Sterilization

Source: Halachipedia: Sterilization

Link: https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Sterilization

Exported: 2025-12-30

1. The Torah prohibits the destruction of human and animal reproductive organs.¹
2. If a male's reproductive organs were damaged after birth he is excluded from the Jewish community²
3. Sterilizing a woman is also forbidden.³
4. Using a medicine to sterilize a man or animal is forbidden.⁴
5. One may not have a non-jew sterilize an animal on his behalf. Therefore if one has a pet dog or cat one may not instruct the vet to neuter and spay, rather he should sell the animal to a non-jew and that non-jew should instruct the vet to do the procedure.⁵
6. If a man had a sterilization he must get it undone as quickly as possible, as soon as this is over, he can now be included in klal yisrael.⁶

References

¹: Vayikra 22:24, S”A EH 5:11

²: Deuteronomy 23:2, Rambam Isurei Biyah 16:9, Shulchan Arukh Even HaEzer 5:10. Some say that if there is no visible damage to the reproductive organs and yet is unable to bear children he is muttar lavo b'kahal, Arukh HaShulchan Even HaEzer 5:24

³: Rambam Isurei Biyah 16:11, Shulchan Aruch EH 5:11. Gra EH 5:25 implies it is biblical without malkot. Perisha 5:30 explains that the reason it is forbidden to sterilize women is because they won’t be able to populate the world (lo tohu l’shevet yetzara) which also applies to women.

⁴: Gemara Shabbat 110b, Shulchan Aruch EH 5:12

⁵: Shulchan Arukh Even HaEzer 5:14

⁶: Laws of Forbidden Relations, Chapter 16