מקצועות הרפואה לכהן

This is a very complicated issue and is perhaps one of the most difficult questions in halacha.

Most posqim have forbidden a kohen to study medicine if he will come into contact with cadavers, which is the usual case. However, despite these stringent rulings there are two talmidei hahamim who have permitted studying medicine and anatomy dissections under special conditions.

1. Rabbi Mordekhai ha-Kohen permits a kohen to study medicine and perform dissections on the grounds of piquah nefesh. However, most posqim disagree with this point of view. For example, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ruled that if a kohen has already graduated as a doctor he might be permitted to take part in certain dissections, but he disagrees with R. ha-Kohen’s ruling that it is allowed because of piquah nefesh. His reasoning is that the principle that one should not desecrate Shabbat to do business in order to raise money which could then be used to save someone’s life applies to someone who wants to break the law in order to study medicine.

2. Rabbi Shlomo Goren permits a kohen to perform dissections under special circumstances: he must wear a special bracelet. However, here, too, many posqim disagreed with this heter.

On a practical level, I don’t know if you are asking whether or not you can continue with your medical career, or if you are asking how you should continue studying medicine with the minimum issurim. If it is the latter case, you should minimize the circumstances of touching a cadaver as much as possible. In Israel, for example, many medical schools allow students to minimize participation in dissections and instead use printed and computerized anatomy atlases for studying anatomy and passing the examinations.

In addition, you should be advised to wear the halakhic bracelet as stipulated by R. Goren.

See ASSIA 69-70

pp. 65-84 (here is a link to the article in the Schlesinger Institute’s web site: https://www.medethics.org.il/articles/ASSIA/ASSIA69-70/Assia69-70.04.asp )

pp. 85-105 (link: https://www.medethics.org.il/articles/ASSIA/ASSIA69-70/Assia69-70.05.asp )

pp. 106-130 (link: https://www.medethics.org.il/articles/ASSIA/ASSIA69-70/Assia69-70.06.asp )

All articles are in Hebrew.