Fighting Epidemics and Approaches to Vaccination in Judaism: The Case of Covid-19

Year 2021, Volume: 3 Issue: 2, 181 - 205, 31.12.2021

Sema Nur Uzun

https://doi.org/10.51490/oksident.1019240

Cited By: 1

Abstract

The Covid-19 epidemic that broke out in China at the end of 2019 has spread worldwide in early 2020. In the struggle with pandemia, many countries imposed quarantines on carriers of the disease and even on entire civilian populations. At the end of 2020, Covid 19 vaccines have been started to administer worldwide. These developments have led to the emergence of discussions about the methods to be followed in the fight against the disease and the vaccines approved in a short time in Jewish communities as well as all over the world. This study offers religious approaches in Judaism to preserve the public’s health in general, particularly in the presence of the Covid-19 epidemic. Hereof, the preservation of health and the sanctity of human life have taken place as a basic tenet in Jewish thought from the Tanakh period to the present day. Since the time of the Tanakh, Judaism has viewed the maintenance of health as a religious tenet. For centuries, rabbis have considered it necessary to isolate the diseased person and other individuals who are at the risk of catching the disease, as is the case in the coronavirus epidemic that the world is experiencing now. They have issued orders for the suspension of religious observances to prevent the spread of disease. In addition, they have accepted a religious obligation to comply with health authorities’ recommendations against epidemics and be vaccinated by their recommendations. Nevertheless, although they are few, there are groups within Judaism who are opposed to the methods and practices in question.

Keywords

History of Religions, Judaism, Pandemics, Vaccine, Covid-19

Yahudilikte Salgın Hastalıklarla Mücadele ve Aşılanmaya Karşı Yaklaşımlar: Covid-19 Örneği

Abstract

2019 yılının sonunda Çin’de ortaya çıkan Covid-19 salgını 2020 yılının başlarında tüm dünyaya yayılmıştır. Hastalığın yayılmasıyla mücadelede pek çok ülke, hastalığı taşıyanlara ve hatta tüm nüfusa karantina uygulaması başlatmıştır. 2020 yılının sonunda ise Covid-19 aşılarının üretimine başlanmıştır. Bu gelişmeler tüm dünyada olduğu gibi Yahudi cemaatlerinde de gerek hastalıkla mücadelede izlenmesi gereken yöntemler gerekse kısa sürede onay alan aşılar hakkında tartışmaların ortaya çıkmasına sebebiyet vermiştir. Bu makalede, Yahudilikte genel olarak salgın hastalıklar ve özelde Covid-19 salgını karşısında insan hayatını korumaya yönelik dinî yaklaşımlar sunulmaktadır. Buna göre, Tanah döneminden itibaren günümüze değin Yahudi düşüncesinde, sağlığın korunması ve insan hayatının kutsallığı temel bir ilke olarak yer almıştır. Yahudi hahamlar yüzyıllardır, günümüzde yaşanan koronavirüs salgınında olduğu gibi, hastayı ve hastalığa yakalanma riski olan diğer kişileri izole etmeyi gerekli görmüşlerdir. Hastalığın yayılmasını önlemek için dinî ayinlerin askıya alınmasına yönelik talimatlar vermişlerdir. Ayrıca salgın hastalıklara karşı sağlık alanındaki yetkililerin uyarılarına uymayı ve bu doğrultuda onların tavsiyeleri gereğince aşı olmayı dinî bir yükümlülük kabul etmişlerdir. Bununla birlikte Yahudilik içinde azınlık olmakla birlikte söz konusu yöntem ve uygulamalara muhalif grupların bulunduğu da görülmektedir.

Keywords

Dinler Tarihi, Yahudilik, Salgın Hastalıklar, Aşı, Covid-19

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