Avram
“which is a tangent that is probably not a good idea for us to get into,”
I’m sorry but you lost me a little bit. what tangent? thats what I am (and I thought we are) discussing. Who should decide if a Frum woman wants (or needs) an abortion: The government or her/her Rabbi and her Dr.
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If halacha would allow (but not require) an abortion, do you support the government stopping them ?
“What would these colleagues of yours say about the number of times halacha would require an abortion, but the medical establishment deems it unnecessary?”
Probably zero, though I didint ask because I’m not sure why we are differentiating “require” vs “allow”
As you may know halacha isnt always black and white. Even in more straight forward relatively less consequential decisions like kashrus questions there are many factors that come in shaas hadchak hefsed meruba etc there are times where eating food (or discarding it) is allowed but not required.
With these abortion issues it is far more complex. for example carrying an anencephalic child to term . there is a lot of haalchic literature on this. the Tziiz Eleiver allowed abortion (not in 3rd trimester IIRC) R’ Moshe argued.
nobody “REQUIRES” it.
how hard is it for a woman to go through with such a pregnancy. I dont know, and luckily I dont have to decide whether they should be forced to even if it will be difficult .
But if halacha allows it , let them decide with their Rav
Let the Rav decide what effect it will have on her mental health