nuanced. I am not qualified to evaluate the
medical risks involved, but the halachic
issue depends heavily on medical reality.
If a doctor determines that using these
medications for weight loss may lead to
side effects or health complications that
would not otherwise occur, then using
them purely for cosmetic purposes becomes
questionable.
At the same time, weight itself is a medical
condition, and obesity can carry serious

health risks. Therefore, these decisions must
be guided jointly by medical and halachic
input. The key question is what presents the
greater risk: remaining overweight, or taking
medication that may have side effects.
Halacha is clear that we are obligated to
choose the medically responsible course of
action. If a competent physician determines
that the benefits of weight loss outweigh the
risks of the medication, then it is appropriate
to proceed. If, however, the risks of the
medication outweigh the benefits, then it
should be avoided.
In practice, one should consult both a
knowledgeable physician and a competent
halachic authority to evaluate the specific
circumstances properly.