From: Many Readers
Dear Rabbi,
What is the Jewish perspective on cloning?
This is a continuation of: Cloning 1 – Is it Right to Play G-d?
Dear Readers,
In the first part of this series we explored the question if it’s right to play G-d. This segment of our discussion on cloning will address the question of whether a clone has a soul. The series will conclude with the question whether my clone is me, my twin or my child.
Regarding the question whether a clone has a soul, some opinions answer in the negative. They compare a clone to a golem (a human-like being), such as the well-known golem of the Maharal of Prague. Before refuting this comparison let’s examine the idea of creating a golem as it appears in our traditional sources.
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 65b) refers to Sefer Yetzira (The Book of Creating), attributed to our patriarch Abraham, which teaches that different combinations of the 32 Channels of Wisdom, the 10 Sefirot (Divine Attributes), and the 22 Hebrew letters can be used to “create” beings, just as G‑d did in creating the universe. The Talmud relates that Rava used Sefer Yetzira to “create” a person. Similarly Rav Chanina and Rav Oshiya would study Sefer Yetzira every Friday to “create” a calf which they would eat for their Shabbat meal. Sefer Yetzira is an accepted part of the Jewish tradition and was studied by such luminaries as Rav Hai Gaon, Ramban, the Arizal, and the Vilan Gaon.
The Maharal, a great rabbi of the 16th century, allegedly created a golem to protect the Jews of Prague from anti-Semitism. Some say that G‑d’s name was written on the golem’s forehead. Others claim that the golem was activated or de-activated by adding or removing the letter ‘alef’ from the word “emet” (the Hebrew for “truth”, which without the ‘alef’ spells “met” which means dead). The golem was left in the attic of the Maharhal’s synagogue and more recent accounts tell of Nazi soldiers fleeing in horror after having broken into the attic.
The Responsa literature (see Chacham Zvi 93) deals with the question whether a golem is human and may be included in a minyan, answering in the negative. The golem is not human – it was created unnaturally and has no internal organs or blood. Therefore they add, it is not forbidden to “kill” a golem, just as the Maharal de-activated his golem. Furthermore, a golem cannot speak, which according to Judaism indicates that it has no human soul (see Gen. 2:8, Onkelos and Rashi).
A clone, on the contrary, is created and born biologically and has normal body functions (like a pumping heart and circulating blood). Presumably, a human clone would have the power of speech, and therefore should have a human soul just like me. Or perhaps my twin…or rather my child. Who is my clone anyway? Stay tuned for Cloning 3: Is My Clone Me, My Twin or My Child?
Other parts in this series are:
Cloning 1 – Is it Right to Play G-d?
Cloning 3 – Me, My Twin or My Child?
