Even when someone has only a short time to live, life— both in quantity and quality— is a halachic imperative
“Hello, doctor,” says the rabbi. His intuition tells him that getting an unexpected phone call from a doctor he does not know is not a good sign.
His intuition is correct.
“Rabbi, your congregant Mr. Schwartzbaum is here in the ICU. I’m afraid there is nothing more we will be able to do to cure him. His family would like me to consult with you to decide how to care for him for the time he has left.”
“Of course,” says the rabbi. “What options do we have?”
“Well, rabbi, we can do this the cruel way or the compassionate way,” says the doctor. “We can be cruel and continue to provide every treatment we have, to extend his life for as long as possible. Or we can be compassionate: We can stop everything, disconnect the feeding tube and hydration, and let nature take its course.”
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