should a heart valve replacement be denied

[miamiteacher]

Originally Posted by natalie469

Why condescending with the yawn. Just move on and don't post.

Because, to them the case is closed. To consider any other point of view in an intellectual manner is a moot point.

[Walter Greenspan]

Originally Posted by miamiteacher

Should an employee of a Jewish organization be denied coverage for a heart valve replacement because it isn't kosher? Or should a Jewish hospital refuse to do this same poceedure?

Using a pig heart valve in replacement surgery does not violate any Mitzvah (Commandment).

Unlike Islam that prohibits the use pork in any way, shape or form, Judaism only prohibits the consumption of pork, with one exception: to save a life.

All but 3 of the 613 Mitzvot (Commandments) can be violated to save a life, be it your own life, the life of another Jew, the life of a Gentile or the life of a pagan.

So, for example, if the only food available is a ham sandwich, a Jew can eat that ham sandwich if eating it is necessary to save a life.

The 3 inviolate Mitzvot are the prohibition against murder, the prohibition against adultery/incest and the prohibition against idolatry.

[Mircea]

Originally Posted by miamiteacher

Sorry, maybe I should have made the point that many valve replacements use pig valves. Therefore they aren't kosher and against Jewish kosher laws.

That is not my problem.

Many of you seem to be under the misguided and mistaken belief that my purpose in life is to subsidize, finance and fund other people's life-styles.

It is not.

He will have to decide how badly he wants to live. If it is his desire to live, then he'll take any heart-valve, kosher or not, and even a used one from a goyim or a Muslim if that is all that's available. The guy has probably already violated the 10 Commandments and the other 603 laws of the mitzvah, so it ain't like he's getting eternal life or something.

Not kosher...

Mircea